Assistant Director of Clinical Education - Physician Assistant

POSITION SUMMARY: 

The Assistant Director of Clinical Education is a full-time faculty member (rank commensurate with experience) withing the Physician Assistant Program who plays an essential role in assisting with the coordination and oversight of the clinical phase of the curriculum. Working in close collaboration with the Director of Clinical Education, this position provides academic and operational leadership to support the design, implementation, evaluation and continuous improvement of supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs) and clinical curriculum in alignment with the program’s student learning outcomes and PA graduate competencies.

The Assistant Director is responsible for supporting clinical site coordination, faculty and preceptor collaboration, and student performance evaluation during the clinical phase. The Assistant Director of Clinical Education will work with the Director of Clinical Education and other members of the PA faculty to ensure that the program’s clinical phase is in compliance with all ARC-PA accreditation standards and reflects current clinical practice expectation.

In addition to administrative responsibilities, the Assistant Director of Clinical Education fulfills faculty duties including teaching, student advising, clinical assessment, and participation in service and scholarly activities. The Assistant Director works collaboratively with the Director of Clinical Education, Program Director, and other members of the faculty to promote academic excellence, support student success, and enhance the overall quality of the clinical education experience. This position also engages with counterparts across South University PA programs to foster consistency, innovation, and high standards in clinical education.

In fulfilling the responsibilities of this role, the incumbent is expected to uphold and promote the philosophy of South University, which emphasizes quality services to students and stakeholders; development, engagement, and recognition of employees; sound economic and operational principles; and an environment that fosters innovation, positive thinking and institutional growth.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Coordinates clinical curriculum development in alignment with the program’s student learning outcomes and PA competencies, including design and implementation of the clinical phase of the program.
2. Collaborates with all members of the program’s Clinical Education Team (CET) to support clinical education operations and planning.
3. Conducts ongoing assessment and continuous quality improvement of the clinical curriculum, including evaluation of student performance, preceptor effectiveness, and clinical site quality.
4. Collaborates with the Director of Clinical Education and CET to design and implement a comprehensive clinical site development and monitoring plan to ensure the program maintains an adequate number and diversity of SCPE sites.
5. Assists in managing coordination of clinical coursework and SCPE assignments for instructional faculty and preceptors based on program needs.
6. Provides teaching and instruction in the PA program including:

• Coordination and instruction for all clinical courses and rotations.
• Teaching in areas of clinical and/or professional expertise.
• Serving as a small group facilitator and student faculty advisor.

1. Evaluates student performance during objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), lab practicals, clinical reasoning sessions, problem-solving activities, and technical skills training and assessment during both the didactic and clinical phases.
2. Reviews and evaluates student performance on submitted assignments, projects, and presentations, ensuring the use of quality evidence-based resources and scholarly citations.
3. Develops course examinations and maps exam questions to ARC-PA Accreditation Standards and the NCCPA Content Blueprint to ensure alignment with program learning outcomes.
4. Provides input to support accreditation activities, program self-assessment, and periodic review of the program’s mission, vision, and goals.
5. Provides input to assist with accreditation activities, as well as ongoing program evaluation and mission statement review.
6. Participates in the program’s admissions process to include attendance at open houses, student recruitment, application review, candidate interviews, and student selection.
7. Collaborates with the Directors of Didactic and Clinical Education on the ongoing assessment of student performance toward attainment of the program’s student learning outcomes across both phases.
8. Engages in service, community and campus outreach, Program Advisory Committee (PAC) meetings, and scholarly activities appropriate to the role.
9. Participates in annual faculty development opportunities focused on teaching effectiveness and maintaining medical knowledge.
10. Provides remedial instruction to support student academic success and progression in the program.
11. Assists with other responsibilities as assigned by the Program Director, Director of Clinical Education, or the campus leadership.
12. Performs instructional duties as assigned and outlined in the job description and in accordance with the provisions of Faculty Supplement to the South University Employee Handbook.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

Education/License/Certification: 

• Terminal degree in healthcare disciplines such as physician assistant, pharmacy, medical doctor, and public health. Minimum of a Master’s degree is required.
• Eligibility for professional licensure/certification in the applicable state and healthcare discipline (if applicable) or holds an active, valid, and unencumbered state license.
• PAs must have graduated from an accredited PA program and have current NCCPA certification or emeritus status.
• Emeritus clinicians are not required to hold active licensure.

Experience: 

• 1-2 years teaching experience in a graduate health-related profession highly preferred.
• 2 years of clinical experience required if applicable.
• Experience in PA/medical classroom teaching and PA education administration is highly preferred.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written. 
• Strong interpersonal skills with student, faculty, and staff populations.
• Superior organization, prioritization, and self-motivation skills.
• Strong computer skills, including MS Office Suite, ExamSoft, and WebAdMIT
• Ability to interact effectively with clinical health care providers and administrators to establish and maintain strong relationships with clinical affiliates/sites.
• Ability to interact effectively as both a leader and as a member of a team and work collaboratively with other departments.
• Ability to read, understand, interpret, and implement accreditation criteria and state agency regulations.
• Ability to effectively present information to faculty, academic and campus leaders, corporate leaders, and public groups.
• Ability to resolve inquiries and complaints from employees, students, regulatory agencies, or members of the academic or business community.
• Ability to listen to staff, students, clinical preceptors, and members of the medical community to understand and respond appropriately to their needs and requests.
• Ability to adapt to changing assignments and multiple priorities.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and successfully meet deadlines.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those encountered while performing the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the position. 

South University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and embraces diversity as a critical step in ensuring employee, student and graduate success. We are committed to building and developing a diverse environment where a variety of ideas, cultures, and perspectives can thrive.