Assistant Director of Clinical Education and Asst/Assoc Clinical Professor or Clinical Professor

About Drexel University

Located in the heart of Philadelphia, Drexel University is a world‐class, comprehensive, R1 research institution and a global leader in experiential education. For more than 100 years, our renowned Cooperative Education (co-op) program has enabled students to gain professional work experience before they graduate, setting them apart from their peers.

Committed to becoming the nation’s most civically engaged university, Drexel supports engagement along three dimensions: research and academic programs that directly benefit communities, business practices that support equitable local and regional economic development, and public service by students, faculty, and staff. Our engagement is long‐term, multigenerational, and fundamental to the University’s mission, heritage, and future.

At Drexel, we are devoted to fostering an inclusive and welcoming environment that promotes healthy lifestyles and is based on integrity, trust, and respect. We center equity, inclusion and belonging, and incorporate an anti‐racism approach to our strategic plan, organizational systems, policies and structures.

Drexel offers its highly engaged faculty and professional staff a comprehensive and world‐class benefits package that includes generous vacation and paid time off as applicable (including civic engagement days), up to an 11% 403(b) Retirement Plan match with immediate vesting, and remote and flexible work options for many roles. Our exceptional medical plans include domestic partner and fertility assistance and our award‐winning A Healthier U wellness program. In addition, faculty and professional staff at Drexel enjoy free tuition for themselves and their dependents for Drexel degree programs, certification, and non‐certification programs. And as part of the tuition offering to employees, Drexel participates in a tuition exchange program for dependents with other higher education institutions. These are just a sample of our extensive benefit offerings. Please see this Benefits Brochure for more information.

Job Summary 

The Assistant Director of Clinical Education (ADCE) of Drexel’s professional Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) Program is a 12-month, non-tenure track faculty position at the rank of clinical assistant professor or above, who is responsible for assisting with the administration and implementation of the clinical education component of the DPT program. This role includes assisting with effectively developing, conducting, coordinating, and evaluating the clinical education program. Remaining effort will be focused on teaching, scholarship, and service in alignment with Drexel’s Non-tenure Track Faculty Policy. As a member of the core DPT faculty, this individual will teach into the DPT program, participate in admissions interviews, advise students and contribute to their success, maintain a scholarly agenda that meets accreditation guidelines, participate in curriculum review, and provide service to the department, college, and-or University on committees and in other ways. The individual must maintain physical therapy licensure in the State of Pennsylvania and APTA membership.

Essential Functions 

Assists in development of student clinicians

• Ensures that students are assigned to a variety of clinical education experiences
• Supports and consults with students regarding decision making of their clinical education experiences
• Helps prepare students for the transition from classroom to clinic
• Facilitates problem resolution and monitors action plans designed to improve student performance
• Facilitates reflective discussions with students prior to and following each clinical education experience

Assists in development of clinical education faculty

• Assesses clinical faculty using a variety of sources of feedback
• Provides constructive feedback to clinical education faculty for continuous performance improvement
• Provides ongoing communication with clinical educators at each clinical education site to include:
• Philosophy of academic program
• Academic program curriculum and specific learning objectives for each clinical education experience
• Coordination of student assignments
• Administers courtesy clinical faculty appointments to exemplary clinical instructors and/or clinical mentors
• Facilitates clinical education faculty professional development for enhanced clinical instruction (e.g. through involvement of professional development activities sponsored by the Philadelphia Area Clinical Education Consortium, including APTA CI Credentialing course)
• Development, management and administration of online CPI training courses

Assists in development and assessment of clinical education

• Analyzes feedback from clinical sites and students to assess the strengths and needs of the clinical education program
• Integrates outcomes from the assessment to make recommendations regarding the curriculum to academic faculty
• Informs clinical faculty when there are Program, College, and/or University changes that affect them
• Synthesizes and documents clinical education data required by the Commission on the Accreditation of Physical Therapist Education

Assists in management and coordination

• Assists the Director of Clinical Education in establishing, developing, and maintaining the number and variety of clinical sites that are of a sufficient quantity, quality, and diversity of learning experiences
• Establishes a comprehensive, ongoing systematic data collection process and database for preparing clinical education reports and site information
• Ensures that current legal and liability requirements are met
• Reviews all contracts with clinical sites and facilitates negotiations between the university and the sites
• Administers policies and procedures for immunization and preventive health care practices (eg. Child abuse clearance, background checks, drug screening, OSHA and HIPAA training)
• Ensures liability protection of students inclusive of professional, governmental, institutional, and current risk management principles
• Implements fair and impartial procedures for student selection and placement in clinical sites
• Follows institutional policies and procedures to verify students’ eligibility for clinical education coursework
• Coordinates contacts (via telephone, virtual conference or site visit) of clinical sites during student clinical education experiences to assess student performance, clinical faculty needs, and clinical site
• Follows Program guidelines for assessing and assigning grades for students’ clinical education coursework

Leadership and collaboration

• Networks with clinical education consortia and clinical educators locally, regionally, and nationally to advance clinical education
• Supports College wide clinical education initiatives
• Promotes academic faculty investment about their roles/responsibility in clinical education
• Enhances clinical education through innovative use of technology

Communication

• Disseminates the Program’s policy and procedure manual for clinical education to students, clinical instructors, and Site Coordinator of Clinical Education (SCCE)
• Provides sufficient communication to address student, clinical, and academic program needs

Professional Behaviors

• Models professional behaviors consistent with APTA’s Core Values (accountability, altruism, compassion/caring, excellence, integrity, professional duty, and social responsibility)
• Demonstrates organizational skills in coordinating the clinical education program
• Responds to unexpected situations and demands using productive problem-solving skills

Maintains membership in the APTA and the APTA Academy of Education.

Clinical practice opportunities exist with Drexel University Physical Therapy Services.

Teaches within the DPT program in areas of content expertise or other needed content areas with commitment to excellence in teaching and education.

Service to the department, college and/or university is expected and defined in collaboration with department leaders.

Required Qualifications 

• Minimum of PhD or Doctorate in Physical Therapy, Rehab Sciences, or other qualifying doctoral degree.
• Minimum of 5 plus years of experience.
• Commitment to excellence in physical therapy teaching and education
• An evidence-informed focus and growth mindset
• Strong communication skills
• Evidence of productivity working with teams of people
• Commitment to the mission, vision, values, and direction of the PTRS department, College of Nursing & Health Professions, Drexel University.
• Physical therapy licensure or eligibility in the State of Pennsylvania.
• APTA membership or willingness to become a member on hire.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Teaching experience in physical therapy including clinical education.
• Post-professional degree or interest in obtaining one (i.e., PhD, EdD, DHSc, DSc, ScD) and-or board certification in a physical therapy specialty.
• Content expertise in acute care, cardiopulmonary, neurorehabilitation, geriatrics, neuromusculoskeletal rehabilitation, population health, or health policy. Applications are welcome from strong candidates from all physical therapy specialty areas.
• Engaged or interested in becoming actively engaged in the APTA and its academies.

Physical Requirements 

• Typically sitting at a desk/table

Location 

• University City – Philadelphia, PA

Additional Information 

This is a full-time Faculty position classified as Exempt. The salary offered is based on the successful candidate’s qualifications and experience, department budget, and an internal equity review. 

For information about benefits, please review Drexel’s Full-Time Faculty Benefit Fact Sheet or Part-Time Faculty Benefit Fact Sheet. 

Special Instructions to the Applicant 

Please make sure you upload your CV/resume and cover letter when submitting your application. 

A review of applicants will begin once a suitable candidate pool is identified. 

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