Program Director, Physician Assistant Program & Assistant/Associate/Full Clinical Professor

Job Summary

The Drexel University Physician Assistant (PA) program seeks a visionary, energetic, and evidence-based leader to serve as its next program director. This is a 12-month non-tenure track faculty position at the rank of Clinical Associate Professor or Clinical Professor. Drexel’s PA program, currently ranked #10 in the country by U.S. News & World Report, is one of the nation’s oldest and most established PA programs. Our fully accredited program has 15 full-time faculty, three support staff, and is located in the Health Sciences Division of the College of Nursing & Health Professions—one of Drexel University’s largest colleges. Our program is committed to increasing the diversity of our faculty, student body, and the physician assistant workforce. Candidates who identify as a member of an underrepresented population group in the physician assistant profession are encouraged to apply.
Our new program director will join us at an exciting time. In August 2022, we move to the newly constructed Health Sciences Building on Drexel’s main campus in University City, Philadelphia. This state-of-the-art health education and research building will house our college’s many departments (https://drexel.edu/cnhp/academics/departments/), the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences & Professional Studies, and Drexel’s College of Medicine. Our new facilities are among the best in the nation and position Drexel as a leading destination for learners, clinicians, researchers, and industry partners. In addition to Drexel University, the University City section of Philadelphia is home to the University of Pennsylvania, the Hospitals of the University of Pennsylvania-Penn Presbyterian Hospital, and Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. University City is a regional hub for innovation and development in technology and the life sciences. It’s a vibrant part of the city with a growing number of restaurants, businesses, and wellness spaces.

Essential Functions

• Promotes excellence in teaching, research, and service personally and within the PA faculty
• Creates, facilitates, and implements a vision and strategic plan for the academic unit in alignment with the college and university strategic plans.
• Promotes a strategic focus within the academic unit where faculty/staff are working together toward goals that enhance the unit’s and institution’s reputation and success.
• Works with faculty and leaders to set unit goals and achieve standards of excellence that establish and maintain the program as a national leader.
• Oversees and manages the unit’s finances and budget to achieve financial goals set collaboratively with college and university leaders.
• Measures and monitors data/benchmarks to ensure the unit achieves its academic, financial, and administrative goals and responds effectively to operational challenges.
• Negotiates for, acquires, and maintains resources such as space, equipment and supplies to achieve the teaching, research, service, and other goals of the department.
• Performs continuous program self-study and assessment of the program’s curriculum and instruction to ensure it is current, innovative, compliant with accreditation, and on the leading edge in the profession.
• Actively coordinates, plans and prepares the physician assistant program’s self-study reports for ongoing program accreditation and ensures the program complies with standards.
• Works collaboratively with the program’s clinical education team and college leaders to secure and maintain sufficient clinical placements/partnerships in a financially sustainable manner.
• Monitors PA student progress and outcomes throughout the program and with board examination(s); Oversees PA student advisement and remediation.
• Recruits, selects, and retains faculty members that strengthen the department in alignment with the vision, values, and strategic goals of the unit and institution in collaboration with the faculty and search committees.
• Establishes an effective structure including judicious use of committees to achieve unit goals with careful consideration of staffing, workload, and well-being.
• Establishes, reviews, and updates policies and procedures to facilitate sound unit operations aligned with college, university, and accreditation policies and procedures.
• Manages faculty and staff assignments and workload to achieve individual and institutional goals.
• Evaluates/manages faculty and staff performance and fosters growth, development, and promotions to achieve the mission of the program and institution.
• Promotes department morale, collegiality, and a welcoming environment for faculty, staff, and students where all are respected and can thrive.
• Manages personnel issues and conflict within the academic unit in collaboration with college leaders and HR representatives.
• Engages and delivers ongoing value to alumni and other stakeholders; works to develop giving, scholarships, and other support with Institutional Advancement and Alumni Relations.
• Plans new student orientation, the annual white coat ceremony, senior celebration, Pi Alpha and Alpha Eta certificates and other activities in collaboration with program faculty
• Advocates for the college/university and serves as their representative to help ensure the department’s activities and mindset are aligned with the institution.
• Promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, interprofessional education, and organizational effectiveness by working and communicating well with leaders in other departments in the college, across Drexel University, and regionally/nationally.
• Conducts unit faculty meetings and ensures faculty are informed of plans/developments within the department, college, and across Drexel University. Maintains records of these meetings for reporting to college/university leaders and accreditation agencies.
• Maintains an evidence-based leadership approach that is results-driven. Creates systems to monitor results and maintain essential department records.
• Promotes faculty/student participation in local, state, and national associations, meetings, and activities that foster individual growth and strengthen the unit’s reputation.
• Remains active in teaching, scholarship, and service; leads by example.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of a Master's Degree in Physician Assistant.
• Minimum of 5+ years of experience. 
• Certified Physician Assistant with a minimum of 5 years experience
• Masters or Doctoral degree
• Pennsylvania licensure or eligibility.
• Excellence in classroom and/or clinical teaching
• Commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and health equity
• Knowledge of and experience in the ARC-PA accreditation process

Preferred Qualifications

• Evidence of successful leadership in a physician assistant education program
• Evidence of demonstrated commitment to student success, strong support for faculty development, and collaboration within the PA program and across the institution

Physical Demands

Physical Demands

• Typically sitting at a desk/table

Location

• University City - Philadelphia, PA

Additional Information

This is a Full-Time Faculty position classified as Exempt. The offered salary is based on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience, department budget, and an internal equity review. For information about benefits, please review Drexel’s Full-Time Faculty Benefit Fact Sheet or Part-Time Faculty Benefit Fact Sheet.

Special Instructions to the Applicant
Please make sure you upload your CV/resume and cover letter when submitting your application.

A review of applicants will begin once a suitable candidate pool is identified.