Program Director, Physician Associate Program

Alvernia University; Reading (Berks County); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Robust Health Coverage

Financial Security

Exceptional Retirement

18 paid holidays

Tuition remission benefits

On-Campus Wellness

Employee Meal Plan

Job summary

An academic institution in Reading, PA is seeking a full-time Program Director for the emerging Physician Associate Program. The role involves leadership, administration, fiscal management, and program development, with a focus on ensuring quality education and student success. Candidates must hold a Master's degree and have significant clinical and educational experience in physician assistant programs. A competitive benefits package includes robust health coverage and a generous retirement plan.

Qualifications

• Minimum of three years of clinical experience as a physician assistant.
• Minimum of three years of full-time experience in PA education.

Responsibilities

• Provide effective leadership for the Physician Associate Program.
• Oversee maintenance of programmatic and student files.
• Prepare and manage the program’s operating budget.
• Develop and evaluate the curriculum in alignment with ARC-PA Standards.

Skills

Strong organizational skills

Interpersonal skills

Problem-solving capabilities

Teamwork

Education

Master’s degree from an accredited university

Current or emeritus NCCPA certification

Job description

This is a full-time tenure track faculty position in the emerging Physician Associate (PA) Program, which is housed in the College of Health Sciences at Alvernia University. The Program Director will report directly to the Dean of the College of Health Sciences. The majority (Minimum 80%) of responsibilities will be devoted to academic and administrative responsibilities in support of the program.

Program Director Duties and Responsibilities

Leadership

• Provide effective leadership by exhibiting responsiveness to issues related to personnel, strong communication skills, and proactive problem solving

Organization and Administration

• Responsible for equitable distribution of workload among faculty and staff
• Oversee maintenance of programmatic and student files
• Directly supervise all staff and faculty
• Review course evaluations of all faculty
• Directly supervise the Medical Director
• Oversee program committees
• Oversee and maintain personnel records for the Department including Annual Reports, CVs, and Course Evaluations

Fiscal Management

• Prepare and manage the program’s operating budget
• Ensure timely payment of annual dues to ARC-PA and PAEA

Programmatic Development, and Continuous Review and Analysis

• Participate in the evaluation of the overall effectiveness of the Program in meeting its mission and goals
• Develop, evaluate, revise, and coordinate didactic and clinical year curriculum that is in alignment with ARC-PA Standards and the University Mission
• Participate in programmatic self-assessment and planning on a continuous basis
• Submit the Physician Associate Program application for provisional accreditation to the ARC-PA and oversee the site visit
• Manage the program’s ARC-PA Portal entries including required forms to adhere to the E1 Standards
• Submit the annual program report to ARC-PA
• Understand and adhere to all recent ARC-PA standards and policies

Program Planning

• In conjunction with the Medical Director and Principal Faculty, develop and revise the mission statement, goals, and competencies of the program
• In conjunction with the faculty, establish criteria for student admissions, curriculum content, and performance criteria for students in the PA program
• In conjunction with the Medical Director, and faculty develop initiatives to ensure quality clinical education experiences
• In conjunction with faculty, utilizes self-assessment outcomes to plan curriculum updates and changes
• In conjunction with the Principal Faculty, select applicants for admissions to PA Program

Students

• Select applicants for admissions to the PA Program
• Certify that all students have successfully met all of the requirements for graduation from the PA Program
• Oversee student academic performance and remediation
• Provide academic counseling
• Provide student remediation

Other

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Dean and/or Provost
• Perform key duties specific to the Department

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong organizational skills and keen attention to detail
• Adept interpersonal and communication skills
• Skillful problem-solving capabilities
• An ability to work effectively in a team environment

Supervision

• Received: Dean, College of Health Science
• Given: Medical Director, Principal Faculty, and Staff

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree from an accredited university
• Current or emeritus NCCPA certification
• Minimum of three years of clinical experience as a physician assistant
• Minimum of three years of full-time experience in PA education

Employee Benefits

Join a team that values your well-being! We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to support you and your family:

• Robust Health Coverage:Choose from three offered medical plans, plus dental and vision.
• Financial Security:Enjoy University-paid life/AD&D insurance and long-term disability, with options for short-term disability and supplemental coverage for you and your family (including accident, critical illness, and hospital indemnity plans). Flexible spending accounts are also available.
• Exceptional Retirement:Start saving immediately with our 403(b) Retirement Plan. You will get 100% immediate vesting, a University gift contribution, and a generous match up to 5% of your deferrals.
• Time Off:Take advantage of 18 paid holidays each year.
• Invest in Your Future:Enjoy tuition remission benefits for yourself and your dependents.
• On-Campus Wellness:Benefit‑eligible employees on our main campus receive free access to our Medical & Counseling Center.
• Employee Meal Plan: This plan provides convenient, flexible dining options on campus at a reduced cost.