Principal Faculty Physician Assistant Program

The Principal Faculty member reports directly to the Program Director and plays a key role in the collaborative planning, development, implementation, evaluation, and accreditation of the Physician Assistant (PA) Program. The individual must be team-oriented and possess excellent communication, teaching, and problem-solving skills.

Duties/Responsibilities as Principal Faculty:

A. Curriculum Development & Instruction

• Design, implement, and instruct didactic coursework, including serving as Course Director for assigned courses.
• Facilitate laboratory and small group sessions.
• Participate in continuous curriculum review and evaluation.
• Contribute to remediation and reassessment efforts.
• Provide academic instruction and support as assigned.

B. Program Evaluation & Accreditation

• Actively participate in ARC-PA accreditation processes, including program self-assessment, documentation, and reporting as directed by the program director.
• Assist with data collection and perform statistical analysis to support accreditation and continuous quality improvement, as directed by the program director.
• Serve on the Self-Assessment Committee and lead self-assessment initiatives, as directed by the program director.
• Engage in ongoing evaluation of program mission, vision, program goals, program competencies, and effectiveness.

C. Student Support & Advising

• Advise students on academic progress and professional development.
• Participate in the Student Progress Committee and Principal Faculty Committee.

D. Admissions & Recruitment

• Participate in the recruitment, interviewing, and selection process for incoming students.

E. Additional Roles

• Maintain all necessary licenses and certifications for practice and teaching eligibility.
• Participate in clinical practice and/or scholarly activity as appropriate and encouraged.

Minimum Qualifications:

Physician Assistant applicants

• Minimum of 3 years of recent clinical experience as a PA.
• Minimum of a Master’s degree in PA.
• Must have current NCCPA certification.
• Must be eligible for Missouri state license.

Other Health Care Professional applicants (MD, DO, NP, PharmD)

• Minimum of 3 years of recent clinical experience.
• A graduate of an accredited university from an institution within the United States.
• Current board certification, or Emeritus status.
• Eligible for Missouri state license

Consideration will be given to individuals who do not hold a health care professional degree but possess a terminal degree (e.g., PhD) in one of the human-focused basic life sciences and teaching experience at an accredited institution for higher learning.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience in teaching or demonstrated potential for excellence in instruction and presentation.
• Proficiency with educational technologies and electronic learning platforms.
• Strong organizational, planning, and multitasking skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
• High level of initiative, professionalism, and a strong work ethic.
• Strong interpersonal communication abilities.

ADDRESS APPLICATION TO:

Ashley VanZant
Physician Assistant Program Director
Drury University
729 Drury Lane
Springfield, MO 65802
Email: avanzant@drury.edu