Clinical Assistant/Associate Professor and Director of Learner Success and Wellness, Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Medicine

Job Title
Clinical Assistant/Associate Professor and Director of Learner Success and Wellness, Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Medicine

Agency
Tarleton State University

Department
Physician Assistant Program

Proposed Minimum Salary
Commensurate

Job Location
Stephenville, Texas

Job Type
Faculty

Job Description

The Clinical Assistant/Associate Professor and Director of Learner Success and Wellness is a full-time, 12-month, clinical track faculty position within the MMSc-PAM Program at Tarleton's main campus in Stephenville, Texas. This role provides dedicated leadership in learner academic support, individualized remediation, professionalism coaching, and holistic wellness programming, all areas central to programmatic excellence and ARC-PA accreditation compliance.

The Director is the program's primary resource for identifying students at academic or professional risk, designing evidence-based remediation frameworks, and sustaining a culture of self-care and wellbeing among PA learners. The role operates in close collaboration with the Program Director, Director of Didactic Education, Director of Clinical Education, and the full faculty team.

Work hours: Mon-Fri; 8 AM-5 PM or as work and teaching requirements indicate. May be assigned to teach at various campus locations or through approved instructional modalities, as determined by the institution based on operational needs. Serves as a Campus Security Authority (CSA).

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

80% Student Success, Remediation & Wellness Programming

Academic Remediation Planning and Implementation

• Serve as the program's central point of contact for all academic performance concerns, including students identified as at-risk through examination results, faculty referrals, course failure, or self-referral.
• Conduct structured, individualized academic counseling sessions using evidence-based advising frameworks aligned with PA educational best practices.
• Develop, implement, and monitor comprehensive Individualized Remediation Plans (IRPs) for students who fail to meet minimum competency benchmarks in didactic coursework, OSCEs, clinical skills laboratory performance, or end-of-rotation assessments.
• Establish clear, measurable remediation milestones and timelines; conduct scheduled check-in meetings to evaluate progress and adjust plans as clinically and educationally warranted.
• Provide targeted coaching for students required to remediate summative assessments, including PACKRAT, end-of-rotation examinations, OSCEs, and standardized patient encounters.
• Ensure all remediation activities, outcomes, student communications, and committee deliberations are thoroughly documented in compliance with FERPA, program policy, and ARC-PA documentation standards.

Professionalism and Behavioral Remediation

• Partner with the Program Director and faculty to address professionalism deficiencies including attendance violations, communication concerns, ethical conduct issues, and clinical demeanor concerns.
• Develop and monitor individualized Professional Improvement Plans (PIPs) with clearly defined behavioral expectations, timelines, support resources, and consequences, consistent with the student handbook and program due process procedures.
• Maintain thorough, objective documentation of all professionalism concerns, corrective actions, and outcomes for use in Student Progress Committee (SPC) deliberations and formal academic action proceedings.
• Serve as a standing or ad hoc member of the Student Progress Committee, contributing complete case documentation, professional judgment, and remediation progress reports.

Early Identification and Proactive Intervention

• Design and maintain a systematic, data-informed early identification system to flag at-risk students prior to academic failure, utilizing assessment trend data, faculty early alerts, attendance records, and voluntary student self-referral.
• Establish proactive, scheduled touchpoints with all enrolled students - not only those in active remediation - to normalize help-seeking and surface emerging concerns before they escalate.
• Collaborate with faculty to integrate universal academic success strategies across the curriculum, including board examination preparation guidance, active study methodology, and time management support.

Student Wellness Programming

• Develop, implement, and evaluate an annual, program-wide Wellness Calendar addressing physical health, mental health, stress resilience, burnout prevention, and peer community-building, grounded in evidence-based wellness frameworks for health professions learners.
• Plan and facilitate recurring wellness events, workshops, and initiatives (e.g., mindfulness sessions, wellness challenges, resiliency seminars, guest speakers on clinician wellbeing) tailored to the specific demands of PA education.
• Partner with the PASA (Physician Assistant Student Association) executive board to amplify student-led wellness efforts and strengthen cohort community.
• Integrate wellness literacy into the didactic curriculum where appropriate, including content on professional identity formation, compassion fatigue, self-care as a clinical competency, and managing the emotional demands of patient care.
• Track participation and outcomes, gather student feedback, and report wellness programming results to the Program Director in support of programmatic assessment and continuous quality improvement.

Campus Resource Coordination and Referral

• Cultivate active working relationships with Tarleton State University student support services including University Counseling Services, Accessibility Services (ADA/504 accommodations), the Academic Success Center, and the Dean of Students Office.
• Coordinate timely, warm referrals for students requiring mental health services, disability accommodations, financial assistance, or other wraparound support, and follow through to confirm students are connected to resources.
• Serve as the program's primary liaison to institutional support units, ensuring student needs are addressed within both program and university frameworks.

20% Didactic Teaching

• Teach assigned didactic content in areas aligned with clinical expertise and program curricular need, as determined in consultation with the Program Director and Director of Didactic Education.
• Contribute to the design, delivery, and assessment of professional development content within the curriculum, including topics such as reflective practice, self-directed learning, interprofessional collaboration, and wellness as a professional competency.
• Participate in course-level and program-level assessment activities including examination item writing, OSCE case development, and assessment platform administration as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

• Must have earned at least a Master's degree from an ARC-PA-accredited Physician Assistant program AND hold a current NCCPA certification
• Must have an unrestricted Texas state license (or be license eligible) as a Physician Assistant.
• Minimum of 3 years of clinical practice
• Previous clinical precepting or teaching experience for an ARC-PA-accredited Physician Assistant or program is preferred. However, qualified applicants new to academia are encouraged to apply and will have the opportunity to work in a highly collaborative environment with active, supportive mentoring and faculty development training.
• Alternative education and experience
  
  • PhD or EdD in Education or related field

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

Knowledge and understanding of disciplinary subject matter at a level adequate for graduate-level instruction; written and oral communication skills sufficient to conduct effective teaching and research activities; ability to interact with students, staff, and faculty in a professional, collegial, and collaborative manner.

Rank

Rank will be determined by reviewing the faculty member's record of years of experience and professional achievements in teaching and service consistent with the Texas A&M system guidance.

***Compensation will be competitive and commensurate with experience***

Application Procedure:

During the application process applicants have one opportunity to enter the requested information, upload documents, and Submit the application. Applicants will not be able to make changes or add additional documents once the application materials have been submitted via the "Submit" action.

Employment applications must include (required):

• Completed online application
• Cover Letter / Letter of Interest addressing qualifications
• Curriculum Vitae or Resume
• At least 3 current professional references and their full contact information
• Unofficial transcripts
  
  • Applicants with degrees earned outside the United States must submit transcripts translated into English, along with an official credential evaluation from a recognized service.
• Philosophy Statement related to Teaching

Applications received by Tarleton State University must have all job application data entered. Failure to provide all job application data could result in an invalid submission and a rejected application. "See resume" is not an acceptable entry in the job application. Incomplete applications will not be considered.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Anticipated start date Fall 2026.

Official transcripts must be received directly from each degree-granting institution prior to a letter of appointment being issued.

All positions are security-sensitive. Applicants are subject to a criminal history investigation, and employment is contingent upon the institution's verification of credentials and/or other information required by the institution's procedures, including the completion of the criminal history check.