Director of Clinical Education - Physician Assistant Program

Position Title:

Director of Clinical Education - Physician Assistant Program

Job Description:

In addition to teaching responsibilities, the Director of Clinical Education is responsible for overseeing and managing the clinical education component of the program. This role involves developing, implementing, and evaluating clinical curriculum to ensure high-quality training for PA students.
The Director of Clinical Education collaborates with faculty, healthcare facilities, and preceptors to secure clinical placements and ensure that clinical experiences meet accreditation standards and educational objectives.
Additionally, the Director of Clinical Education provides guidance and support to students during their clinical rotations, ensures compliance with regulatory and accreditation requirements, and contributes to the continuous improvement of the PA program.
The Director of Clinical Education will report to the Program Director and oversee the Clinical Coordinator.
Continued employment is contingent on successful program accreditation by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• As a principal faculty member, the Director of Clinical Education must actively participate in the processes of:
  • developing, reviewing, and revising as necessary the mission statement, goals, and competencies of the program,
  • selecting applicants for admission to the PA program,
  • providing student instruction,
  • evaluating student performance,
  • academic counseling of students,
  • assuring the availability of remedial instruction,
  • designing, implementing, coordinating, and evaluating the curriculum, and
  • evaluating the program.

• Identify students who do not meet the PA program requirements during the clinical phase and ensure implementation and progress monitoring of appropriate remediation processes to address deficiencies.
• Provide remedial instruction, as applicable.
• Provide the PA Program Director with regular updates regarding sufficiency and forecasting of clinical sites and preceptors.
• Provide supervision, training, coordination, and support for the Clinical Coordinator faculty.
• Support the PA program in ongoing accreditation activities aligned with ARC-PA and professional standards.
• Prepare and maintain documentation required for accreditation reviews, site visits, and annual reports, to include annual review of affiliation agreements.
• Participate in program committees as assigned by the Program Director.
• Utilize PA program applications to monitor and evaluate student clinical experience performance data.
• Recruit, develop, coordinate, maintain, and monitor clinical sites, clinical experiences, and preceptors. Maintain positive relationships with partners.
• Ensure preceptors are:
  • Qualified through academic preparation and/or experience to supervise area of instruction;
  • Eligible through licensure and certification if applicable;
  • Knowledgeable in course content;
  • Effective in teaching assigned subjects;
  • Sufficient to provide students with necessary attention and instruction to acquire the knowledge, skills, and competencies required for entry into the profession; and
  • Oriented to the PA program mission, learning outcomes, and expectations.

• Oversee and participate in site visits for the purposes of establishing and maintaining clinical sites and preceptors, and evaluating student clinical experiences.
• Administer and manage end of rotation examinations.
• Support the alignment between what is expected and taught according to the ARC-PA standards.
• Participate in student training and orientation sessions.
• Provide academic instruction and evaluate student performance as assigned.
• Facilitate small group learning activities as assigned.
• Participate in admissions activities to include prospective student recruitment, evaluation, and selection.
• Maintain a collegial learning and working environment for the faculty, staff, students, community partners, and other stakeholders.
• Stay current with trends and developments in PA education and clinical practice.
• Participate in professional development opportunities and contribute to the field through scholarly activities, presentations, or publications if applicable.
• One release day per week for clinical practice or other approved activity if applicable.
• Other duties as assigned by the Program Director, Associate Program Director, or Dean.

Performance Expectations

• Effective communication skills including giving and receiving constructive feedback, active listening, verbal, non-verbal,