Search Prospectus: Founding Director for Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program Position Summary
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Named One of the Best National Liberal Arts Colleges in U.S. News’ “America’s Best Colleges 2021” Search Prospectus: Founding Director for Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program Position Summary Austin College (Sherman, TX) invites applications for its founding Director for the developing Master of Physician Assistant Studies Program. The Director will lead the development of the program from its inception by building upon the existing strengths, values and liberal arts mission of the College, to provide rigorous didactic and clinical education, and prepare students to successfully pass the licensing examination. The Program Director is a full-time 12-month administrative position with possibility of limited faculty duties. The Program Director will report directly to the Vice President for Academic Affairs. Key Responsibilities Desired Attributes • Build a new program: Plan, organize, and implement • A visionary who likes new challenges: The a high-quality MPAS program that is consistent with the College is seeking a creative and innovative leader strengths and mission of Austin College and is in possessing the personal and professional skills to accordance with the standards and requirements of the develop a new program that is consistent with Austin Accreditation Review Commission on Education for College’s liberal arts mission and builds on its values the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA). and strengths. • Oversee program faculty and staff: Lead the hiring, • Collaborative leadership style: The MPAS Program supervision, and evaluation of the medical director, Director should be an excellent communicator and faculty, and administrative staff for the program. collaborative leader who is effective at reaching across • Recruit clinical preceptors: Participate in the programmatic and institutional boundaries to build recruitment of clinical preceptors and Build rapport with partnerships both within and outside the institution. local physicians, PAs, and other health care providers. • Commitment to diversity and inclusion: Each • Recruit students: CollaBorate with Institutional member of the Austin College community is Enrollment to recruit a high quality and diverse pool of responsiBle for creating and maintaining a culture of applicants. In addition, the College envisions that a suBset inclusion that engages students and valorizes each of each cohort of students in the MPAS program will be other’s contribution to our shared educational mission. from Austin College. The Director will collaBorate with The successful candidate will be committed to with the College’s Pre-Health Program to develop a promoting an inclusive institution for students, faculty, preferential admission option for students earning an and staff. undergraduate degree at Austin College. • Administer program: Provide ongoing administration of the Program’s operation, including fiscal management; didactic and clinical curriculum oversight; and continuous review, analysis, and improvement of the Program. Minimum Qualifications • Master’s degree from an accredited physician assistant program • At least three years of experience in higher education • Currently certified By NCCPA • Licensed in Texas as a physician assistant or eligiBle to seek and gain licensure • Experience teaching in a physician assistant program and in curriculum development • Familiarity with ARC-PA accreditation process Preferred Qualifications • Prior experience guiding a program through the ARC- PA accreditation process and management experience highly desirable AUSTIN COLLEGE • 2 • Director for Developing Master in Physician Assistant Studies Program About the Region Regional Health Needs and Opportunities Austin College is in Sherman, Texas, a 45-minute drive The Texoma region, with a population of about 347,000, north of the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. A city of encompasses the counties of North Texas and Southern 45,000 people, Sherman has the benefits of a small Oklahoma that surround Lake Texoma. Most counties in college town with proximity to the nation’s fourth largest this region have moderate HPSA (Health Professional metropolitan area. Faculty and staff praise the community Shortage Area) scores for primary care indicating a need of Sherman for its high quality of life, low cost of living, for additional primary care medical professionals in the and welcoming family feel. region. Additionally, Baylor Scott & White Health conducted a community health needs assessment in 2019 The Sherman community for the Sherman community, which is served by the Baylor includes an accomplished Scott & White Surgical Hospital. The assessment showed symphony orchestra as that the highest priority need was to reduce the population- well as a community to-primary-care ratio in the region which is currently theatre, parks, museums, 19.3% higher than the overall ratio for Texas. The and a nearby national development of a new MPAS program at Austin College wildlife refuge and has the potential to help meet this need for additional reservoir that attracts primary care providers in the region. millions of visitors each year. Sherman’s school Sherman and neighboring Denison, Texas serve as a health district is celebrated for care hub for the Texoma region, with two comprehensive academic excellence. The new Sherman High School hospitals, several specialty hospitals, and a vibrant campus, funded through a $176 million school bond community of medical practitioners. Austin College has passed in 2017, opened to students in January 2021. long-standing relationships with the two comprehensive Several global corporations have Sherman facilities, hospitals, both of which serve patients in the Texoma including Texas Instruments, Fisher Controls, Tyson region. Wilson N. Jones Regional Medical Center (WNJ) Foods, Sunny D, Kaiser Aluminum, and Emerson Process is a facility with 214 licensed beds and Texoma Medical Management. In 2017, Apple committed $390 million to Center (TMC) is a 414-bed acute care hospital with transform a 700,000-square-foot wafer fabrication plant ancillary hospitals and clinics in three adjoining in Sherman into the high-tech VCSEL capital of the U.S. counties. Texoma Medical Center (TMC) also offers a Operated by II-VI Corporation, the plant employs more three year family medicine residency program. than 385 high-skill workers. The local medical community has historically supported The nearby DFW Metroplex ranks high nationally in the College by providing medical internship opportunities population and economic growth and provides students, for undergraduates and has expressed strong support for faculty, and staff with easy access to the educational, the proposed Physician Assistant program at Austin cultural, employment, and entertainment opportunities. A College. From the rural Native American communities of diverse group of name-brand companies call the region Southern Oklahoma to the burgeoning Dallas suburbs to home, reflecting the area’s strong fundamentals when it the College’s south, there is a recognized need for more comes to workforce, access, and cost of doing business. primary care providers. Early feasibility studies indicate DFW also is home to a thriving convention and tourism limited competition in the area for a PA program, and industry; professional footBall, baseball, hockey, and suggest an interest among the medical community in basketball teams; fine restaurants; and numerous serving as preceptors for PA students. museums and performing arts organizations. Texas residents do not pay a state income tax. AUSTIN COLLEGE • 5 • Director for Developing Master in Physician Assistant Studies Program About Austin College A private, residential liberal arts college, Austin College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under its original charter. The college serves 1,300 students on a beautiful 100-acre campus in Sherman, Texas. Since its founding in 1849 by Presbyterian Daniel Baker, Austin College has maintained an unwavering commitment to the transformative power of liberal arts education. Austin College is committed to excellence in education in the liberal arts and sciences. Faculty and staff The strength of the liberal arts and sciences curriculum describe the College’s students as intellectually curious, is expressed through careful selection of courses that adventurous, open-minded, and engaged in their provide breadth of understanding across the disciplines communities. Our rigorous academic programs as well as recognition of the interconnectedness of combine a traditional liberal arts education with courses and disciplines. At Austin College, that is intentional exploration of related perspectives beyond articulated through the Compass Curriculum – the classroom. Navigating Your Future, which breaks down, in the simplest forms, to these elements: The College offers undergraduate programs in more Experience—gaining the benefits of applied learning; than 55 areas of study and a graduate program in Engage—preparing for life in a global community with education that can culminate in a Master of Arts in courses in global diversity, language, and more; Teaching degree in one additional semester after Discover—absorBing a breadth of knowledge from the completion of the B.A. degree. Humanities, Sciences, and Social Sciences; Develop—progressing in written communication skills The campus encompassesa student body, faculty, and (through an enhanced writing curriculum) and literacy staff who vary with respect to race/ethnicity, sexual competency,