Program Director – Physician Assistant Studies Program, CHP-3660

Program Director – Physician Assistant Studies Program

Department of Health Sciences

College of Health Professions

CHP-3660

Position

Towson University, in partnership with the national search firm, Scott Healy & Associates, invites applications and nominations for the position of Program Director – Physician Assistant Studies Program. Towson University seeks an experienced Physician Assistant (PA) leader to serve in this important role. The Program Director position is a full-time, 12-month, 1.0 FTE academic appointment in the Department of Health Sciences in the College of Health Professions. The Program Director provides strong leadership and vision to advance the didactic and clinical components of the program, including the development and evaluation of the PA curriculum, the admissions process, recruitment, hiring, and staffing. In addition, the Program Director is responsible for program organization, administration, fiscal management, continuous review and analysis, planning, and development.  To be successful, the Program Director will create and expand effective relationships with faculty and staff, as well as interprofessional partnerships with other programs in the Department and across the College and University, that promote student success through excellence in the classroom, clinical teaching, and scholarship.  Through collaboration with the principal faculty and clinical coordinator, the Program Director will support and facilitate clinical engagements.  This position has oversight for and full participation in the accreditation process, including engaging stakeholders, mentoring faculty, supporting students, and ensuring ongoing accreditation of the program and success of students on board exams.

Qualifications

• Must be a Physician Assistant.
• Have at least three years of full-time higher education experience at the time of appointment.
• Leadership experience in PA education.
• Minimum 5 years of clinical PA experience.
• NCCPA certified and currently licensed in or eligible for licensure in Maryland.

Responsibilities

The Program Director reports to the Chair of the Department of Health Sciences and to the Dean of the College of Health Professions. Working in collaboration with the Chair of Health Sciences, the Program Director’s responsibilities may include, but are not restricted to:
• Design, implement, coordinate, and evaluate the PA curriculum in collaboration with the principal faculty.
• Prepare and submit accreditation reports per ARC-PA standards.
• Meet criteria for accreditation as determined by ARC-PA Commission.
• Recruit and hire principal faculty members.
• Recruit and hire the Medical Director.
• Recruit and hire PA Program staff.
• Supervise the Medical Director, principal and instructional faculty, and staff in the PA Program.
• Identify resources within Towson University for collaboration and coordination for admissions, student affairs, advisement, financial assistance, student health, assessment, IT, library services, etc.
• Provide leadership to faculty, staff, and students of the PA program in academic and administrative matters.
• Provide ongoing administrative leadership of the daily operations, including financial and human resources, continuous review and analysis, planning, and development.
• Develop new and maintain existing partnerships with healthcare agencies and providers in the community.
• Represent the PA Program with outside organizations.
• Coordinate the PA Program Advisory Board meetings and responsibilities.
• Identify and develop new clinical training sites.
• Provide oversight for, and as needed participate in, student admission processes, student instruction, advising, academic counseling, evaluating student performance and remediation of students' academic needs.

Towson University’s Mission: 
Towson University fosters intellectual inquiry and critical thinking, preparing graduates who will serve as effective leaders for the public good. Through a foundation in the liberal arts and a commitment to academic excellence, interdisciplinary study, research and public service, Towson University prepares students for careers in high demand today and in the future. TU is recognized as a leader in community engagement, including entrepreneurial efforts that provide collaborative opportunities between the campus and the larger Maryland community. Our graduates leave with the vision, creativity and adaptability to craft solutions that enrich the culture, society, economy and environment of the state, the region and beyond.

About the Physician Assistant Studies Program:
The physician assistant program prepares individuals with strong academic backgrounds and clinical experiences for careers as physician assistants. Full-time continuous enrollment is required throughout the 98-credit 26-month program.
Students of the program benefit from experienced faculty, excellent clinical instruction and superior teaching sites. The program has an excellent student-faculty ratio, which means greater interaction with faculty and more opportunities for discussion among students. The program also has a 100% placement rate in competitive and high-quality clinical settings for student rotations. Towson University’s program is affiliated with all of the major medical teaching institutions in the Baltimore Metropolitan Area, including LifeBridge Health, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, MedStar Health, University of Maryland Medical Center, and St. Joseph’s Medical Center.

About Towson, Maryland:
The city of Towson is in close proximity to some of the largest cities on the East Coast – just eight miles north of downtown Baltimore, about an hour north of Washington, D.C., two hours south of Philadelphia and four hours south of New York City. Towson is perfectly positioned in the heart of the nation’s Northeast corridor, providing access to a wealth of historical, cultural, entertainment and recreation options.

With a population of close to 52,000, Towson has a small-town feel combined with a college town vibe. Towson University presents theatrical and artistic programs and has an NCAA Division I sports program. With the arts and culture of Baltimore City just two miles to the south, Towson is also situated close to rural areas with family-oriented recreational opportunities.

Towson University

About TU

Towson University was founded in 1866, is recognized by U. S. News and World Reports as one of the top public universities in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions, is Baltimore's largest university, and is the largest public, comprehensive institution in the University of Maryland System. TU enrolls over 19,000 undergraduates and over 3,000 graduate students across six academic colleges (business, education, fine arts, health professions, liberal arts, science & mathematics), has over 865 full-time faculty, and offers more than 65 bachelor's, 45 master's, and 5 doctoral programs. Our centrally located campus sits on 330 rolling green acres and is 10 miles north of Baltimore, 45 miles north of Washington D.C., and 95 miles south of Philadelphia.

Application Process

All correspondence relating to the position of Program Director – Physician Assistant Studies Program at Towson University should be directed in confidence to the University’s executive search consultant:

Jamie Marcus, Vice President
Scott Healy & Associates
jamiemarcus@scotthealy.com

A complete application should include the following:
1. Cover Letter outlining your interest and qualifications for the position, as well as your philosophy and demonstrated experience in diversity, equity, and inclusion
2. Updated CV;
3. 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 July 17, 2023 will receive priority consideration. The search will remain open until the position is filled.

A Criminal Background Investigation is required for the hired candidate and the results may impact employment.

The safety of our students, faculty, staff, and neighbors has been our top priority and the focus of every one of our decisions since the earliest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore, the University System of Maryland (USM) has strongly encouraged full COVID vaccination and up-to-date booster shots (when eligible) for all faculty, staff, and students at all schools in the USM as both a reasonable and necessary means of protecting our health and safety.