Physician Associate Studies - Program Director, Doctor of Medical Sciences (DMSc) program/Open Clinical Faculty Rank

About Sacred Heart University
As one of the nation’s largest Catholic universities and among the fastest-growing private doctoral institutions in the U.S., Sacred Heart University is a national leader in shaping higher education for the 21st century. SHU offers more than 100 undergraduate, graduate and doctoral programs on its Fairfield, Conn., campus. Sacred Heart also has a campus in Dingle, Ireland, and offers online programs. Nearly 10,000 students attend the University’s nine colleges and schools: College of Arts & Sciences; School of Communication, Media & the Arts; School of Social Work; School of Performing Arts; College of Health Professions; the Isabelle Farrington College of Education & Human Development; the Jack Welch College of Business & Technology; School of Computer Science & Engineering and the Dr. Susan L. Davis, R.N., & Richard J. Henley College of Nursing. Sacred Heart, a Laudato Si’ campus, stands out from other Catholic universities as it was established to be led by the laity. This contemporary Catholic university is rooted in the rich Catholic intellectual tradition and the liberal arts and, at the same time, cultivates students to be forward thinkers who enact change—in their own lives, professions and in their communities. The Princeton Review includes SHU in its Best 391 Colleges: 2026 Edition and Best Business Schools: 2025 Edition. Sacred Heart is home to the award-winning, NPR-affiliate station, WSHU Public Radio; a Division I athletics program and an impressive performing arts program that includes choir, band, dance and theatre.


Job Title:
Assistant/Associate Clinical Professor
Department:
Department of Physician Associate Studies
Reports To:
Chair, Department of Physician Associate Studies
Anticipated Start Date:
June 2026
Contract Length:
12 months

About the College of Health Professions:
The College of Health Professions (CHP) at Sacred Heart University prepares students for meaningful careers in today’s dynamic healthcare environment through inclusive, collaborative, and experiential learning. With state-of-the-art facilities and a strong emphasis on interprofessional education, CHP offers a wide range of undergraduate and graduate programs in the clinical and health sciences. Students gain hands-on experience through advanced simulation, clinical placements, and global service-learning. Guided by the University's mission, the College fosters excellence, compassion, and a commitment to social justice, community, and the common good.

Position Summary:
The founding Program Director for the Doctor of Medical Sciences (DMSc) program provides academic, administrative, and strategic leadership for a newly established post-professional doctoral program. This role is responsible for leading program launch and implementation, ensuring doctoral-level rigor, overseeing curriculum and assessment, supervising faculty, and managing day-to-day operations to support high-quality asynchronous delivery and sustainable program growth. The administration of this program will take place at the Tandent Center, situated within the Stamford Hospital campus, which houses the Department of Physician Associate Studies.
Primary Responsibilities:
Program Leadership & Administration
• Provide overall leadership, management, and administration of the DMSc program, including oversight of both standard and bridge/accelerated pathways.
• Lead the successful implementation and ongoing management of the approved 30-credit curriculum, including core coursework, concentration tracks, and the two-course doctoral capstone sequence.
• Collaborate with the Chair and MSPAS leadership on budgeting, enrollment planning, and resource allocation consistent with the approved program model.
• Contribute to marketing, recruitment, and external partnership efforts to support program growth and visibility.
• Partner with Enrollment Management to support admissions processes, including bridge and dual-degree pathways.
• Monitor student academic progress, retention, and time-to-completion across pathways.

Curriculum, Assessment, & Academic Oversight
• Ensure implementation and ongoing evaluation of the curriculum to maintain doctoral-level rigor and alignment with stated learning outcomes.
• Coordinate academic scheduling, course sequencing, and faculty assignments to support year-round enrollment and high-quality asynchronous delivery.
• Monitor and assess program effectiveness through data-informed decision-making and continuous quality improvement processes.
• Recruit, orient, supervise, and evaluate program faculty teaching in the asynchronous online format, consistent with the planned faculty model (8–10 adjuncts) and additional full-time faculty line(s) as the program grows.
• Ensure program faculty adherence to app