Associate/Full Professor and Assistant Program Director, Physician Assistant Studies

Position Description

Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU), in partnership with the national search firm Scott Healy & Associates, invites applications and nominations for the position of Associate/Full Professor and Assistant Program Director, Physician Assistant Studies.

The Associate/Full Professor and Assistant Program Director, Physician Assistant Studies Program, will be responsible for assisting with effective day-to-day communication, program assessment and planning, as well as fiscal management of the PA program. This professional will also assess student progression through committee work, advising, direct student instruction in designated courses, and development of assessment tools.

The incumbent will serve to assist in the development and implementation the strategic plan, education, research, and educational programs and will provide guidance and ongoing accreditation processes. This leader will assist in the hiring of additional program faculty, recruitment of the student class, management of the budget and development of clinical affiliation agreements. This position reports to the Program Director for the PA program, School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences. The Associate/Full Professor and Assistant Program Director, Physician Assistant Studies Program, provides an additional layer of administrative and academic support to the Program Director. If Program Director is not available, the Assistant Program Director represents the program at events within the university and the surrounding community, filling in as a chief academic officer and administrator for the physician assistant program.  The incumbent will be in a tenure-track appointment, at the rank of associate professor or above.

The Associate/Full Professor and Assistant Program Director, Physician Assistant Studies Program will be responsible for developing and delivering PA curriculum and should have an on-going commitment to active learning and utilization of educational technology tools. The faculty member will develop a research agenda and be active in research and scholarship in their area of expertise.  Service on School and/or University committees will also be required for tenure evaluation. A diverse knowledge base and skill set are highly desirable. 

Fairleigh Dickinson University’s School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is located in Northern New Jersey. The mission of FDU’s School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences is to create a values-based, student-centered learning experience that prepares graduates who are committed to improving the health of individuals and populations through leadership roles in pharmacy practice, health care research, and related health care fields.

As Fairleigh Dickinson University has a long-standing commitment to access and opportunity for diverse populations, FDU is committed to hiring faculty who have individual student success as their primary goal, and who are effective role models and demonstrate the values we teach. 

Responsibilities:

1. Assists the program director in monitoring and overseeing, the operations of the program, faculty, staff, and students. Provide additional layer of administrative and academic support to the Program Director.
2.  Assists the program director in mentoring, supervising, and delegating responsibilities, and tasks as appropriate.  If Director is not available, represent the program at events within the university and the surrounding community, filling in as the chief academic officer for the physician assistant program.
3. Participates in the processes of designing, implementing, coordinating, and evaluating the curriculum (A2.05g).
4. Responsible for course coordination and student instruction for the six credits/contact hours equivalent per semester (or 18 credits/contact hours per year) (A2.05c).
5. Actively participates in the process of reviewing applications, interviewing candidates, and selecting students for admission to the FDU PA Program (A2.05b).
6. Actively participates in the remediation process of students or assures availability of remedial instruction, when needed (A2.05f).
7. Serves as a faculty advisor for PA students, meeting with students to provide academic counseling and appropriate intervention, when required (A2.05e).
8. Actively participates in the process of developing, reviewing, and revising, as necessary, the mission statement, goals, and competencies (A2.05a) of the program.
9. Contributes to on-going self-study process, evaluation of the program (A2.05h) and formal report to ARC-PA. Provides leadership throughout the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) accreditation process.
10. Provides effective leadership through responsiveness to personnel issues (A2.08a). Helps overseeing facilities and personnel planning for the program in consultation with the Program Director, Executive Associate Dean, School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and other School and University leaders.
11. Adheres to ARC-PA Standards and policies (A2.09h).
12. Exhibits strong communication skills and proactive problem solving in relation to program personnel, institutional processes, and application of resources (A2.08b-c).
13. In collaboration with the Program Director, develops and manages, with other stakeholders, the strategic planning process for the program.
14. Works to build and expand relationships with regional academic health sciences institutions for the purposes of enhancing the academic standing of the program.
15. Establishes collaborative relationships with the University’s existing health sciences programs and the surrounding healthcare community.
16. Represent the program at external health care events, including conferences, symposia, and other planning events within the local, regional and national communities.
17. Perform other leadership duties as requested by the Program Director, Executive Associate dean and Dean for the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences.

Qualifications

• A master’s degree with current NCCPA certification, or an earned doctorate from an accredited university.  An M.D., Ph.D. or Ed.D. in a related field preferred.
• Licensed or eligible to be licensed as a physician assistant within the state of New Jersey.
• Maintains current NCCPA Certification (A2.06c).
• Proven leadership ability in the field of physician assistant studies. 
• Substantial experience within higher education, including a minimum of five years of higher education experience in a physician assistant program.  Experience equivalent to eligibility for appointment to a senior academic rank, evidenced by reputable full-text publications in peer-reviewed professional journals and documented leadership experience. (Associate Professor or above preferred).  (A2.06a).
• Knowledge of the physician assistant program accreditation process and familiarity with the details of experiential education and site establishment within the healthcare community. 
• A vision and interpersonal skills to build partnerships inside and outside the program in physician assistant studies, the School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences and University-at-large. 
• Employment is contingent upon a satisfactory background check.  Candidates for hire will be required to sign a waiver authorizing the background check and produce a Social Security Card. 

About The Institution

About Fairleigh Dickinson University:
The largest private university in New Jersey, FDU is a not-for-profit, nonsectarian, multicampus institution. Founded in 1942, FDU achieved four-year status in 1948 and approval as a university in 1956. The University offers over 100 undergraduate and graduate degree programs, including doctoral programs in pharmacy, nursing practice, clinical psychology and school psychology; and an AACSB-accredited business school. Degree programs are offered on two New Jersey campuses and at two FDU locations outside the U.S.: Wroxton College, in Oxfordshire in England, and the Vancouver Campus, in British Columbia, Canada.

FDU's 11,500 full- and part-time students pursue quality career-oriented programs on schedules tailored to their needs -- days, evenings and weekends. The curriculum reflects a mission of global education and a foundation of a world-renowned University Core.

About the FDU School of Pharmacy and Health Sciences:
The mission of FDU’s School of Pharmacy & Health Sciences is to create a values-based, student-centered learning experience that prepares graduates who are committed to improving the health of individuals and populations through leadership roles in pharmacy practice, healthcare research and related healthcare fields.

About the Physician Assistant Program at FDU:
The FDU PA Program is committed to preparing future socially responsible professionals that possess the academic knowledge, clinical skills, and professional attitudes requisite for providing compassionate patient-centered care in a dynamic healthcare system. With that in mind, the program developed its mission and goals and designed a curriculum that would provide learning experiences that promote the acquisition of those same skills. The FDU PA Program developed a two-and-a-half-year curriculum leading to a Master of Science (MS) in PA Studies.

The curriculum of the FDU PA Program encompasses a 12-month Didactic Phase that includes classroom and laboratory instruction in the medical sciences, clinical medicine, clinical and procedural skills, professional topics, and medical research. Students are exposed to diverse learning modalities through lectures, case-based problem-solving sessions; simulated case scenarios; and hands on learning in the Virtual Cadaver, Physical Exam, Simulation, and Procedural Labs. In addition, students partake in service learning in local and global communities; and learn about and actively participate in medical research.

About The Community

In Madison, NJ, the Florham Campus is a friendly small-college environment on picturesque grounds near historic Morristown. The campus is dedicated to giving students an exceptional learning experience, including residential and honors programs.

Application Process

All correspondence relating to the position of Associate/Full Professor and Assistant Program Director, Physician Assistant Studies at Fairleigh Dickinson University should be directed in confidence to the University’s executive recruitment consultant: 

Erin House, Assistant Vice President
Scott Healy & Associates
erin@scotthealy.com

The full and complete application should contain the following information: 

1. Cover letter;
2. Updated CV; and
3. Contact information for three professional references.

Applications submitted by May 15, 2023 will receive priority consideration. This search will remain open until the position is filled.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, or protected veteran status.  Fairleigh Dickinson University takes affirmative action in support of its policy to employ and advance in employment individuals who are minorities, women, protected veterans, and individuals with disabilities.