Director of the Physician Assistant (PA) Program

Position Summary

The Director of the Physician Assistant (PA) Program is a 12-month administrative appointment with faculty rank. The director provides academic, strategic, and operational leadership for the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) degree program and is responsible for all aspects of the planning, development, implementation, management, and evaluation of the program in alignment with the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) Standards of Accreditation, the College of Health Sciences, and Lenoir-Rhyne University policies and practices.

The Program Director works in close collaboration with the Dean of the College of Health Sciences (CHS) and other members of university leadership team to promote the vision, mission, values, goals and student learning outcomes of the PA Program, Lenoir-Rhyne University, and the PA profession.

Essential Program Director Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide continuous administrative leadership to ensure the program remains in strict compliance with ARC-PA Standards and university policies.
• Lead the continuous self-study process, overseeing systematic collection, tracking, and analysis of program data to evaluate institutional effectiveness.
• Oversee curriculum planning, development, mapping, delivery, and rigorous ongoing review of both didactic and supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs).
• Contribute to student instruction and evaluation as a lecturer, laboratory instructor, or facilitator in areas appropriate to clinical experience and educational preparation.
• Create, manage, and advocate for an annual program budget collaboratively with the Dean that adequately supports PA operations, facilities, and learning resources.
• Oversee the recruitment, selection, orientation, management, and formal evaluation of principal faculty, instructional faculty, administrative support staff, and the program Medical Director.
• Oversee the program admissions process, student recruitment, and the alignment of instructional or evaluative processes within the classroom.
• Coordinate academic advising, student professional development, and progress tracking throughout the educational program.
• Participate in leadership and service activities within professional organizations (e.g., PAEA, AAPA, NCAPA) and the broader community.

Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

• Current, active, and unrestricted certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). Must hold or be eligible for a valid Physician Assistant license in the state of North Carolina or hold PA Emeritus status.
• A minimum of a master’s degree in physician assistant studies (or related discipline); a doctoral degree awarded by an institution accredited by a USDE-recognized institutional accrediting agency is highly preferred.
• A minimum of three (3) years of full-time higher education experience in a PA educational program.
• Documented record of clinical practice as a certified Physician Assistant.
• Exceptional organizational, fiscal management, problem-solving, and interpersonal communication skills; a strong commitment to achieving the missions of the PA program and Lenoir-Rhyne University.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior administrative experience in an ARC-PA accredited program (e.g., as Program Director, Associate Program Director, Director of Didactic Education, or Director of Clinical Education).
• Demonstrated experience with ARC-PA accreditation standards, self-study processes, and site-visit preparation.
• A record of professional, academic, and clinical achievement, including active participation or leadership in local, regional, or national PA organizations.