The Principal Faculty member reports directly to the Program Director and plays a key role in the collaborative planning, development, implementation, evaluation, and accreditation of the Physician Assistant (PA) Program. The individual must be team-oriented and possess excellent communication, teaching, and problem-solving skills.
Duties/Responsibilities as Principal Faculty:
A. Curriculum Development & Instruction
- Design, implement, and instruct didactic coursework, including serving as Course Director for assigned courses.
- Facilitate laboratory and small group sessions.
- Participate in continuous curriculum review and evaluation.
- Contribute to remediation and reassessment efforts.
- Provide academic instruction and support as assigned.
B. Program Evaluation & Accreditation
- Actively participate in ARC-PA accreditation processes, including program self-assessment, documentation, and reporting as directed by the program director.
- Assist with data collection and perform statistical analysis to support accreditation and continuous quality improvement, as directed by the program director.
- Serve on the Self-Assessment Committee and lead self-assessment initiatives, as directed by the program director.
- Engage in ongoing evaluation of program mission, vision, program goals, program competencies, and effectiveness.
C. Student Support & Advising
- Advise students on academic progress and professional development.
- Participate in the Student Progress Committee and Principal Faculty Committee.
D. Admissions & Recruitment
- Participate in the recruitment, interviewing, and selection process for incoming students.
E. Additional Roles
- Maintain all necessary licenses and certifications for practice and teaching eligibility.
- Participate in clinical practice and/or scholarly activity as appropriate and encouraged.
Minimum Qualifications:
Physician Assistant applicants
- Minimum of 3 years of recent clinical experience as a PA.
- Minimum of a Master’s degree in PA.
- Must have current NCCPA certification.
- Must be eligible for Missouri state license.
Other Health Care Professional applicants (MD, DO, NP, PharmD)
- Minimum of 3 years of recent clinical experience.
- A graduate of an accredited university from an institution within the United States.
- Current board certification, or Emeritus status.
- Eligible for Missouri state license
Consideration will be given to individuals who do not hold a health care professional degree but possess a terminal degree (e.g., PhD) in one of the human-focused basic life sciences and teaching experience at an accredited institution for higher learning.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Prior experience in teaching or demonstrated potential for excellence in instruction and presentation.
- Proficiency with educational technologies and electronic learning platforms.
- Strong organizational, planning, and multitasking skills.
- Ability to work independently and collaboratively as part of a team.
- High level of initiative, professionalism, and a strong work ethic.
- Strong interpersonal communication abilities.
ADDRESS APPLICATION TO:
Ashley VanZant
Physician Assistant Program Director
Drury University
729 Drury Lane
Springfield, MO 65802
Email: avanzant@drury.edu