Position Title:

Academic Director of Didactic, Physician Assistant Program

Job Description:

Job Description Summary
The Director of Didactic Education is responsible for overseeing the didactic curriculum and ensuring the delivery of high-quality education to prepare students for careers as safe and effective physician assistants (PA). This role involves developing, implementing, and evaluating the didactic portion of the PA program in addition to teaching responsibilities.
The Director of Didactic Education collaborates with faculty and the Program Director to design, maintain, assess, and improve curriculum and evaluation methods that meet accreditation standards and prepares students for clinical practice. The Director of Didactic Education ensures all instructional faculty meet accreditation requirements and are effective. Additionally, the Director of Didactic Education supports faculty development and effective pedagogy, ensures compliance with regulatory requirements, and plays a key role in continuous program improvement.
The Director of Didactic Education will report to the Program Director and oversee the Academic Coordinator. Continued employment is contingent on successful PA 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 Didactic 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 didactic phase and ensure implementation and progress monitoring of appropriate remediation to address their deficiencies.

• Provide supervision, training, coordination, and support for the Academic Coordinator faculty.

• Provide the PA Program Director with regular updates and forecasting regarding the sufficiency of resources for the effective delivery of the curriculum.

• Support PA principal and instructional faculty in effective curriculum delivery, student assessment, and compliance with program policies and procedures related to didactic instruction.

• Support the PA program in ongoing accreditation activities aligned with ARC-PA and professional standards.

• Prepare and maintain documentation required for accreditation reviews and annual reports, including supporting any documentation in student records.

• Participate in program committees as assigned by the Program Director.

• Review and update the PA Student Handbook annually.

• Ensure instructional faculty are:

  • Qualified through academic preparation and/or experience to teach assigned subjects;

  • Eligible through licensure and certification if applicable;

  • Knowledgeable in course content;

  • Effective in teaching assigned subjects;

  • Sufficient to provide students with the 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.

• Administer and support formative and summative evaluations throughout the program.

• Participate in site visits for the purposes of evaluating sites, preceptors, and student clinical experiences, as needed.

• 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.

• If applicable, participate in professional development opportunities and contribute to the field through scholarly activities, presentations, or publications.

• 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, and written professional expression.

• Time management, organizational skills, reliability, and effectiveness including timely completion of key deliverables.

• Address highly sensitive and confidential topics with discretion and professionalism. 

• Strong teamwork, including conflict resolution, collaboration, and interpersonal skills, including tolerance, tact, empathy, and diplomacy.

• Honesty, integrity, and commitment to maintaining high professional standards. 

• Adaptability, including the ability to exhibit self-management, optimism, calmness, flexibility, collaboration, and self-motivation

Educational and Experiential Qualifications

• Successful completion of and graduation from a Regionally Accredited and ARC-PA Accredited Physician Assistant Program. 

• Minimum Master’s degree from an accredited university.

• Current NCCPA certification.

• Maryland Physician Assistant (PA) license or eligibility to obtain a Maryland Physician Assistant (PA) license at the time of hire.

• Minimum of three years of clinical experience as a PA.

• Experience with providing instruction in higher education settings or PA education. (preferred)

• Leadership experience. (preferred)

Targeted Salary:

$120,000/year

(Actual compensation will be commensurate with experience, education, and qualifications).

Employee Benefits:

This full-time position includes a comprehensive benefits package, featuring annual, holiday, and sick leave. The University offers a generous suite of benefits, including tuition remission for both graduate and undergraduate courses at Mount St. Mary’s University, an employer-sponsored retirement contribution, and a robust paid time off program.

For a complete list of employee benefits, please visit: https://inside.msmary.edu/more/human-resources/index.html

Full time