Assistant Director of Didactic Education (Administrator I), Master of Science in Physician Assistant Program

Job Summary:

The Assistant Director of Didactic Education, Master of Science in Physician Assistant (MSPA) Program is responsible for teaching, course development, and student mentorship for the program. The successful candidate must share in the mission of CSUSB and the MSPA program, as well as be a strong advocate for the PA profession. This position is also actively involved in other facets of the program, including accreditation, assessment, admissions, and programmatic review.

The Assistant Director of Didactic Education reports directly to the Program Director and works collaboratively with the Director of Didactic Education, as well as the Director of Clinical Education and other PA Program team members to ensure the program is in full compliance with ARC-PA Standards.unity.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

Teaching and Student Support

• Provide student instruction in areas of clinical expertise using active learning methods.
• Counsel and mentor students related to academic and professional development.
• Coordinate curriculum (i.e., Course Director) within specified courses.
• Evaluate student performance and provide remedial instruction/reassessment as needed.

Management

• Support the Director of Didactic Education in the leadership and administration of the didactic phase of the curriculum, including the design, development, implementation, coordination, evaluation, and maintenance of the didactic curriculum with adherence to ARC-PA Standards.
• Contribute to the development of the teaching schedule and workload for the didactic phase in collaboration with the Director of Didactic Education.
• Implement student academic progression, retention, and completion strategies.
• Assist with evaluating and collaborating with third-party vendors for equipment, software, and/or services needed to enhance the applicant and/or student experience.
• Foster relationships with key stakeholders and community partners to strengthen the didactic phase, as well as create valuable experiential learning and community service opportunities.
• Assist with the recruitment, onboarding, and evaluation of instructional faculty (as needed).
• Support the planning and management of activities related to academic policies and the didactic phase(e.g., orientation, white coat ceremony)

Service

• Participate in the MSPA program’s admissions process, including recruitment, application review, interviews, and final selection for admission.
• Serve as an active member of MSPA program committees and relevant CSUSB committees.
• Work collaboratively with academic programs at CSUSB and partner institutions.
• Engage in active service and scholarship as defined by the workload policy.

Accreditation Support

• Contribute to initial and ongoing accreditation activities by serving as a content expert for curricular and position-focused areas.
• Support the comprehensive assessment of the didactic phase, including data collection and thoughtful analysis.
• Collaborate with the Program Director and MSPA program faculty to perform programmatic evaluation.
• Develop, review, and revise as necessary the mission statement, goals, and competencies of the program.

Other

• Engage in ongoing faculty development, including continued clinical practice and/or educational programs related to clinical medicine or PA education.
• Assist clinical site development and ongoing clinical site monitoring to ensure the quality and sufficiency of SCPEs (as needed).
• Perform other duties as determined by the Program Director.

Minimum Qualifications: Required Education and Experience

• Graduate of an ARC-PA accredited program.
• Master’s Degree or higher in a field related to the PA profession.
• Minimum of three years of experience working in a clinical setting as a Physician Assistant.
• Current certification through the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
• PA licensure (or eligibility for licensure) in the state of California.

Required Qualifications

• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills (including being a good listener) to interact and communicate effectively with faculty, staff, students, and external constituencies, both verbally and in writing.
• Advanced time management, organizational, and analytical skills.
• Excellent teaching skills, including the ability to engage and mentor students.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively as a member of a team and collaboratively with other departments.
• Ability to manage multiple projects independe