Academic Coordinator, Clinical Education PTA

Job SummaryThe Academic Coordinator, Clinical Education PTA is responsible for the development and implementation of the clinical education requirements of the Physical Therapist Assistant program and works closely with the Program Director to ensure achievement of the overall program objectives, goals and outcomes; maintains clinical sites, contractual agreements and assists with securing new clinical affiliations. Provides professional leadership in managing, planning, and implementing the program in support of college and/or departmental goals in order to assure compliance with programmatic accreditation and/or licensure, internal consistency, and graduate outcomes to meet placement expectations. Participates in curriculum development and coordination, facilitates teaching assignments using a blended instructional approach combining face-to-face instruction with on-line instruction (as applicable). Provides professional leadership and support for teaching faculty and enables an environment which fosters creativity, responsiveness, and self-responsibility. Manages faculty and students assigned to clinical sites, makes phone or on-site visits, mediates conflicts, establishes specific learning objectives, records attendance, and supervises clinical affiliations to ensure that the experience is adequate and achieves a satisfactory level of performance. Additional responsibilities include delivering class and/or clinical instructions according to an approved course syllabus using accepted and effective teaching methods; develops daily lesson plans; advises and tutors students; maintains current and accurate attendance and grade records; remains current in applicable program teaching field; participates in faculty meetings, instructional seminars and two (2) annual in-service training sessions. Participates in college activities such as faculty meetings, student functions, graduation exercises, open houses, new student orientations, and advisory board meetings.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

• Monitors and analyzes student attrition and retention data and works with other college leaders to develop initiatives that can be implemented to improve retention.
• Develops and plans course content and methods of instruction.
• Observes and evaluates students' work to determine progress, provides feedback, and makes suggestions for improvement.
• Encourages the development of communication skills and higher order thinking skills through appropriate assignments.
• Presents lectures and conducts discussions to increase students' knowledge and competence, using visual aids such as graphs, charts, videotapes, and slides.
• Administers standardized oral, written, or performance tests in order to measure progress, and to evaluate learning effectiveness based on course objectives.
• Provides individualized tutorial and/or remedial instruction.
• Assures students are provided support services to maintain the highest level of student achievement while safeguarding the integrity of the educational process.
• Delivers curriculum in accordance with approved syllabi according to program objectives and required contact hours for courses taught.
• Employs appropriate instructional methods and learning strategies to communicate subject matter to students and modifies where appropriate to meet diverse students' needs.
• Observes and evaluates students' work to determine progress, provides feedback, and makes suggestions for improvement.
• Maintains contracts between American Career College and quality clinical sites, including obtaining renewal signatures, explaining unique requirements of a clinical site, and terminating contracts with clinic sites unable to provide appropriate clinical education.
• Places, monitors and supervises all student clinical assignments, ensuring that all program clinical educational objectives are met.
• Identifies clinical sites which support the student clinical requirements.
• Assists with identifying and developing new professional relationships for additional/new clinical sites.

Required Education, Certifications, and Licensures

• High school graduate or equivalent required.
• Must be a graduate from a program accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education or the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in the specialty field or the subject area in which they teach.
• Minimum of a bachelor's degree with the appropriate coursework in the subject area required.
• Current Physical Therapist (PT) or Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) license to practice in California.
• Current CPR Card.

Required Experience and Skills

• Minimum of three (3) years (or equivalent) of full-time post-licensure clinical practice. Minimum of two (2) years of experience must include experience as a CCCE or CI in physical therapy, or a minimum of two (2) years of experience in teaching, curriculum development and administration in a PT or PTA program.
• Must possess contemporary expertise (expertise beyond that obtained in an entry-level physical therapy program that represents knowledge and skills reflective of current practice) in assigned teaching areas and demonstrate effectiveness in teaching and student evaluation.
• Minimum of two (2) years of experience working with or in clinical sites, placing students, and coordinating related documents preferred.
• Experience in various areas of teaching, curriculum development, and administration in physical therapist or physical therapist assistant program preferred.
• Knowledgeable of Southern California medical community and established relationships with its professional members preferred.
• Knowledgeable of education standards such as Title IV, CAPTE, ABHES, APTA, BPPE, and other accreditation standards preferred.