Campus Director, Academic Education - Physician Assistant

At West Coast University, we share a passion for students and transforming healthcare education! As a member for a certified Great Place to Work, you will join a collaborative, student-centric culture valuing academic integrity, mutual respect, student learning, service, responsiveness, innovation, diversity, and stewardship. As a part of this team, you will guide students to do more than change their own lives – you will help change the lives of every patient they care for throughout their career. As the Director of Academic Education (DAE) is a key member of the leadership team responsible for the development, implementation, coordination, and continuous evaluation of the didactic phase of the curriculum, including content, syllabi, delivery, and assessment. The DAE will oversee and develop policies and procedures relevant to the MPA program. This role includes teaching, advising, scholarship, service, student assessment, and ensuring ongoing compliance with ARC-PA accreditation Standards. The role may be held by a physician assistant / associate (PA), physician, or non-clinician scientist. Collaborate as a member of the programmatic leadership team, which may consist of the MPA Dean / Program Director, Medical Director, Director of Student Success, and Director of Clinical Education to achieve a shared vision for the program.

Lead the design, development, implementation, coordination, and ongoing evaluation of an innovative didactic curriculum to ensure alignment with ARC-PA Standards, PAEA-specific assessments, the NCCPA blueprint, state licensure requirements, and requirements for entry-level clinical knowledge.

Assists with new course development, assuring quality outcomes and consistent implementation of Bloom's taxonomy, course sequencing, and appropriate progression throughout the program to entry-level competencies are being met and assessed appropriately.

Oversee scheduling, coordination, and support of principal and instructional faculty, guest lecturers, and lab facilitators.

Develop the teaching schedule and workload for the didactic phase in collaboration with the MPA Dean / Program Director.

Trains didactic faculty, didactic instructional faculty (adjuncts), and guest lecturers to provide an innovative didactic education curriculum.

Support planning and execution of academic activities related to the didactic phase, including student orientation, white coat ceremony, and commencement / pinning ceremony.

Evaluate and collaborate with third-party vendors for equipment, software, and services necessary to enhance the student experience during the didactic phase.

Support faculty recruitment, onboarding, mentorship, evaluation, and professional development as needed.

Collaborate with all faculty to ensure vertical integration of curriculum between didactic and clinical phases.

Oversee student academic progression, retention, and graduation readiness strategies for the didactic phase.

Create, review, revise, and uphold academic policies and procedures outlined in the MPA Student Handbook in coordination with the MPA Dean / Program Director, Director of Student Success, and DCE.

Manages, analyzes, interprets, and reports performance databases and the processes of data collection and analysis for the didactic portion of the WCU MPA Program.

Perform other duties as determined by the MPA Dean / Program Director.

For PA and Physician Candidates : Minimum of three (3) years of teaching, research, or clinical experience in a PA program / Medical School, or equivalent

• experience in health professions education, healthcare delivery, or related fields that directly support PA student learning and curricular outcomes.
• Note : Individuals without direct PA clinical experience will be considered if they demonstrate substantial experience in PA education, curriculum development, or healthcare experience / leadership aligned with program needs.

Minimum of one (1) year of full-time experience in PA education, academic support, or curriculum development in alignment with program needs.

Leadership knowledge in the program field to cultivate a learner-centered environment and to foster excellence.

Knowledge and evidence of strong supervisory and management skills as applicable to specialized program area.

Knowledge of state, federal and local laws / regulations relating to programs, governmental compliance and other regulatory standards such as Title IV, WSCUC, and ARC-PA and other accreditation standards.

Required Education Certifications & Licensures :

Graduation from an ARC-PA accredited PA program.

Master's degree in education or a related health- or social-science discipline.

Current National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) certification or eligibility to sit for the PANCE (initial certification) or PANRE (recertification) at the time of hire.

For Physician candidates : Board certified allopathic or osteopathic physician

For Physician candidates : Master's degree in education or a related health- or social-science discipline from an accredited university.

Must also maintain any professional certifications deemed necessary to meet the requirements of the teaching role.

Must meet and maintain the qualifications and standards set forth by any accreditation body that West Coast University is accredited by or in process of obtaining accreditation from, for area of expertise and expectations of faculty member as set forth in regulatory documents.

Must provide a documented background in educational methodology consistent with teaching assignments, including, but not limited to, education theory and practice, or current concepts relative to specific subjects to be taught, or current clinical practice experience, or distance education techniques and delivery.

Preferred Education, Certifications & Licensures :

Doctoral degree in a health-related discipline with content expertise applicable to PA education (e.g., PhD, EdD, PharmD, DMSc, DHSc, MD, DO, OTD) is preferred.

Five (5) years of full-time experience in PA or health professions education, academic support, or curriculum development is preferred.

Prior experience as a chair, committee leader, or director-level role in PA education is preferred.

Academic experience within a PA program, including teaching, mentoring, and curriculum development is preferred.

site visits, reports) and programmatic self-assessment is preferred.

Knowledge of state, federal, and local laws / regulations relating to programs, governmental compliance, and other regulatory standards such as the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC) Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC), or other regulators and / or accrediting bodies is preferred.