Director of Clinical Education - Physical Therapist Assistant Program

Director of Clinical Education – Physical Therapist Assistant Program

Position Summary

The Director of Clinical Education (DCE) for the Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) Program is responsible for the development, coordination, administration, assessment, and continuous improvement of the clinical education component of the PTA curriculum.

The DCE serves as the primary liaison between Stanbridge University, students, clinical instructors, Site Coordinators of Clinical Education (SCCEs), and affiliated clinical education sites. This position ensures students receive high-quality, appropriately sequenced clinical learning experiences that support achievement of program outcomes, professional competencies, and readiness for contemporary physical therapist assistant practice.

The DCE is responsible for developing and maintaining clinical affiliation partnerships, coordinating student clinical placements, monitoring student performance and clinical progression, supporting clinical faculty, ensuring compliance with clinical education requirements, and maintaining documentation necessary for institutional, regulatory, and accreditation purposes.

The DCE collaborates closely with the PTA Program Director, faculty, academic leadership, clinical partners, and University departments to ensure the clinical education program remains aligned with the standards and expectations of the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE), applicable state requirements, institutional policies, and contemporary physical therapy practice.

Essential Functions

Clinical Education Leadership and Administration

• Provide leadership, oversight, coordination, and continuous improvement of all clinical education activities within the Physical Therapist Assistant Program.
• Develop, implement, evaluate, and revise the clinical education component of the curriculum in collaboration with the Program Director and faculty.
• Ensure clinical education experiences are appropriately sequenced and integrated with didactic and laboratory instruction.
• Coordinate clinical education schedules, student assignments, placement timelines, and clinical site requirements.
• Maintain accurate and current clinical education records, affiliation documentation, student placement records, evaluations, compliance documentation, and related program materials.
• Monitor clinical education outcomes and recommend improvements based on student performance, stakeholder feedback, accreditation expectations, and program data.
• Participate in program assessment, strategic planning, institutional effectiveness, accreditation preparation, and continuous quality improvement activities.
• Ensure clinical education policies, procedures, and practices remain consistent with institutional requirements and applicable accreditation standards.

Clinical Site Development and Partnership Management

• Identify, develop, evaluate, and maintain clinical affiliation relationships sufficient to support the needs of the PTA Program and enrolled students.
• Expand clinical placement capacity through proactive relationship development with healthcare organizations, rehabilitation providers, outpatient practices, hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, and other appropriate clinical settings.
• Serve as the primary relationship manager for assigned clinical education partners.
• Maintain regular communication with SCCEs, Clinical Instructors, clinical leadership, and organizational representatives.
• Evaluate the appropriateness and educational quality of clinical education sites.
• Conduct clinical site visits and other engagement activities as necessary to maintain effective partnerships and evaluate student learning environments.
• Collaborate with University departments regarding affiliation agreements, compliance requirements, insurance documentation, and other clinical partnership matters.
• Identify emerging clinical placement needs and develop strategies to maintain sufficient and diverse placement capacity.

Student Clinical Placement and Support

• Coordinate and oversee student clinical education placements in accordance with curriculum requirements, student readiness, site availability, and program objectives.
• Evaluate student preparedness for participation in clinical education experiences.
• Match students with appropriate clinical sites and learning environments based on educational objectives, student needs, site characteristics, and available clinical instructors.
• Orient students to clinical education expectations, policies, professional behavior standards, documentation requirements, and evaluation processes.
• Monitor student performance and progression throughout clinical education experiences.
• Maintain regular communication with students and clinical instructors during clinical rotations.
• Identify students experiencing clinical performance, professionalism, communication, or competency concerns and coordinate appropriate interventions.
• Provide counseling, coaching, remediation, or other support in collaboration with the Program Director and faculty when necessary.
• Participate in decisions regarding student clinical progression and successful completion of clinical education requirements.
• Ensure student clinical experiences support development of professional behaviors, clinical reasoning, technical competence, patient-centered care, and readiness for entry-level PTA practice.

Clinical Instructor and SCCE Development

• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with Clinical Instructors and Site Coordinators of Clinical Education.
• Provide orientation and ongoing support to clinical faculty regarding program expectations, student learning objectives, evaluation processes, and institutional requirements.
• Promote effective clinical teaching, mentoring, supervision, assessment, and feedback practices.
• Serve as a resource to clinical instructors regarding student performance, clinical education expectations, and problem resolution.
• Encourage participation in professional development opportunities for clinical instructors and clinical education partners.
• Recognize and support clinical partners who contribute to the educational mission of the University.

Accreditation and Regulatory Compliance

• Maintain current knowledge of CAPTE accreditation standards and required elements applicable to clinical education within Physical Therapist Assistant programs.
• Ensure clinical education policies, procedures, documentation, learning experiences, and assessment practices support continued compliance with applicable CAPTE requirements.
• Assist the Program Director with preparation of accreditation reports, self-studies, substantive change documentation, site visits, and related accreditation activities.
• Maintain documentation demonstrating the quality, sufficiency, diversity, and effectiveness of clinical education experiences.
• Ensure clinical education operations comply with applicable institutional policies, regulatory requirements, affiliation agreements, and professional standards.
• Participate in institutional and programmatic accreditation activities as assigned.

Teaching and Academic Participation

• Participate as a member of the PTA faculty and contribute to the academic mission of the program.
• Teach courses, laboratories, seminars, clinical preparation activities, or other instructional assignments as appropriate based on program needs and individual qualifications.
• Participate in curriculum review, faculty meetings, committees, student advising, assessment activities, and faculty development.
• Maintain contemporary knowledge of physical therapy practice, clinical education, healthcare delivery, and the role and scope of practice of the Physical Therapist Assistant.
• Promote evidence-based practice, ethical conduct, professionalism, patient-centered care, and lifelong learning.
• Participate in University and program activities that support student success, retention, graduation, licensure preparation, and employment outcomes.

Communication and Collaboration

• Collaborate effectively with the PTA Program Director, faculty, academic leadership, University departments, students, and external clinical partners.
• Communicate clinical education expectations, policies, timelines, concerns, and outcomes clearly and professionally.
• Exercise sound judgment, discretion, professionalism, and confidentiality when addressing student and clinical partner matters.
• Identify and resolve clinical education issues proactively and appropriately.
• Represent Stanbridge University professionally in interactions with clinical facilities, healthcare organizations, professional associations, and community partners.

Qualifications

Required

• Graduate of an accredited Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant education program.
• Current, active, and unrestricted Physical Therapist (PT) or Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA) license in California, or eligibility to obtain California licensure prior to employment.
• Minimum of a master’s degree from an accredited institution in physical therapy, education, healthcare administration, healthcare leadership, or a related discipline.
• Minimum of three years of full-time or equivalent post-licensure clinical practice as a Physical Therapist or Physical Therapist Assistant.
• Minimum of two years of clinical practice experience as a Site Coordinator of Clinical Education (SCCE) and/or Clinical Instructor (CI) in physical therapy, or a minimum of two years of experience in teaching, curriculum development, and administration in a Physical Therapist Assistant education program.
• Knowledge of contemporary physical therapy practice and the professional role and scope of practice of the Physical Therapist Assistant.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, written and verbal communication, relationship-management, counseling, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to coordinate complex clinical education activities involving students, clinical instructors, clinical partners, deadlines, documentation, and compliance requirements.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and appropriately address student performance, clinical placement, and clinical partnership issues.
• Ability to use technology and information systems necessary to manage clinical education operations, documentation, communication, and student records.
• Ability to travel to clinical education sites and other locations as required.

Preferred

• Earned doctoral or terminal degree in physical therapy, education, healthcare administration, healthcare leadership, or a related discipline.
• Previous experience as a Director of Clinical Education (DCE) or Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education (ACCE) within a Physical Therapist Assistant or Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
• Experience within a CAPTE-accredited Physical Therapist Assistant or Doctor of Physical Therapy program.
• Demonstrated knowledge of CAPTE accreditation standards, required elements, and clinical education requirements.
• Experience developing new clinical affiliation partnerships and expanding clinical placement capacity.
• Credentialed Clinical Instructor through the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) or equivalent clinical instructor development experience.
• Previous teaching experience in higher education.
• Experience participating in programmatic accreditation, self-study preparation, assessment, or continuous improvement activities.

Compensation

Competitive, depending on education, experience, and internal equity.

Conditions of Employment

• A job-related assessment may be required during the interview process.
• Must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily and be physically present in the office (unless otherwise noted).
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally to conferences, trade shows, institutional meetings, partner locations, and other business-related events as required.
• Occasional evening or weekend availability may be required based on conferences, partner events, meetings, or organizational needs.
• Employment Authorization: Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States. Stanbridge University does not provide employment-based immigration sponsorship or participate in employer-sponsored or employer-dependent work authorization programs.
• Sponsorship: Sponsorship now or in the future could include having Stanbridge University file or support a work authorization petition, provide employment verification or documentation for immigration purposes, participate in a government-sponsored work authorization program, or otherwise assist with obtaining or maintaining employment authorization.

Work Environment

• Professional office environment supporting educational technology, strategic partnerships, and institutional relationships.
• Frequent interaction with prospective and existing institutional partners, academic leaders, administrators, technology professionals, internal teams, and organizational leadership.
• Regular participation in conferences, trade shows, expos, institutional meetings, product demonstrations, and other professional events.
• Fast-paced environment requiring the ability to manage multiple partner relationships, priorities, follow-up activities, and time-sensitive commitments simultaneously.
• Requires flexibility, adaptability, independent judgment, and a collaborative approach to working across technical, operational, academic, and leadership teams.
• Regular travel may be required to represent Edverum at conferences, trade shows, institutional meetings, partner engagements, and other industry events.

Physical Demands

• Regularly sits for extended periods while working at a computer workstation.
• Frequently uses computers, telephones, audiovisual presentation equipment, and standard office technology.
• Ability to effectively communicate in person, by telephone, electronically, and through presentations and product demonstrations.
• Ability to stand and walk for extended periods during conferences, trade shows, demonstrations, presentations, and other professional events.
• Ability to travel as required for conferences, institutional meetings, partner engagements, and other business-related activities.
• Ability to lift, carry, and/or move objects weighing up to 25 pounds as needed.

Employee Benefits

• Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
• Retirement Plan (401(k))
• Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick Leave & Public Holidays)
• Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
• Family Leave (Maternity & Paternity)
• Exciting University Events
• Work-Life Balance Initiatives
• Seasonal Health & Wellness Challenges
• On-Site Wellness Program and Staff Chiropractor

Institutional Values

Diversity and Inclusion

Stanbridge University's motto, "Strength through Diversity," reflects our deep commitment to honoring the diverse backgrounds of our students, faculty, staff, and surrounding communities. We strive to cultivate an inclusive learning environment and uphold equitable practices in every aspect of university life.

Innovation and Technology

We embrace innovative technology to enhance student learning through immersive educational experiences, including simulation laboratories and virtual reality, ensuring graduates are prepared for the evolving healthcare landscape.

Community Engagement

Through initiatives such as Stanbridge outREACH, our students and employees are empowered to serve local and global communities while fostering compassion, civic responsibility, and social awareness.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Stanbridge University is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply.