Physician Assistant Program Director New

The School of Health Sciences, housed within the College of Health and Human Sciences at Kansas State University, is seeking a Program Director for their Physician Assistant (PA) Program. This 12-month, non-tenure track position at the rank of Clinical Associate Professor or Clinical Professor will be responsible for the continued development, management, and accreditation of the PA Program. This position reports to the Dean and the Interim School Director.

Responsibilities:

Program Administration & Accreditation:

• Lead accreditation process and coordinate site visits
• Obtain and maintain accreditation-continued status
• Comply with ARC-PA accreditation standards and policies
• Provide effective program leadership by exhibiting responsiveness to issues related to program personnel, strong communication skills, and proactive problem solving
• Be knowledgeable about and responsible for the organization, administration, planning, development, and fiscal management of the program
• Provide supervision and evaluations of medical director, principal faculty, instructional faculty, and program staff
• Develop, review, and revise as necessary the program’s mission statement, goals, and competencies
• Oversee the revision of program policies and procedures
• Interface with program stakeholders
• Responsible for continuous programmatic review and analysis, to include continuous self-study and periodic self-study activities
• Serve as primary liaison between undergraduate programs; Admissions, Didactic and Clinical Curriculum; and Promotion, Progression and Professionalism Sub-Committees

Academic Management & Admissions:

• Participate in the design, implementation, coordination, and evaluation of program curriculum while ensuring it meets the expectations and requirements of HHS, the Higher Learning Commission, and ARC-PA
• Provide student instruction, academic counseling, performance evaluation, and remedial instruction, as needed
• Assist principal and instructional faculty to revise course and lecture-based learning experiences in response to instructor and course evaluation feedback
• Participate in the recruitment, screening, interviewing, and selection of applicants for admission to the program

Service/Scholarly:

• Engage in and encourage faculty participation in scholarly and community service activities
• Participate in local, state, and/or national leadership activities relevant to PA education and practice
• Serve on school, college, and university committees
• Serve as chair of Physician Assistant Evaluation Committee (PAEC)

Please review the position profile for more details about this position.

Qualifications:

Minimum Requirements:

• Master’s degree or higher
• Current NCCPA certification
• Current Kansas Physician Assistant license or eligibility for Kansas licensure
• At least three years of full-time higher education experience, preferably in PA education
• Knowledge of ARC-PA accreditation standards and experience with accreditation process
• At least five years of experience in clinical practice
• Experience in higher education administration, preferably in PA or medical education
• Experience with academic program planning, development, and/or fiscal management
• Demonstrated effective leadership and management experience
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and deadlines, handle confidential information, and be detail-oriented

Preferred Requirements:

• Earned doctoral degree in relevant discipline
• Previous experience as a director or clinical education coordinator of an ARC-PA accredited program at an institution of higher education
• Experience organizing and administering all program components as required for accreditation
• Experience with continuous program review, assessment, and analysis
• Demonstrated record of scholarly research
• Experience with advising of undergraduate students into professional programs
• Prior experience with development of interprofessional education
• Experience developing and implementing curriculum, preferably within PA programs
• Prior experience with patient simulation (patient care simulators/standardized patient models)
• Experience managing large budgets
• Experience with strategic planning and positioning programs for growth
• Experience supervising faculty and staff in an academic environment

Why Consider the Opportunity:

• Dynamic University. Kansas State University’s ambitious Next-Gen Strategic Plan is designed to elevate the university’s key differentiators while embracing transformation not just as an idea but as an imperative. The Next-Gen plan will ensure K-State becomes a new kind of land-grant university serving a changing world.
• Rural Impact. As part of the K-State Opportunity Agenda focusing on Community Health and Well-Being, the Director will have tangible, positive impacts on rural health care disparities, access, and outcomes.
• High-Performing College. The College’s people display positive morale and a passion for excellence. The faculty are collegial, collaborative and innovative. Strong enrollment, rooted in superior post-graduation career outcomes, highlights the excellence of the College of Health and Human Sciences and its engaged students, faculty, and staff.
• Transformational Leadership. While the PA program is currently on ‘probation’ with ARC-PA, the university is actively working to remedy its accreditation issues. As one of two accredited PA programs in the State of Kansas, student interest remains very strong and the university’s commitment to the program’s success is unwavering. There is healthy fiscal support for preceptors and external expertise.
• Competitive Compensation Package. The university recognizes the significance this position plays in the long-term economic health of the state and its residents. The university is offering a highly competitive salary that is in the top-quartile when benchmarked across PA programs nationally.
• Location. Manhattan (known as the “Little Apple”) is a great place to live and work. Manhattan boasts a low cost of living with a full selection of housing options. The area offers an array of outdoor recreational opportunities, an eclectic downtown area in addition to “Aggieville”, and a great public school system.

About the PA Program:

In a state where historically many of its 105 counties are considered medically underserved, the launch of the Physician Assistant Program in 2022 was designed to positively impact healthcare access and outcomes across the state. Housed within the School of Health Sciences, the 27-month PA program leads to a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPAS) degree. The program follows the traditional medical model of training, providing in-depth analysis of disease processes, diagnosis and treatment, and prepares students to serve as primary health care providers who practice medicine with Physician supervision. The curriculum consists of three semesters of classroom training in up-to-date facilities, followed by four semesters of clinical rotations. Interest in the program has been strong with 960 applicants for 44 seats. Sixty-one percent of students are Kansas residents and 42% express a desire to work in rural medicine.

At its June 2024 meeting, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) placed the Kansas State University Physician Assistant Program on Accreditation-Probation status until its next review in June 2026. The college is taking decisive steps to remediate the accreditation issues, and the next director will have full support of the program’s faculty and college leadership in pursuing a positive accreditation outcome and enhancing the program long-term.

About the College of Health and Human Sciences:

The College of Health and Human Sciences (HHS) inspires and prepares passionate and caring individuals for a meaningful life and a career that promotes human well-being in the areas of business, design, teacher education, human behavior, and health sciences. Rooted in the university’s founding, the college promotes collaboration and innovation while fostering a vibrant interdisciplinary environment dedicated to providing access to high-quality education. With a commitment to discovery and knowledge-sharing, HHS transforms the lives of individuals and communities across the state and beyond.

The college is home to 2,470 undergraduate and 559 graduate students studying in over 50 degree programs in three (3) schools: School of Health Sciences, School of Human Sciences, and the School of Consumer Sciences. The college has experienced growth in its graduate enrollment in the last five years. At the core of all HHS disciplines lies a shared focus on people and impact, driving the college’s mission to support community sense of place and to forge transformative relationships.

About Kansas State University:

Leading the nation as the next-generation land-grant university, K-State is the first operational land-grant university in the United States. The home of the Wildcats is setting the standard for inspired learning, creativity, discovery and engagement – positively impacting society and transforming lives in Kansas and around the world.

Founded in 1863 as the nation’s first operational land-grant university, Kansas State University (K-State) is a Tier 1 research university with more than 20,250 students, 1,350 faculty members, 3,300 staff members and three physical campuses: the main campus in Manhattan; the K-State Salina campus, home to aviation and technology programs; and K-State Olathe, which serves the industry and workforce needs of Greater Kansas City.

K-State has nine colleges, a Graduate School and K-State Online which offer more than 400 degrees and options, from bachelor’s to doctoral degrees. K-State Research and Extension also serves the citizenry with a presence in every county throughout Kansas and supports research in more than 20 K-State departments.

With an annual budget of more than $900 million, K-State is known for the passion and pride of its alumni. With more than 200,000 living graduates, the K-State Alumni Association has been No.1 in the Big 12 Conference for more than 25 years, based on the percentage of graduates who are members, and No. 4 among Power Five conferences. Private giving to the university is around $200 million per year, and the KSU Foundation has an investment pool and endowment of more than $950 million. The university and foundation recently completed a major fundraising campaign that raised $1.6 billion. The Princeton Review recognizes the university as one of the nation’s best colleges. K-State also has been designated as an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities and is recognized as a Carnegie Community Engaged Institution. Commonly referred to as K-State, the university is proud of its welcoming environment. Click here to learn more about K-State.

University Mission, Vision and Values:

The mission of Kansas State University is to foster excellent teaching, research and service that develop the highly skilled and educated citizenry necessary to advancing the well-being of Kansas, the nation and the international community.

The vision of K-State is to lead the nation as a next generation land-grant university – setting the standard for inspiring learning, creativity, discovery and engagement that positively impacts society and transforms lives in Kansas and around the world. The university’s values and principles of community guide how the community lives out its mission at K-State. For more information about K-State, please visit the university profile.

To Apply:

Confidential review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position has been filled. Please apply online by submitting a PDF version of your CV and cover letter that addresses your interest and related qualifications and experience. Applications should be submitted directly to Summit Search Solutions, Inc.’s candidate portal.

Nominations and inquiries may be directed to Dr. Karen Pedersen at 719-747-2545 or kpedersen@summitsearchsolutions.com and Stephanie Rivas-Fowler at 480-213-7078 or srivasfowler@summitsearchsolutions.com.

Equal Employment Opportunity: Kansas State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Background Screening Statement: Upon acceptance of a contingent offer of employment, a candidate may be subject to a background check per K-State’s background check policy.