Medical Director, Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program

Position Title: Medical Director, Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program

Department: Physician Assistant Studies

Reports To: Program Director, Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program

FTE: Part-time; FTE established by the University based upon assigned responsibilities (estimated .1-.2 FTEs, 4-8 hours/week)

Salary Range: $30,000-40,000

Appointment: Continuing appointment consistent with ARC-PA requirements

About Mount Saint Mary’s University and the Opportunity

Mount Saint Mary’s University, Los Angeles is a mission-driven institution with a longstanding commitment to academic excellence, service, leadership, and human dignity. Rooted in the Catholic tradition and the values of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, the University prepares students to use their knowledge and talents in service to others and to make a meaningful impact in their professions and communities.

The University is building upon its strong tradition of health professions education through the development of a new Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) program at its Doheny Campus in the heart of Los Angeles.

Why join the Mount?

As Medical Director, you will have the opportunity to:

• Help build a new PA program from the ground up as a member of the founding program team.
• Expand your impact in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area, one of the nation’s most diverse communities, by helping prepare PAs equipped to address disparities in healthcare access and outcomes.
• Shape the next generation of PAs by contributing your clinical expertise to the development of the curriculum, program competencies, and educational experiences.
• Mentor future healthcare professionals and contribute to a learning environment grounded in clinical excellence, professionalism, collaboration, and service.
• Support a mission centered on service and human dignity, with an emphasis on preparing compassionate, culturally responsive clinicians.
• Collaborate across the health professions with faculty and leaders in PA education, nursing, physical therapy, psychology, and other disciplines.
• Remain connected to clinical practice while making a meaningful contribution to medical education through a flexible, part-time academic leadership role.

Position Summary

The Medical Director of the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) Program at Mount Saint Mary’s University serves as a clinical and professional resource to the Program Director, faculty, staff, and students and supports the development, implementation, and ongoing evaluation of the program. The Medical Director advocates for the Physician Assistant Program and actively participates in ensuring that the program’s curriculum, competencies, and educational experiences reflect current standards of clinical practice and the contemporary role of the physician assistant.

The Medical Director reports to the MPAS Program Director for activities directly related to the Physician Assistant Program and collaborates with program faculty and University leadership in support of the program’s mission and accreditation requirements.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

The Medical Director will:

• Actively participate in the development, review, and ongoing evaluation of the MPAS curriculum and program competencies to ensure alignment with current clinical practice standards and the role of the physician assistant.
• Serve as a clinical resource and advisor to the Program Director and program faculty regarding contemporary medical practice, patient care, healthcare delivery, and clinical education.
• Review relevant components of the didactic and clinical curriculum and provide recommendations regarding clinical accuracy, currency, scope, and appropriateness for entry-level PA practice.
• Participate in scheduled program faculty, curriculum, assessment, or other program meetings as appropriate to assigned responsibilities.
• Support the Program Director and faculty in evaluating the clinical relevance and effectiveness of the curriculum.
• Provide consultation regarding the development and evaluation of supervised clinical practice experiences and clinical education, as appropriate.
• Contribute to the development and review of program policies and procedures related to clinical education and patient care, as appropriate.
• Participate in program assessment, continuous quality improvement, and accreditation activities relevant to the Medical Director role.
• Participate in ARC-PA accreditation preparation and site visits and meet with accreditation representatives as requested.
• Serve as an advocate for the MPAS Program within the University, healthcare community, and clinical education community.
• Promote collaborative relationships between the MPAS Program, healthcare professionals, clinical partners, and the broader medical community.
• Participate in teaching, student assessment, clinical skills instruction, simulation, case-based learning, or other educational activities based upon expertise and program needs.
• Model professional, ethical, collaborative, patient-centered, and culturally responsive clinical practice.
• Perform other program-related responsibilities appropriate to the Medical Director role as assigned by the Program Director.

Required Qualifications

The Medical Director must:

• Be a currently or previously licensed physician assistant, allopathic physician, or osteopathic physician.
• Be currently or previously board-certified in their profession or medical specialty, as applicable.
• Possess clinical experience and professional expertise appropriate to the educational needs of the MPAS Program.
• Demonstrate knowledge of contemporary clinical practice and the role of physician assistants within healthcare delivery.
• Demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively with faculty, administrators, clinicians, students, and external clinical partners.
• Demonstrate commitment to the mission and educational philosophy of Mount Saint Mary’s University and the MPAS Program.

Preferred Qualifications

• Current unrestricted professional licensure.
• Current board certification.
• Experience practicing collaboratively with physician assistants and/or other members of interprofessional healthcare teams.
• Experience in PA, medical, graduate health professions, or clinical education.
• Experience with curriculum development, competency-based education, student assessment, or clinical education.
• Familiarity with ARC-PA accreditation standards and processes.
• Experience serving diverse patient populations and communities.

Accreditation Responsibilities

The Medical Director is expected to maintain active participation in the MPAS Program consistent with applicable ARC-PA Standards. Participation includes supporting the development and routine review of the program curriculum and competencies and helping ensure that didactic and clinical education reflect current practice standards as they relate to the role of the physician assistant.

The Medical Director will maintain sufficient involvement in program activities to demonstrate meaningful participation in fulfillment of the responsibilities of the position and will participate in accreditation-related activities and program review as required.