Clinical Director; Physician Assistant Studies Program

This is a full-time (32 hours + 1 clinical release day per week), exempt faculty rank position, which possesses responsibility for administrative and accreditation related oversight of the Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPEs) portion of the PA Studies Program curriculum.

Reporting Relationships

Position Reports to: Director, Physician Assistant (PA) Studies Program

Direct Responsibilities: Development, Oversight, Implementation, and Assessment of PA Studies Program Clinical Curriculum; Recruiting, Educating, and Maintaining Clinical Preceptors Sufficient in Number to Support All Enrolled Students Throughout All Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPEs).

Indirect Supervisory Responsibility: None

Position Backup: Academic Director, PA Studies Program

Foundational Responsibilities

The Clinical Director for the PA Studies Program, in collaboration with the Director of Physician Assistant Studies, is responsible for: participating in the development of the program’s mission, goals, and competencies; screening and selecting student applicants; providing academic counselling to PA studies student advisees; assessment and quality assurance; preceptor and SCPE site recruitment and development, experiential curricular development, and administration for the Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPEs) portion of the Notre Dame of Maryland University PA Studies Program.

This position will be responsible for:

• The recruitment and maintenance of sufficient SCPE sites to meet all current and future PA cohort needs.
• Ensuring that all ARC-PA standards pertaining to clinical experiences are met.
• In collaboration with the PA Program Director, Medical Director, and Academic Director, develop and implement curriculum, policies, procedures, processes, and documents that satisfy all relevant ARC-PA Standards.

Ongoing, Essential Functions

Assessment and Quality Assurance

• Conduct and record periodic, on-site visits to SCPE sites to evaluate preceptor effectiveness and student experiences.
• Ensure that all SCPEs are effective in leading students to achieve expected learning outcomes and program defined competencies.
• Evaluate and ensure consistency and equity in assessment of student performance.
• Develop, implement, and oversee a policy to ensure students adhere to CDC recommendations for vaccinations and infectious disease prevention.

Recruitment, Development, and Retention of Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences and Preceptors

• Participate in ongoing collaboration to ensure the clinical curriculum aligns with the program’s mission and competencies.
• Practice ongoing recruitment of new SCPE sites and preceptors.
• Develop, align, and deliver instructional development activities for preceptors.

Responsibilities for the Experiential Curriculum

• Oversight of and responsible for the development of expected learning outcomes and alignment with assessment tools for each required SCPE.
• Development of all clinical course syllabi, clinical year student handbook(s), preceptor handbook(s), and student assessment tools.
• Development, implementation, and delivery of student and preceptor SCPE orientation materials/programs.

Program Administration

• Utilize appropriate technology to facilitate effective management and communication regarding all aspects of the clinical phase of the PA Program.
• Active participation in the PA Programs’ self-assessment activities by gathering, organizing, analyzing, and drawing conclusions from clinical experience performance data.
• Perform other agreed upon duties as assigned.

Qualifications

Educational Credentials: Graduation from an ARC-PA accredited Physician Assistant educational program or LCME or AOA accredited medical school. For PAs: Possession of Master’s degree is a minimum requirement; Doctorate Degree is preferred.

Certification & Licensure: For PAs: Current NCCPA Certification is required. Maryland licensure or eligibility is highly desired. For Physicians: Current and valid Maryland licensure is required, along with board certification.

Experience: A minimum of three years of clinical practice experience as a PA or Physician is required. Experience in providing instruction within a PA education program or medical school is highly desirable.

Skills/Aptitude: Excellent interpersonal skills, ability to balance multiple deadlines, demonstrated respect for diversity/equity/inclusion, and proficiency with Microsoft Office programs.

Working Conditions: Normal office environment. Some overtime may be required. Position has potential risk for occupational exposure to infectious material and requires Hepatitis B Vaccine and annual training.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package.