Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy

Position Description

The University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, in partnership with the national search firm Scott Healy & Associates, is pleased to announce a search for the Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy.  Reporting to the Dean of the School of Health Professions, the Chair will have a full-time, twelve-month, tenured, or tenure-track faculty appointment, depending on education, experience and related qualifications. With responsibility for leading an already outstanding Department of Physical Therapy, the Chair’s primary and central goal is to further develop activities across all four components of the academic mission: educational excellence, research and scholarship, faculty practice and service.  Supported by a well-qualified faculty, and administrative staff, the Chair will oversee all administrative, operational, research, and patient care functions of a world-class department.   

We seek an innovative leader with strong program management skills able to mentor and lead a team of dedicated faculty members in a distinctive and widely respected doctoral program that produces not only skilled practitioners, but also change agents in the field.  Responsibilities include:

Strategic Planning and Relationship Building

• Work collaboratively across UT Health San Antonio in further refining and implementing an innovative and robust strategic plan for advancement of the department. This plan should address each of the core missions of the academic health center: teaching, research, service, and patient care;
• Conduct on-going assessment and evaluation of the department’s success in the core mission components; proactively address and ameliorate any issues based on those assessments.
• Serve as the face of the department internally and externally.

Academic Program Excellence

• Stay abreast of evolving changes and advancements in physical therapy education and implement curricular changes, as indicated to ensure program excellence.
• Monitor and assess academic program achievement to include high levels of student satisfaction, strong graduate performance on national board examinations, high levels of employer satisfaction with graduates and graduate achievement of leadership positions in the field over the course of their careers.
• Ensure all accreditation requirements are met or exceeded.
• Lead department student recruitment and marketing activities to ensure outstanding applicants and entering students.
• Teach and perform related academic activities as required (e.g., student counseling and advisement).
• Participate in clinical education and practice as appropriate.
• Foster the development of post-graduate programs that may include residencies, fellowships, and/or continuing education activities.
• Promote national recognition of the academic program and associated program rankings.

Research and Scholarship

• Mentor and develop faculty in research and scholarship with a goal of consistent national/international dissemination.
• Improve departmental research productivity as evidenced by faculty publications, invited presentations and grant support.
• Continue to evaluate resources for research and expand as needed to support faculty scholarship.
• Conduct and disseminate quality scholarly work that will enhance the reputation of the department and UT Health San Antonio.

Faculty Development

• Recruit, train and mentor existing and newly hired faculty;
• Develop faculty in a manner that instills professionalism and encourages innovation in teaching and mentoring;
• Ensure tenure-track faculty members are well-prepared for successful promotion and tenure within the school and university;
• Assist faculty in advancing their skills across the academic mission of the department (i.e., teaching, research, service, and patient care).

Operational and Financial Management

• Oversee that appropriate processes and procedures are in place to ensure efficient day-to-day operations within the department.  
• With support from the Dean’s office, ensure fiscal well-being of the department.
• Assist in developing and implementing strategies for growing enrollment and extramural funding.
• Develop and implement a financially sound and cost-effective faculty practice plan.

Clinical Services

• Ensure clinical physical therapy services provided by the department are of the highest quality and align and are coordinated with institutional goals and services provided by other section of the institution (e.g., rehabilitation medicine, orthopedics, and the new UT Health Research and Specialty hospital),
• Foster relationships with referring services and other rehabilitation professionals to facilitate interprofessional care.
• Ensure clinical services provided are financially successful.

Qualifications for this position include meeting the accreditation criteria to serve as program director for the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program.

Qualifications

• An academic terminal degree in an area relevant to health professions education or practice (e.g., Ph.D., D.Sc., Ed.D., or equivalent);
• A license to practice Physical Therapy in the state of Texas (or ability to gain licensure within 6 months of hire);
• Six years of full-time higher education experience and a minimum of 4 years full-time experience in a physical therapy education program;
• Evidence of scholarly achievement including published research within peer-reviewed professional journals; preferred applicants will be eligible for faculty appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor, depending on qualifications;
• Emerging or established national or international leadership in physical therapy;
• A clear vision for the future of the department which includes achieving national recognition of its programs as among the best in the U.S;
• Experience with national accreditation standards and requirements and state agency licensure regulations; prior experience with accreditation processes in a leadership role is preferred;
• Experience managing finances and budgets;
• Excellent communication skills and a leadership based on developing and sustaining a consensus-driven, collaborative and team-building culture;
• A strong, progressive and facilitative leadership style which is proactive and forward thinking.

About The Institution

University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio: UT Health
The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is one of the country’s leading academic health centers.  UT Health ranks among the top health sciences universities worldwide in receiving National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding and has provided outstanding health sciences education and training since its founding in 1968.

The mission of UT Health San Antonio is to make lives better through excellence in education, research, health care and community engagement.  Strategies for achieving this mission include:

• Educating a diverse student body to become excellent health care providers and scientists;
• Engaging in research to understand health and disease;
• Providing compassionate and culturally proficient health care;
• Engaging our community to improve health;
• Influencing thoughtful advances in health policy. 

In fulfillment of this mission, UT Health San Antonio seeks to provide the best in health careers education, conduct groundbreaking biomedical research, while also providing the best patient care and community service to San Antonio and the South Texas/Border Region. With undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate programs, UT Health San Antonio is a major academic health science university composed of six schools:  School of Medicine, School of Health Professions, School of Nursing, Dental School, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences and School of Public Health. For more information on UT Health visit our website at uthscsa.edu. 

About the School of Health Professions:
As an integral part of UT Health San Antonio, the School of Health Professions (SHP) seeks to make lives better through excellence in teaching, research and scholarship, service and patient care.  The SHP strives to educate a diverse student body in becoming outstanding health care practitioners, scientists and leaders; advance health research and scholarship; and provide health services and education to the community. 

The SHP offers bachelor degree programs in Emergency Health Sciences, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Medical Sciences and Respiratory Care and master’s degree programs in Imaging Sciences, Medical Laboratory Sciences, Physician Assistant Studies, Respiratory Care and Speech Language Pathology.  Advanced training is available through doctoral degree programs in Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy and a PhD in Health Sciences program to prepare future faculty, researchers and leaders in the health professions.  

About the Department of Physical Therapy:
The Department of Physical Therapy provides students with intensive, hands-on clinical experience that prepares them to be outstanding practitioners and leaders in providing quality health care. In addition, as a core academic department within the SHP, the department makes significant contributions in research and scholarship, service and patient care. The vision set forth for the department is to be a recognized academic leader in physical therapy education, research, service and practice. As such, the department seeks to provide outstanding academic and clinical training and education, supervised opportunities for socially relevant service to the community, and research and scholarship activities that impact, advance, and support healthcare and health outcomes. Given the differences in the socioeconomic climate and healthcare access in South Texas, the department is also committed to service focused on the people of this region.

Currently, the department offers the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) and will begin a new post-doctoral residency in orthopedics this fall. The physical therapy degree program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE®).  The program has consistently been recognized for outstanding graduate performance on licensure exams and offers a great opportunity for individuals who are interested in health care to become leaders in the physical therapy profession.

About The Community

About the San Antonio, TX, community:
San Antonio is a dynamic and multi-cultural metropolitan area in the south-central part of the state. With a population of more than 2.23 million people, the greater San Antonio region is the 25th largest metropolitan area in the United States, with more growth on the horizon. It’s the second-largest populated city in Texas and seventh in the U.S.

San Antonio lays claim to six Fortune 500 companies and the South Texas Medical Center, the only medical research and care provider in the South Texas region.

San Antonio has a strong military presence as well. Fort Sam Houston, Lackland Air Force Base, Randolph Air Force Base (which constitute Joint Base San Antonio), the Kelly Field Annex, and Brooks City-Base are in or near the city.

Famous for its Spanish missions – which are World Heritage Sites – the Alamo, the River Walk, the Tower of the Americas, the Alamo Bowl, and major theme parks, the city is visited by approximately 26 million tourists annually. The city is also home to the five-time NBA champion San Antonio Spurs and the annual San Antonio Stock Show and Rodeo, one of the largest of its kind in the country.

Application Process

All correspondence relating to the Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio should be directed in confidence to the University’s search consultant: 

Mr. Christopher S. Healy, Vice President
Scott Healy & Associates
chris@scotthealy.com

Complete applications should include the following:

1. Cover Letter outlining your interest and qualifications for the position.
2. Updated CV.
3. List of five (5) professional references including name, title, contact information and relationship to you.

Applications received by June 30, 2023 will be given initial consideration, however, the position will be open until filled.

All faculty appointments are designated as security sensitive positions.  The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer including protected veterans and persons with disabilities.