Part-Time Principal Faculty

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Principal Faculty member, as a part-time faculty instructor within the Physician Assistant (PA) Program, is primarily responsible for course instruction and/or course coordination in the didactic and/or clinical phase of the program. This individual is expected to demonstrate effectiveness in course design, delivery, and evaluation, and plays an important role in supporting students to achieve the program’s student learning outcomes and the competencies required for PA practice. 

Under the guidance of the program leadership, the part-time Principal Faculty member contributes to curriculum development, program assessment, and continuous quality improvement in accordance with the ARC-PA Accreditation Standards. This role includes active participation in program planning, academic support, and other activities that foster student and programmatic success. The part-time Principal Faculty member holds a faculty appointment (rank commensurate with experience) within the Physician Assistant Program.

The part-time faculty member works 20 hours a week with a teaching workload as assigned to meet the needs of the program annually as defined in the Faculty Supplement. In fulfilling the responsibilities of this role, the incumbent is expected to uphold and promote the philosophy of South University, which emphasizes quality services to students and stakeholders; development, engagement, and recognition of employees; sound economic and operational principles; and an environment that fosters innovation, positive thinking and institutional growth.

KEY JOB ELEMENTS:

1. Provides teaching and instruction in the PA Program as assigned based on program needs:
   1. Coordination of instruction of courses as assigned based on program needs.
   2. Teaching in areas of clinical and/or professional expertise.
   3. Serving as a small group facilitator and student faculty advisor as needed.
2. Assists the Director of Didactic Education in the administrative coordination of the didactic phase of the program.
3. Assists the Director of Clinical Education in the administrative coordination of the clinical phase of the program.
4. Contributes to curriculum development, including the design and implementation of courses within the program.
5. Participates in ongoing curriculum evaluation and continuous quality improvement initiatives.
6. Evaluates student performance during objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), lab practicals, clinical reasoning sessions, problem-solving activities, and technical skills training and assessment during the didactic and clinical phases. 
7. Reviews and evaluates student performance on submitted assignments, projects, and presentations ensuring use of quality evidence-based resources and citations.
8. Develops course examinations and maps exam questions to ARC-PA accreditation standards and the NCCPA Content Blueprint to ensure alignment with program learning outcomes.
9. Provides input to assist with accreditation efforts, program self-assessment, and periodic review of the program’s mission and goals.
10. Participates in the program's admissions process to include student recruitment, open houses, application review, candidate interviews, and student selection.
11. Engages in service, community and campus outreach, and scholarly activities appropriate to the role of a part-time Principal Faculty member.
12. Participates annually in faculty development opportunities focused on teaching effectiveness and staying current in medical knowledge.
13. Assists with clinical site development, monitoring, and relationship management as needed to support the clinical phase of the program.
14. Provides remedial instruction to support student academic success and progression through the program.
15. Assists with other responsibilities as determined by the Directors of Didactic and Clinical Education, Program Director, or campus leadership.
16. Performs duties as assigned and outlined in the Faculty job description and in accordance with the provisions of Faculty Supplement to the South University Employee Handbook.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

Knowledge:

• Terminal degree in healthcare disciplines such as physician assistant, pharmacy, medical doctor, or public health. Minimum of a Master’s degree is required. 
• Eligibility for professional licensure/certification in the applicable state and healthcare discipline (if applicable) or holds an active, valid, and unencumbered state license. 
• 1-2 years teaching experience in a graduate health-related profession highly preferred.
• 2 years of clinical experience required, if applicable.
• Experience in PA/medical classroom teaching preferred.
• PAs must have graduated from an accredited PA program and have current NCCPA certification or emeritus status.
• Emeritus clinicians are not required to hold active licensure.

Skills:

• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.  
• Strong interpersonal skills with student and staff populations.
• Superior organization, prioritization, and self-motivation skills.
• Strong computer skills, including MS Office Suite, ExamSoft, and WebAdMIT.

Abilities:

• Ability to interact effectively as a member of a team and work collaboratively with other departments.
• Ability to read, understand, interpret, and implement accreditation criteria and state agency regulations.
• Ability to resolve inquiries and complaints from employees, students, regulatory agencies, or members of the academic or business community.
• Ability to listen to customers (e.g. staff, students, etc.) and to understand and respond positively to their requests.
• Ability to adapt to changing assignments and multiple priorities.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks and successfully meet deadlines.

ORGANIZATIONAL RELATIONSHIPS:

REPORTS TO: Program Director, Assistant Program Director, Directors of Didactic/Clinical Education

INTERACTS WITH: All PA program faculty and staff. Inside the University contact  

encompasses the entire range of University faculty, staff, and students. Outside contacts 

may include community and professional leaders, as well as other educators.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The term "qualified individual with a disability" means an individual with a disability who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of the position. 

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate professionally in person, over the telephone, through email and other electronic means, move about the office or school, handle various types of media and equipment, and visually or otherwise identify, observe and assess. The employee is occasionally required to lift up to 10 pounds unless otherwise specified in the job description. The individual must be able to travel out of the local area with an occasional overnight stay to participate in a variety of conferences and meetings. 

South University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and embraces diversity as a critical step in ensuring employee, student and graduate success. We are committed to building and developing a diverse environment where a variety of ideas, cultures and perspectives can thrive.