Physician Assistant Program Director

Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences invites applications for the position of founding Program Director for the college’s Master of Physician Assistant Studies program. ACPHS seeks a strategic, collaborative, and innovative leader who is committed to preparing physician assistants to address contemporary healthcare challenges and improve the health of the communities they serve. The Program Director will have a central role in the design and implementation of this new program. Accordingly, the individual must be knowledgeable about and responsible for program organization, administration, fiscal management, continuous review and analysis, planning, and development Further, the individual will be responsible for providing oversight, coordination and programmatic leadership to ensure the efficient operation of the program.

This position is a full-time, 12-month, non-tenure-track faculty position scheduled to begin on July 1, 2025. Academic rank and salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. All applicants must be available to report in person to the campus in Albany, NY.

Applications consisting of a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and should be submitted online. Please include in your cover letter how, as the Founding Program Director of the Master of Physician Assistant Studies, you will create and sustain a successful MPAS program at ACPHS.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

Major Duties & Responsibilities

Program

• General development and oversight of the new ACPHS Master of Physician Assistant Studies program, including professional and regional accreditation applications and ongoing reviews
• Responsible for overall program quality
• Faculty responsibilities as defined in the Faculty Handbook
• Attend monthly Program Director meeting
• Attend monthly Program meeting
  
  

Curriculum

• Oversee development, review, and revision of the mission statement, goals, and competencies of the program.
• Oversee the design, implementation, coordination, and evaluation of the curriculum.
  
  

Personnel

• Provide oversight to program faculty, medical director, and instructional faculty
• Assist with hiring, orientation, supervision, and evaluation of faculty and staff involved with the program, demonstrating responsiveness to issues related to personnel.
• Work in collaboration with the Dean and Department Chair to assign instructors to core program courses.
  
  

Program Development

• Represent the PA Program at the College, community, professional, and other organizational functions
• Assist the college’s admission team with marketing, recruitment & admission events.
• Participate in the selection of applicants for admission to the PA program.
• Interact with internal and external audiences for program promotion.
• Clinical site relations & medical community advocacy.
  
  

Student Contact

• Maintain a teaching load in program.
• Participate in evaluation of student performance and academic counseling of students.
• Adjudicate student academic and professional issues as needed and assure availability of remedial instruction.
  
  

Administration

• Responsible for program organization and administration including fiscal management, program planning, program development, and calendar development.
• Complete licensure and credentialing forms and verifications for graduates.
• Participate in, and lead, meetings and committees as required.
  
  

Program Accreditation

• Lead and be responsible for development of all ARC-PA required accreditation candidacy documents, and oversight of all ongoing accreditation assessment and compliance
• Oversee program self-assessment process through continuous programmatic review and analysis.
• Collaborate with other Program Directors and administrators in the overall college structure.
  
  

Professional/Community

• Actively engage local and regional stakeholders to grow and maintain professional connections and promote the physician assistant profession within our community
  
  

Other Required And Negotiated Program Activities.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Familiarity with the ARC-PA accreditation process.
• Strong team-building skills and ability to foster collaboration.
• Knowledge in adult learning theory and practice.
• Commitment to make a positive contribution to the development of a culturally diverse and inter-culturally competent community.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information.
• Demonstrated collegiality.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
• Demonstrated superior oral, interpersonal, and written communication skills to effectively translate vision and strategic goals into specific objectives and tasks for teams and individuals.
• Keen analytical skills and strong attention to detail.
• Unwavering commitment to the College’s mission.
  
  

Education And Experience

• Master’s degree in physician assistant studies from an accredited program; Doctoral degree in a related discipline preferred.
• Current or Emeritus National Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) certification status.
• Current physician assistant license or eligibility for licensure as a physician assistant in the state of New York.
• At least 3 years of full-time higher education experience in a physician assistant, or similar, program.
• At least 2 years of physician assistant clinical practice experience.
• Leadership or management professional experience in a high-standards, performance-based environment preferred.
• Experience with learning management systems (LMS) like Canvas, Slate, etc. preferred.
  
  

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to stand; walk; climb or balance; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and the ability to adjust focus. Please note that this posting is not all-inclusive of the job responsibilities or qualifications of the position. The essential functions of the job may or may not have been fully described for purposes of ADA reasonable accommodation. All accommodation requests will be reviewed and evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Work Environment

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is not substantially exposed to adverse environmental conditions.

Additional Information

This position is based in Albany, NY. The duties and responsibilities of this role require the need for consistent, in-person collaboration and/or interaction with our community, requiring all work to be performed full-time on-site. Standard work hours are from 8:30 AM – 4:30 PM EST, Monday through Friday. Additional details pertaining to this position will be discussed during the interview process.

Benefits

Albany College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (ACPHS) offers a comprehensive benefits package for full-time employees including medical, dental and vision benefits, free life insurance and disability programs, tuition assistance programs, retirement plan with employer match and contribution, and generous time off including 20 paid holidays plus paid sick and vacation time. Additional perks include wellness rewards, free gym access, free parking, identity theft protection and many others. Please note, benefits and benefits eligibility can vary by position, and exclusions may apply for some roles.

ACPHS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate against any protected class of job applicant or employee in our hiring and employment practices.