Director, Doctor of Medical Science (Online Doctoral Physician Associate Program)

Director, Doctor of Medical Science (Online Doctoral Physician Associate Program)

– Job Description

The Program Director provides academic, administrative, and strategic leadership for the College of Health and Natural Sciences’ online Doctor of Medical Science (doctoral-level Physician Associate program). The Program Director is responsible for ensuring the program maintains high standards of academic quality, clinical education, faculty performance, learner achievement, and continuous program improvement.

The successful candidate will be a practicing or experienced Physician Associate with a doctoral degree in Physician Associate Studies, Medical Science, Education, or a closely related field. The Program Director should have substantial experience in physician associate/assistant education, particularly within an entry-level or doctoral-level PA program, and a strong understanding of the academic, clinical, accreditation, and professional expectations associated with PA education.

The Program Director will lead and support full-time and adjunct faculty, collaborate with college and university leadership, oversee ongoing program assessment, and use learner and program outcomes data to promote continuous improvement and program success.

Responsible for

Program Leadership

Provide overall academic and administrative leadership for the online doctoral Physician Associate program.

Establish and maintain a clear academic vision and strategic direction consistent with the mission of the College and University.

Ensure the program curriculum, policies, and educational practices support the development of highly competent entry-level Physician Associates.

• Remain current with professional standards, expectations, and best practices for doctoral PA education.
• Collaborate with college leadership and university offices on program planning, resources, enrollment, scheduling, policies, and strategic initiatives.
• Participate in institutional committees and university initiatives as appropriate.
• Represent the program to internal and external stakeholders, professional organizations, clinical partners, and other relevant constituencies.

Faculty Leadership and Development

• Provide leadership, mentoring, supervision, and evaluation for full-time faculty.
• Recruit, orient, mentor, and evaluate adjunct faculty in collaboration with appropriate college and university processes.
• Foster a collaborative, inclusive, and academically rigorous faculty culture.

Ensure faculty maintain appropriate qualifications, professional development, teaching effectiveness, and scholarly engagement.

Support faculty development related to online teaching, assessment, curriculum design, clinical education, and emerging practices in PA education.

Coordinate faculty workload and teaching assignments in collaboration with college leadership.

Facilitate regular faculty meetings and promote effective communication across the program.

Learner Outcomes and Program Assessment

• Lead ongoing assessment of program effectiveness and learner outcomes.
• Establish and monitor measures of student achievement, progression, retention, graduation, certification examination performance, clinical competence, and other relevant outcomes.
• Use assessment data to identify strengths, areas for improvement, and opportunities for innovation.
• Develop and implement continuous quality-improvement initiatives based on assessment findings.
• Ensure program-level assessment activities are systematic, documented, and aligned with institutional and professional expectations.
• Monitor learner feedback and outcomes and work with faculty to address identified needs.
• Promote a culture of evidence-based decision-making and continuous improvement.

Curriculum and Educational Quality

Oversee the ongoing review, evaluation, and development of the curriculum in collaboration with faculty and college leadership.

Ensure curricular content reflects current evidence, clinical practice, healthcare delivery, professional competencies, and the evolving role of the Physician Associate.

Support effective integration of didactic, clinical, scholarly, and professional development experiences within the doctoral curriculum.

Promote innovative and evidence-based approaches to online graduate and doctoral education.

Ensure appropriate program and curriculum alignment.

Clinical and Professional Engagement

• Maintain strong relationships with education partners and the broader PA professional community.
• Remain current in PA practice, healthcare delivery, certification, licensure, and professional education.
• Encourage faculty and learner engagement with professional organizations and the PA profession.

Scholarship and Research

• Promote a culture of scholarship, research, and evidence-based practice within the program.
• Foster faculty and learner engagement in research, scholarly activity, presentations, publications, and professional dissemination.
• Participate in scholarly activity appropriate to the candidate’s expertise and academic appointment.

Accreditation and Compliance

Ensure the program operates in accordance with applicable institutional policies and professional and accreditation standards.

Coordinate preparation of program reports, self-studies, accreditation materials, and other required documentation in collaboration with college leadership and relevant university offices.

Maintain accurate and comprehensive program records.

Initiate appropriate responses to changes in professional and accreditation standards.

Required Qualifications

• Current NCCPA board certification as a Physician Associate/Physician Assistant.
• Doctoral degree in Physician Associate Studies, Medical Science, Education, or a closely related discipline from an accredited institution.
• Minimum of five (5) years of clinical experience as a Physician Associate/Physician Assistant.

Demonstrated experience working within entry-level Physician Associate/Physician Assistant education, preferably in an academic PA program.

Demonstrated understanding of the curriculum, educational standards, clinical education requirements, and learner outcomes associated with entry-level PA education.

• Experience providing leadership, coordination, mentorship, or supervision of faculty and/or academic programs.
• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively with faculty, administrators, learners, clinical partners, and other stakeholders.
• Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, organizational, and leadership skills.
• Ability to effectively lead and support faculty in an online academic environment.

Preferred Qualifications

Preference will be given to candidates who possess one or more of the following:

Previous experience as a Program Director or Associate/Assistant Program Director of a master's-level or doctoral-level Physician Associate/Physician Assistant program.

Experience with the development, implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement of PA program curricula.

• Experience with PA program accreditation, accreditation reporting, or preparation for accreditation review.
• Demonstrated research experience and scholarly productivity, including peer-reviewed publications, presentations, funded research, or other scholarly contributions.
• Experience supervising and evaluating full-time and adjunct faculty.
• Experience with online, hybrid, or technology-enhanced graduate or doctoral education.
• Experience with program assessment, outcomes assessment, and data-driven continuous improvement.
• Active engagement in national, state, or regional professional organizations related to Physician Associate/Physician Assistant education or practice.
• Experience mentoring faculty and/or students in scholarly activity and research.

Leadership Competencies

The Successful Program Director Will Demonstrate

• Academic leadership: Ability to establish a strong academic vision and advance program quality.
• Faculty leadership: Ability to develop, support, and effectively lead diverse full-time and adjunct faculty.

Strategic thinking: Ability to align program priorities with institutional mission and evolving healthcare workforce needs.

Assessment expertise: Ability to interpret learner and program outcomes and translate findings into meaningful improvements.

Collaboration: Ability to build productive relationships across academic, clinical, and administrative environments.

Innovation: Willingness to explore effective approaches to online doctoral education and PA professional education.

Professionalism: Commitment to ethical practice, academic integrity, inclusive excellence, and the advancement of the Physician Associate profession.

Application Deadline

Confidential screening of applications will continue until the position is filled.

At Franklin Pierce University, we take pride in providing a comprehensive and competitive benefits package to support the well-being and security of our valued employees. Here are some highlights of the benefits you can enjoy as part of the Franklin Pierce community:

Paid Time Off (PTO): Enjoy 160 hours (4 weeks) of Paid Time Off, along with additional paid sick time for your well-being.

Paid Holidays: Benefit from 20 paid holidays, including a 10-day winter break with full pay.

Health and Wellness: Access medical, dental, and vision coverage for you and your family, ensuring comprehensive health care.

Life Insurance: Secure the future for yourself and your family with employer-paid Life Insurance coverage ranging from 1.5x to 3.0x your salary, depending on your role.

Disability Coverage: We cover both short-term and long-term disability, providing financial protection in unforeseen circumstances.

Retirement Planning: Contribute to your retirement with our 403(b) plan, with immediate 100% vesting. Franklin Pierce University also makes contributions to support your long-term financial goals upon one year of employment or if qualified with prior higher education employment.

Educational Benefits: Invest in your growth and development with our tuition benefi