Program Director, MS Physician Assistant Studies Program

As an employee at The Chicago School, you can become a member of an inclusive community committed to excellence. At The Chicago School, we celebrate individuals of all backgrounds and identities for who they are and what they can contribute. We take pride in hiring and retaining the most dynamic, talented, and passionate professionals who will help us continue to innovate for decades to come.

POSITION SUMMARY

The Program Director is responsible for the development and launch of the MS Physician Assistant Studies (PA) program. They provide strategic vision, academic leadership, and overall administrative oversight to ensure the program's successful implementation and ongoing excellence. In alignment with the University’s mission, values, and strategic plan, the Program Director ensures program compliance with Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) Standards and is accountable for program organization, administration, fiscal management, continuous review, and communication.

The Program Director provides leadership in accreditation readiness, curriculum oversight, faculty management, and program assessment to support student success and program quality. Participation in accreditation-related activities, including preparation for and execution of site visits.

The Program Director is a full-time, 12-month faculty appointment with at least 50% of effort dedicated to administrative responsibilities for the program. The position requires on-campus presence at the Chicago Campus location. Occasionally, travel may be required.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Program Leadership and Administration:

• Provide strategic vision and leadership, in alignment with institutional goals and ARC-PA Standards, to develop and launch the PA program.
• Ensure program organization, structure, and delivery meet all accreditation and regulatory requirements.
• Maintain continuous compliance with ARC-PA policies, including preparation for accreditation review and site visits.
• Lead ongoing programmatic self-assessment, evaluation, and continuous quality improvement processes.
• Establish and maintain effective communication across faculty, administration, students, and external stakeholders

Accreditation and Compliance:

• Ensure adherence to all ARC-PA Standards and policies governing PA education.
• Lead development, implementation, and maintenance of accreditation documentation and reports.
• Oversee data collection, analysis, and reporting to support accreditation and program outcomes.
• Coordinate and lead site visit preparation, including documentation, logistics, and stakeholder readiness.

Curriculum and Academic Oversight

• Oversee design, implementation, and evaluation of didactic and clinical curriculum aligned with program learning outcomes.
• Ensure curriculum meets professional competencies and accreditation expectations.
• Monitor student learning outcomes and program effectiveness through data-driven assessment practices.
• Support continuous curriculum improvement based on outcomes, feedback, and industry standards.

Personnel Management

• Recruit, hire, develop, and evaluate program faculty and staff in alignment with institutional policies and program needs.
• Supervise all individuals in the roles of medical director, principal and instructional faculty, and staff in activities that directly relate to the PA program.
• Provide leadership, mentorship, and performance management for faculty.
• Ensure faculty engagement in teaching, scholarship, and service activities.
• Foster an inclusive, collaborative, and high-performing academic environment.

Student Success and Engagement

• Ensure systems are in place to support student progression, retention, and timely degree completion.
• Oversee processes for addressing student concerns, academic performance, and professional development.
• Promote a student-centered environment that supports academic and professional success.
• Oversee student selection/admissions processes in collaboration with program faculty.

Fiscal and Operational Management

• Provide strategic leadership on enrollment, workforce, and program sustainability initiatives to ensure long-term growth, alignment with institutional priorities, and responsiveness to healthcare workforce needs.
• Develop and manage the program budget in collaboration with institutional leadership.
• Oversee resource allocation to support program quality and sustainability.
• Ensure efficient day-to-day program operations, including scheduling and staffing.

Strategic Growth and External Engagement

• Represent the program internally and externally to cultivate strategic partnerships, strengthen stakeholder relationships, and enhance the program's reputation and visibility.
• Provide strategic leadership on enrollment, workforce, and program sustainability initiatives to ensure long-term growth, alignment with institutional priorities, and responsiveness to healthcare workforce needs.

Required Qualifications:

Education and Certification

• Graduation from an accredited Physician Assistant program.
• Current or emeritus certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
• Earned doctoral degree (PhD, EdD, DHSc, DMSc, or related field) from a regionally accredited institution.

Experience:

Minimum of three 3 years of full-time higher education experience at time of appointment, with a preference for 5 or more years, particularly within a PA program setting. This experience must include:

• Experience within an accredited Physician Assistant program.
• Progressive leadership experience within a PA program (e.g., Assistant/Associate Program Director, Clinical Director, Academic Coordinator, or equivalent).
• Direct experience with Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) processes, including participation in self-study preparation, accreditation reporting, and/or site visits.
• Clinical practice experience as a Physician Assistant.
• Demonstrated administrative leadership in an academic or PA program setting, including program planning, personnel management, budget oversight, and outcomes assessment.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, and evaluating faculty.
• Experience with program assessment, outcomes evaluation, and continuous quality improvement processes.
• Experience working effectively and collaboratively as a member of an academic and/or leadership team.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience as a Program Director or in a leadership role within a PA program.
• Experience leading accreditation reviews or site visits.
• Evidence of scholarship and professional engagement.
• Experience with curriculum development and program assessment.
• Experience with hybrid education delivery.

Compensation & Benefits

This opportunity is budgeted at $140,000 - $200,000 base compensation. Additional compensation factors may impact total compensation. To learn more about our competitive benefits and additional rewards, including generous paid time-off, medical and dental insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, retirement plan with employer contribution, multiple flexible spending accounts, tuition reimbursement, click the link below.

https://www.thechicagoschool.edu/career-opportunities/

The Chicago School is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Please note: For the protection of faculty, staff, students, and all who enter our facilities, The Chicago School strongly recommends that all employees are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 per CDC guidance.

Organization

The Chicago School is a not-for-profit, accredited institution with more than 4,000 students at campuses across the country (Chicago, Los Angeles and Orange Counties, Calif., and Washington, D.C.) and online. TCS has been an innovator in the field of psychology and related behavioral science for more than 30 years. TCS offers more than 20 degree programs and a wealth of opportunities for international experiences.

Central to our transformational impact on students, their communities, and the practice of psychology is The Engaged Professional Model of Education. This groundbreaking approach to training leverages the talents and experience of faculty practitioners, who work with our Community Partnership and Applied Professional Practice teams to provide students a rich spectrum of clinical training in a wide range of community settings. In fact, the School was the first of its kind to be named to the President's Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for its leadership in service and civic engagement.

Our graduates emerge with unrivaled skills, and ready to make much-needed changes in the communities they serve. They work around the world in hospitals, schools, community centers, agencies, NGOs, private practice, and elsewhere. Our graduates blend a sophisticated understanding of the human experience with high-quality practice in fields such as adolescent psychology, applied behavior analysis, Latino mental health, and forensic psychology.

The Chicago School is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and is an active member of the National Council of Schools and Programs of Professional Psychology—which has recognized The Chicago School for its distinguished service and outstanding contributions to cultural diversity and advocacy.