Francis Marion University (FMU) and the School of Health Sciences invite applications for a Director of Physician Assistant Studies. The Director will advise and assist FMU as the University pursues the reestablishment of a Physician Assistant Studies program.[1]
The successful applicant will work closely with the Provost’s office, Graduate Council, and other administrative offices during the development and implementation of the program. The Director will assume leadership for the routine operations of the Program including, but not limited to, curriculum oversight, scheduling faculty workload, faculty evaluation, and student recruitment and support. The position will become a tenure-track position if the reestablished program receives ARC-PA accreditation.
Functions and responsibilities of the position are:
- Ensure compliance with the standards of the Accreditation Review Commission for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA).
- · Develop a Programmatic Mission which is consistent with the University Mission.
- · Oversee departmental strategic planning and assessment as related to fiscal and curricular management.
- · Coordinate the hiring of the Coordinator of Clinical Education and Program faculty and staff.
- · Provide leadership for Program faculty and staff.
- · Provide didactic and clinical instruction.
- · Coordinate with the Clinical Coordinator to identify and develop clinical affiliation agreements.
- · Oversee continuous program evaluation which includes assessments of student achievement in the didactic and clinical learning environments.
- · Guide didactic and clinical curricular revision, and any other program revisions, when effectiveness assessments indicate that revisions are necessary.
- · Engage in scholarly activity which identifies and addresses medical needs of the regional community.
Florence is home to two large regional medical centers; one of which is owned by the Medical University of SC. The contemporary Luther F. Carter Center for Health Sciences building in downtown Florence houses the FMU graduate nursing programs: Doctor of Nursing Practice; Master of Science in Nursing Family Nurse Practitioner, Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioner, and Nurse Educator. The Masters in Speech Language Pathology program and clinic are in the Hugh and Jean Leatherman Medical Education Complex across the street. The entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy program beginning in Fall 2024, will also be housed in these locations. The rapidly expanding School of Health Sciences has a strong foundation upon which to build.
FMU has been named a “Great College to Work For” since 2013 as determined by the Chronicle of Higher Education-sponsored survey of higher education institutions. In addition, it has been recognized for its excellence in education by several national ranking agencies, among them the US News and World Report survey, which has named FMU as one of its top regional universities in the south for more than a decade.
FMU is a state-supported, regional university located in Florence, South Carolina. Candidates will find Florence, South Carolina to be an excellent place to live. Florence enjoys award winning schools, affordable cost of living, excellent healthcare, and robust recreational programs including sports, community events and festivals. Florence is a growing city with a vibrant arts culture. Within a few-hour drive are several metropolitan areas, including Columbia, South Carolina; Charleston, South Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia, and less than an hour drive to the beach. Florence’s thriving downtown was recently awarded the prestigious Great American Main Street Award, which recognizes communities for their excellence in comprehensive preservation-based commercial district revitalization.
Salary and rank will be commensurate with the senior-level experience that the successful candidate is expected to have. The state of SC retirement, insurance, and investment benefits are highly competitive.
Start Date: May 1, 2024
Materials Needed:
1. Letter of interest (referencing position 23-13).
2. Curriculum vitae.
3. Copies of all transcripts (official transcripts will be required of the successful candidate).
4. Names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references; and
5. FMU Faculty Application.
To obtain the FMU faculty application please click here.
Send complete application packet to: Dr. Charlene Wages, Vice President for Administration and Planning, Francis Marion University, P.O. Box 100547, Florence, SC 29502-0547, or email to: HRAssist@Fmarion.edu, or fax 843-661-1202.
As Francis Marion University has continued to be recognized for its diverse student body, it especially welcomes applicants who can affirm and enhance its mission.
Applicants honorably discharged from a branch of the United States Armed Forces, who meet the minimum training and experience requirements, are given employment preference by all State agencies and higher education institutions in South Carolina.
An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution
[1] After the graduation of the second cohort of students in December 2020, FMU voluntarily withdrew from the ARC-PA accreditation process and ceased operation of the Program.
Education and Experience Requirements:
· Doctorate or master’s degree in physician assistant studies
· Current certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants with SC licensure eligibility
· Minimum of three years full-time higher education experience at the time of appointment
· Active role in the preparation for ARC-PA accreditation and reaffirmation reviews
· Clinical PA experience
· Academic administration experience is preferred.
Dr. Charlene Wages, Vice President for Administration and Planning, Francis Marion University, P.O. Box 100547, Florence, SC 29502-0547, or email; HRAssist@Fmarion.edu, or fax 843-661-1202.
