Primary Care Physician Assistant ProgramDirector
University of Southern California, inpartnership with the national search firm Scott Healy &Associates, invites applications and nominations for theposition of Primary Care Physician Assistant ProgramDirector. The Director of the Physician Assistant Programreports directly to the Chair of the Department of Family Medicineand to the Vice-Dean for Health and Biomedical Sciences Education.This position is a 12-month administrative position with a facultyappointment through the Keck School of Medicine. The PA ProgramDirector serves on the Department of Family Medicine’s leadershipcommittee and may serve on various University and SchoolCommittees. The Program Director is responsible to lead the PAProgram through the accreditation process with the ARC-PA.
The Program Director is responsible for leadership of the PAProgram, its faculty, and students. The program is comprised of amedical director, twelve full-time principal faculty; two part-timeinstructional faculty; thirteen professional full time staffpositions including a Director of Admissions; Director ofOperations; a Clinical Education Administrator; and a part timeCommunications Strategist, and 60 students in each of threeclasses.
Responsibilities:
Enrollment Planning and Management:
- Oversee the management of a recruitment and retention strategyfor marketing the program to graduate students including acomprehensive focus on best practices for diversity, equity, andinclusion in alignment with the sponsoring institution.
- Oversee the management of the admissions process which includessystems for collecting and processing applications, offeringselected student’s interviews, actual interview of students, offersof acceptance, and matriculation data management
- Prepare enrollment projections
- Meet with potential applicants during recruitment events
- Oversee the website and ensure it contains pertinentinformation regarding the program, pre-requisite courses, healthcare experience requirements, and academic requirements (scienceGPA, overall GPA, and scores of standardized examinations)including all ARC-PA required components as per the 5th edition ofthe Accreditation Standards for Physician Assistant Education
- Manage the matriculation process to ensure a well-qualified,diverse class of graduate students
- Oversee scholarship awards and identify new opportunities forscholarship funds including donor relations, grants, and externalscholarships
Budget Planning, Development, andManagement:
- Work with the Department of Family Medicine finance team todevelop an annual budget and make appropriate suggestions forhaving sufficient resources for program operation
- Develop capital expenditure plan, prioritize, and recommendacquisitions when appropriate
- Work with members of the Department of Family Medicine and theKeck School of Medicine in the area of shared resources wheneverpossible
- Recommend facilities modifications and renovations
- Identify and seek external funding and grants, wheneverpossible
Management of Program Affairs:
- In conjunction with the PA faculty and staff, establish programmission, goals, vision, and program competencies for successfulprogram completion
- Responsible for the recruitment/retention, orientation, andsupervision of the medical director, program principal andinstructional faculty, and administrative support staff
- Conduct faculty/staff meetings and establish committees, asneeded
- Ensure that proper databases, records, and documents aremaintained and updated, as needed
- Ensure appropriate safety measures are implemented in alllocations where instruction occurs
- In conjunction with the Department of Family Medicine MeritReview Committee, participate in the evaluation of programpersonnel with respect to annual performance goals and jobdescriptions
- Ensure that all PA personnel and student policies areconsistent with federal and state statutes, rules, andregulations
- Oversee and assist in the securing and maintaining of clinicalaffiliates
- Ensure that equipment and facilities are maintained
- Submit an Annual Accreditation Report to the Chair, Departmentof Family Medicine
Academic Leadership:
- Teach appropriate courses within the PA Program
- Ensure curriculum/program revision and update to keep pace withtechnologic and scientific advances, current PA standards ofpractice, and educational theory/practice
- Support the ongoing faculty promotion process by establishinggoals and providing appropriate support in achieving those goalsannually
- Assign/approve non-instructional activities for faculty
- Promote academic excellence and innovation and ensure programmeets/exceeds accreditation standards
- Oversee the tracking of enrolled and graduating studentsconsistent with ARC-PA requirements
- Manage/develop accreditation documents including the annualreport and any required documents for ongoing self-study oraccreditation site visits
Personal and Professional Leadership:
- Set personal and professional goals and encourage programpersonnel to do the same
- Encourage community and professional service
- Demonstrate computer and audiovisual literacy
- Maintain clinical competency
- Balance teaching role with other responsibilities
Student Service:
- Provide leadership for student recruitment, selection,advising, teaching, assessment, and retention
- Oversee/update didactic and clinical student manuals along withappropriate program personnel when required
Represent the Program to External and InternalConstituencies:
- Represent the program at university/medical centerfunctions
- Initiate and maintain liaison with external agencies andinstitutions
- Represent the program to the lay and professionalcommunity
- Facilitate alumni relations
Qualifications:
Successful applicants will display strong leadership,organization, budget development, and communication skills, as wellas technology literacy, interpersonal ability, time management andself-motivation. In addition, successful candidates willdemonstrate evidence of working successfully with diversepopulations and meet the following:
Required Qualifications:
- Master’s degree from an accredited Physician AssistantProgram;
- At least three years of experience in higher education;
- Must hold current or emeritus status certification byNCCPA;
- Eligible for licensure in California;
- Leadership and administrative experience in highereducation
Preferred Qualifications:
- Doctoral degree from an accredited institution
- Successful track record in PA education
- Proven success in the recruitment/retention of diverse faculty,staff, and students
- Proven commitment to gender equity and diversity, equity, andinclusion
About the PA Program: The Primary CarePhysician Assistant (PA) Program is a U.S. News & World Reporttop 10 academic professional graduate program within the KeckSchool of Medicine of the University of Southern California, aleading private research university. It has a rich 50-year historyof recruiting, educating, and graduating a diverse group ofstudents. Located in Alhambra, CA, at The Alhambra, a lush campus,the program enjoys a supportive institution with a strong medicalschool and top-tier research facilities. PA students are welcomedwithin the institutional teaching hospitals including the LAC+USC MedicalFacility, which is a world-class teaching hospital with aLevel-One trauma center, Keck Medical Center of USC, theUSC Norris Cancer Hospital, and an assortment of other top-tierteaching hospitals and private practices located throughout LosAngeles and Orange County.
About The Department of FamilyMedicine: The Department of Family Medicine atthe Keck School of Medicine of USC combines excellence in medicalcare with social justice. It is our mission to drive innovation inresearch, education, clinical care and public health with respect,compassion and joy. We do this in partnership with diverseindividuals, families and communities we serve. Established in1983, the Department of Family Medicine has grown as leaders inprimary care including our work focus on research, medicaleducation, physician assistant studies, student health and ourclinical family medicine practice. The Department has most recentlygrown to include the Keck Street Medicine Program and a newlyestablished Family Medicine Residency at Keck Medicine.
The National Center on Elder Abuse, the only center of its kindin the U.S., is based at the Department of Family Medicine, withLaura Mosqueda, MD, at its helm. As the number of olderadults continues to grow in California, the Department of FamilyMedicine is one of the leaders in training primary care providersin quality care for geriatric patients. With an award of $3.75million from the Health Resources and Services Administration, theyare addressing the health and wellness needs of culturally diverseand low-income older adults living in Los Angeles.
Our providers see patients at several locations, Keck MedicalCenter, Pasadena, Arcadia, USC Verdugo Hills Hospital and DowntownLos Angeles. Their quality care includes acute care, annual visits,asthma and allergy care, diagnostic testing, geriatric medicine,immunizations, health screenings, nutrition, weight management andwomen’s health. The Primary Care Physician Assistant Programranked No. 1 in California and No. 10 nationally in physicianassistant programs in the 2020 U.S. News & World Report “BestGraduate Schools” rankings.
EditOur research team is ranked in the Top 10 for NationalInstitute of Health funding with a commitment to pursuing theimportant research questions that help us understand how to bestcare for and protect the most vulnerable among us.
About the Keck School of Medicine: TheKeck School of Medicine is hometo over 1200 medical students and 1700 doctoral and master’sbiomedical sciences students at their Health Sciences Campus inEast Los Angeles and Health Sciences Alhambra campus in Alhambra,CA. It is home to Keck School of Medicine of USC Street Medicine,which was developed in the Division of PA Studies with theDepartment of Family Medicine. Directed by Brett Feldman, MSPAS,PA-C, the street medicine teams provide primary care services tothe unhoused individuals experiencing homelessness in the streetsof Los Angeles County.
About University of Southern California:The University of SouthernCalifornia is a leading research university with nearly 50,000students and 26,137 faculty, staff, and student workers. Located inthe heart of LA, the University Park campus features classicarchitecture, park-like grounds, museums, cafés, entertainment andmore. The institution houses 22 exceptional schools including theKeck School of Medicine in which the PA program is housed. Theuniversity is a world leader in sustainability and environmentalsupport and it enjoys the rich outcomes of its top 5 ranked Schoolof Cinematic Arts and Annenberg School for Communication andJournalism. The institution has enjoyed over 80 Academy AwardWinners in Hollywood and over 114 gold medals from the Olympics. Infact, USC has produced more Olympians, overall medalists, and goldmedalists than any other university in the United States. USC’sneighbors include world-renowned cultural institutions and sportsand entertainment venues.
About Los Angeles, California: LosAngeles is a sprawling Southern California city and the center ofthe nation’s film and television industry. However, that isn’tthe only thing it has to offer. Los Angeles is home to renownedmuseums, unique hotels, diverse experiences and 75 miles of sunnycoastline. LA is aplenty with innovative food expereinces,waterfalls, and hiking trails. The best way to experience LA is byexploring all of the vibrant multicultural neighborhoods.
Applications Process:
All correspondence relating to the position of Primary CarePhysician Assistant Program Director should be directed inconfidence to the University’s executive recruitmentconsultant:
Christopher S. Healy, President
Scott Healy & Associates
The full and complete application should contain the followinginformation:
- A cover letter outlining your experience as it relates to thisposition.
- A complete CV highlighting your career in higher education andeducational credentials.
- The names of three (3) professional references including theirrelationship to you, their position, email, and direct phonenumbers. References will not be contacted without writtenpermission.
Applications submitted by April 29, 2022, willreceive priority consideration. This search will remain open untilthe position is filled.
The University of Southern California strongly valuesdiversity and is committed to equal opportunity in employment.Women and men, and members of all racial and ethnic groups, peoplewith disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.
The Chronicle of Higher Education. Category: , Keywords: Primary Care Physician Assistant Program Director