Program Director

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The Program Director & Chair of Physician Assistant Studies provides visionary leadership, strategic direction, and operational oversight for the Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) program at Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. This senior academic leader is responsible for programmatic excellence, accreditation compliance, faculty and staff leadership, curriculum innovation, and student success, while advancing PCOM’s mission of osteopathic, patient-centered, and competency-based health professions education. The Program Director/Chair serves as the administrative officer for the PA program, ensuring full compliance with ARC-PA Standards, fostering a culture of collaboration, professionalism, innovation, and continuous quality improvement, and positioning the program for long-term sustainability and distinction. The position reports directly to the Dean of the School of Health Professions & Sciences and carries faculty rank commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Program Leadership and Administration

1. Provide strategic leadership to advance a high-quality, mission-aligned PA program consistent with PCOM’s institutional priorities.

2. Maintain continuous compliance with all ARC-PA Standards, institutional policies, and applicable state regulations.

3. Work collaboratively with the Accreditation Specialist and serve as the primary liaison to ARC-PA, overseeing:

• Program applications and appendices
• RC portal updates and reporting
• Self-study development and documentation
• Annual and monitoring reporting
• Substantive change reporting
• Accreditation site visit coordination

4. Provide direct supervision and leadership for:

• Medical Director
• Assistant Program Directors
• Director(s) of Didactic Education
• Director(s) of Clinical Education
• Principal Faculty, instructional faculty, and program staff

5. Chair and oversee key committees, including:

• Curriculum Committee
• Admissions Committee
• Accreditation and CQI Committee
• Progression, Conduct, and Appeals Committee

6. Lead the development, implementation, and evaluation of program-level policies, procedures, goals, and strategic plans with institutional leadership.

7. Oversee program budgeting, fiscal planning, and resource allocation in collaboration with institutional leadership.

8. Lead faculty and staff recruitment, onboarding, mentoring, evaluation, remediation, and professional development.

9. Foster an inclusive, collegial, and high-performance culture that supports retention and excellence.

10. Cultivate and maintain strong partnerships with clinical sites, health systems, and community stakeholders to ensure high-quality supervised clinical practice experiences.

11. Collaborate with admissions, registrar, student affairs, financial aid, marketing, and other institutional offices to ensure seamless program operations.

12. The Program Director & Chair is responsible for leadership continuity and succession planning through faculty development, cross-training, and documented transition processes that ensure uninterrupted program operations and ongoing compliance with ARC-PA Standards.

Curriculum, Assessment, and Continuous Quality Improvement

1. Oversee the design, implementation, and continuous refinement of the didactic and clinical curriculum.

2. Ensure curriculum mapping alignment with:

• ARC-PA Standards
• Program-defined competencies
• NCCPA content and task area blueprints

3. Approve course objectives and syllabi, ensuring measurable outcomes and standards compliance.

4. Lead a robust assessment and CQI framework, incorporating:

• Admissions and progression data
• Course and exam performance
• OSCEs and simulation outcomes
• PACKRAT and summative evaluations
• Clinical performance data
• PANCE outcomes
• Graduate, employer, and preceptor feedback

5. Use data-driven insights to inform program improvement, resource planning, and accreditation documentation.

6. Promote innovative teaching and assessment strategies, including simulation, interprofessional education, and technology-enhanced learning.

Accreditation and Compliance

1. Maintain all required accreditation documentation, faculty CVs, and job descriptions in accordance with the ARC-PA Standards.

2. Ensure timely communication with ARC-PA regarding:

• Personnel changes
• Class size or program length modifications
• Substantive programmatic changes

3. Oversee publication of required program outcomes and student information, including accreditation status, PANCE performance, graduation rates, costs, and technical standards.

4. Ensure student policies are clearly published, consistently applied, and ARC-PA compliant.

Student Success; Professional Development

1. Promote a learning environment grounded in professionalism, ethics, inclusion, and student well-being.

2. Oversee advising, remediation, academic progression, and student support structures.

3. Lead or oversee PA student orientation and onboarding.

4. Support student professional development, including career planning, licensure preparation, and transition to practice.

5. Participate in admissions recruitment, interviews, and selection processes.

Teaching, Scholarship, and Service

1. Teach within the PA curriculum in a manner consistent with program needs and accreditation standards.

2. Model excellence in teaching and mentorship.

3. Engage in scholarly and professional activities that advance PA education, clinical practice, and institutional reputation.

4. Participate in college, school, and university governance and service.

5. Represent PCOM and the PA program at regional, state, and national professional meetings.

Other

1. Other duties as assigned by the Dean of the School of Health Professions and Sciences or the Provost’s office.

Required Qualifications

• Graduate of an ARC-PA-accredited Physician Assistant program
• Current or Emeritus NCCPA certification status
• Master’s degree in physician assistant studies or a related health field
• Minimum three (3) years of full-time higher education experience with demonstrated leadership.
• Minimum three (3) years of clinical practice experience as a Physician Assistant.
• Demonstrated experience with ARC-PA accreditation processes.
• Evidence of effective teaching, curriculum leadership, or academic administration.
• Doctoral degree (PhD, EdD, DMSc, DHS, or equivalent)
• Prior experience as Program Director, Associate Program Director, Director of Didactic Education, or Director of Clinical Education.
• Demonstrated success in curriculum innovation, faculty leadership, or scholarship.
• Experience with budget management and personnel supervision.
• Experience integrating simulation, competency-based education, or interprofessional earning.

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The referenced salary range is based on PCOM good faith belief at the time of posting. Actual compensation may vary based on factors such as geographic location, work experience, market conditions, education/training and skill level. PCOM offers a total rewards package that supports our employees' health, life, career and retirement.

PCOM prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, race, sex, color, gender, gender identity and expression, national origin, ethnicity, ancestry, sexual orientation, religion, creed, disability, genetic information, marital status, pregnancy, military and military veteran status or any other legally protected class status in all its programs, activities, and employment practices.