Physician Assistant Chair and Program Director

��Ӱ�� – Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences

Summary of Position:

The School of Health Professions within the Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences at ��Ӱ�� invites applications for Physician Assistant Chair and Program Director. The Physician Assistant Chair and Program Director is a 12-month Full-time (1 FTE) faculty administrator who is responsible for the overall organization, administration, and oversight of all aspects of the Master of Physician Assistant Program, including curriculum, evaluation, staffing, and accreditation of the program. The Department Chair and Program Director oversees and collaborates with all faculty members, medical director, staff, and students within the program and represents the program within the College of Health Sciences, the School of Health Professions, the University, and the Community. The Department Chair and Program Director also works collaboratively to partner with other health professional degree programs within the college to optimize the learning and work environment beyond the program as aligned with the mission, vision, and values of the college. The Director holds an academic faculty appointment and has administrative, academic, service, and scholarship responsibilities consistent with the mission and philosophy of the academic program, school, and college.

Consistent with the mission and values of the institution, this position requires a commitment to a culture that promotes of equity and inclusion. Therefore, applicants are expected to emphasize equity and inclusion in their interactions with students, staff, faculty, and community at large.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Chair and Program Director’s responsibilities involve the coordination and supervision of all academic and clinical aspects of the physician assistant program: (1) clinical education, (2) ensure quality student-centered learning experiences during the PA program, (3) evaluation of overall student performance, (4) educate students, clinical and academic faculty about academic programming as it relates to legal, ethical, and academic issues (both knowledge and skill), (5) ensure that the educational environment demonstrates characteristics of evidenced-based patient management, professional behavior , and while remaining current on trends and policy related to care, and (6) ensure that the educational program maximizes the available resources.

Administrative Responsibilities:

Evaluate the qualifications of, selects, and recommends for appointment the Medical Director, the Directors of Didactic and Clinical Education, and all faculty and staff participating in the Program.
Provide oversight of the recruitment, orientation, retention and evaluation of core and adjunct faculty and administrative staff.
In conjunction with the program faculty and the Associate Dean for the School of
Health Sciences, and Vice-President/Dean of the Murphy Deming College of Health
Sciences (MDCHS):
a. Establish criteria for admissions, curriculum content and performance criteria
for the students.
b. Prepare an annual budget for approval by the Vice President of MDCHS and
Chief Financial Officer
c. Administer the approved budget, taking into consideration long and short-
term planning initiatives.
d. Support Faculty development by assisting faculty with teaching, scholarship,
and service priorities.
e. Ensure that the NCCPA board scores equal or exceed national averages.
Participate in the College’s academic and faculty affairs to ensure the integration of the Program into the activities of the College.
Interact with the College academic division chairs, faculty and administration to
promote the Program’s goals and academic development.
Interact with the College administrators and the Director of Student Services to insure the availability of needed services for the students of the Program.
Provide leadership for the formulation and revision of policies, procedures and
objectives, as needed for the Program, in conjunction with the faculty and advisory committees; establishes governance structures and program handbooks.
In conjunction with the Clinical faculty, develops affiliation agreements with clinical sites (e.g., hospitals, ambulatory clinics, private practice physicians) for the required and elective clinical rotations.
Regularly evaluate student progress and ensures that there are follow up studies on the placement and achievement of Program graduates.
Serve as resource to the local community on issues regarding Physician Assistants and PA Practice.
Participate in local and national organizations to ensure Program excellence and
appropriateness of the curriculum and instruction.
Serve on University, College, MDCHS and Program committees as requested or
designated.
Work in collaboration with the Director of Didactic Education and the faculty on
curriculum development and revisions to ensure best pedagogical/andragogical
practices, effective course management/structures, and curricular content is
contemporary and meets accreditation standards.
Lead and provide oversight of the ARC-PA accreditation process, maintaining
accreditation standards and accreditation activities.
Participate in admissions, marketing, fund-raising, and other functions that support the program, school and college.
Provide oversight of student recruitment, selection, evaluation, advisement, retention and professional development.
Foster relationships in the professional community and within professional
associations.
Foster an academic climate that facilitates student, faculty and staff learning as well as professional growth
Oversee student and faculty rights and responsibilities within the department as
outlined in the Policies and Procedures of the Murphy Deming College of Health
Sciences and ��Ӱ��.
Serve as a liaison between the PA program and the Community, University, College, Students and Clinical sites to advocate for the needs of the program.
Develop and distribute reports for internal and external audiences.
Inform faculty, staff, students, and administration about the education program,
pertinent policies and procedures, and changes influenced by accreditation.
Monitor a changing health care delivery system and advises Vice President, other
appropriate individuals and faculty of changing trends and potential impact on
student enrollment, instruction, curriculum design, and clinical education.

Academic Responsibilities:

Participate in scholarly activities and develop a scholarly agenda to ensure ongoing professional development.
Coordinate and teach courses within the curriculum based on areas of content and clinical expertise.

Advising Responsibilities:

Engage with Mary Baldwin’s undergraduate residential faculty to:
a. develop undergraduate to graduate pathways for matriculation into the PA
program.
b. Develop student engagement opportunities between the Staunton and
Fishersville campus
Advise PA program student class leadership.

Required Qualifications:

Master’s Degree in Physician Assistant Studies.
Licensed Physician Assistant (PA); must hold current, or emeritus NCCPA certification.
Minimum 3 years of clinical experience as a Physician Assistant.
Minimum of 3 years of full-time higher education experience teaching in a PA
program.
Working understanding of current PA education standards as defined by the
Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
Effective verbal and written communication skills to include but are not limited to:
a. Being an active listener to ensure that the direction of the conversation is
understood and/or confirm new information garnered.
b. Open to new ideas and concepts presented by others.
c. Genuinely enjoy engaging co-workers to move the program, school, and
college forward.
d. Consistently demonstrate the 7 C’s of communication (clear, concise, concrete,
correct, coherent, complete, and courteous).
e. Adapt the style of communication to meet the needs of different audiences.
f. Demonstrate effective facilitation skills to include the facilitation of group
discussion necessary for effective collaborate leadership.
g. Develop accurate and compelling written materials.
h. Consistently follow up on feedback to ensure positive outcomes.

Preferred Qualifications:

PhD or other terminal doctoral degree in a related field.
5 years of clinical experience as a Physician Assistant.
Demonstrated experience as a chairperson or program director of an ARC-PA
accredited program.
Experience in writing grants to support the PA program.
Experience with Advancement and Philanthropy

About ��Ӱ��

Founded in 1842, ��Ӱ�� (��Ӱ��) has a proud legacy of innovating to best serve our students as the world changes. ��Ӱ�� is a small, coeducational university offering a range of degrees from bachelor to doctoral. We serve a diverse student population on our historic Staunton campus in the heart of downtown Staunton, Virginia, Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences in nearby Fishersville, and online. ��Ӱ�� offers unique opportunities for our students to become leaders in the classroom, community, workplace, and in their own lives.

About Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences

Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences (MDCHS) was opened in 2014, with the intention of addressing health care workforce needs and the complex health issues of the region. The college accomplishes this through clinically focused professional programs in Nursing, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Physician Assistants programs that concentrate on addressing regional health care needs. We believe that community health issues are best solved by professionals who value interprofessional collaboration and thrive in a culture that embraces inclusivity and equitable access to health care. Our vision is to be recognized as the primary regional partner to develop community-oriented interventions for the education of and provision of services to the public, thereby improving health and life outcomes.

Application Process

��Ӱ�� is committed to promoting a culture of equity and inclusion among students, staff, and faculty. The university does not discriminate on the basis sex, gender, nor does the university discriminate on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, color, age, disability, religion, veteran’s status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression or any other reason prohibited by law in provision of employment opportunities and benefits.

All correspondence relating to the position of Department Chair and Program Director for the Physician Assistant Program should be directed, in confidence, to:

Tara Miller
Director of Administration and Operations
Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences
twmiller@marybaldwin.edu

A completed application should include the following:

Cover Letter outlining your interest and qualifications for the position

Updated CV;

Three (3) professional references with contact information, title, institutional affiliation, email address and direct phone numbers. (No references will be contacted without written permission from the candidate.)

Applications received by August 1 will receive priority consideration. The search will remain open until the position is filled.

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