Physical Therapy Doctoral Program - Assistant or Associate Professor and Director of Clinical Education

Bethel University•St. Paul, MN

7h•$85,251 - $129,057

About The Position

Bethel University seeks a faith-led professional for the Director of Clinical Education (DCE) role within our accelerated, 28-month hybrid DPT program. As the program pursues CAPTE accreditation, the DCE will provide strategic and collaborative leadership in drawing up a clinical education program that advances the vision of the profession. Acting as a vital bridge between the classroom and the clinic, the DCE will partner with academic faculty to ensure clinical experiences are seamlessly aligned with our systems-based didactic coursework. This forward-looking role is central to developing the clinical curriculum and policies required for candidacy and accreditation. The DCE will ensure full alignment with CAPTE standards while positioning Bethel at the forefront of innovative, evidence-based physical therapy education.

Requirements

Education: Doctoral degree (DPT or terminal academic doctorate such as PhD or EdD).
Experience: Minimum of 3 years of full-time post-licensure clinical experience in a variety of practice settings.
Licensure: Licensed or eligible for Physical Therapist licensure in the state of Minnesota.
Clinical Education: Previous experience as a Clinical Instructor (CI) or Site Coordinator of Clinical Education (SCCE).
Academic Instruction: Record of effective clinical or academic teaching of physical therapy learners.
Mission Alignment: A personal relationship with Jesus Christ and a commitment to the program's core values of GRACE.
Organizational Acumen: Superior organization skills and attention to detail to ensure compliance with CAPTE and institutional requirements.
Effective Communication: Demonstrate superior interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to navigate complex professional relationships, manage differing opinions, and resolve conflicts in high-stress academic or clinical environments.
Interpersonal/Marketing: Strong "people skills" with experience in networking, marketing, or selling to build clinical partnerships.
Technology & Travel: Proficiency with technology (Teams, Zoom, Exaat) and a willingness to travel for site development and student visits.

Responsibilities

Administrative Leadership & Clinical Management (40% of Load)
Clinical Curriculum & Assessment: Design and implement all Clinical Experiences. This includes developing student progression policies, assessment plans, and outcome tracking systems to ensure full alignment with accreditation standards.
Site Development & Management: Strategically recruit and maintain a diverse network of local, regional, and national clinical partnerships. Manage all formal Clinical Contracts and Letters of Intent (LOI) and cultivate professional relationships with site coordinators.
Operations & Compliance: Oversee student placement logistics, including rotation matching and tracking clinical requirements (immunizations, background checks, HIPAA/OSHA). Maintain comprehensive data systems for clinical hours, patient exposure, and performance evaluations (CPI).
Accreditation Leadership: Lead the development of clinical education infrastructure for the program’s candidacy and accreditation phases. Contribute key data and narrative to self-studies, candidacy materials, and ongoing compliance reports.
Clinical Curriculum: Develop, implement, and assess all clinical experiences and Integrated Clinical Experiences (ICE) to ensure alignment with CAPTE standards.
Develop and document clinical education policies and procedures in alignment with CAPTE standards.
Contribute to accreditation reports, candidacy materials, and ongoing compliance documentation.
Design clinical education assessment plans and outcome tracking systems. Select, implement, and train Clinical Instructors in the effective use of assessment tools to ensure consistency across sites.
Site Management: Establish and maintain formal contracts (MOAs) and professional relationships with a diverse range of clinical sites.
Strategically recruit and cultivate new clinical partnerships locally, regionally, and nationally.
Establish memoranda of agreement (MOAs) and maintain documentation for accreditation review.
Compliance & Logistics: Oversee all student placement logistics, including matching rotations and tracking compliance (immunizations, background checks, HIPAA/OSHA).
Build systems for tracking required clinical education data (clinical hours, patient exposure types, CPI data, site evaluations, etc.).
Prepare documentation and reports required for CAPTE application for candidacy and accreditation maintenance.
Program Development & Accreditation Leadership
Collaborate with the Program Director and faculty to build the clinical education infrastructure from inception.
Develop student progression policies related to clinical readiness.
Establish evaluation processes for clinical sites and clinical instructors.
Contribute to long-term strategic planning of clinical education growth.
Teaching & Instructional Delivery (40% of Load)
Core Instruction: Serve as a core faculty member responsible for direct instruction, syllabus development, and student evaluation within assigned courses.
Student Mentorship & Coaching: Support student success through holistic academic coaching, focusing on remediation and classroom performance, while mentoring evidence-based capstone projects or clinical research.
Pedagogical Excellence: Apply current educational theory and evidence-based teaching methods to enhance student learning.
CI Development: Facilitate the evaluation of student performance (e.g., CPI) and lead workshops for Clinical Instructors to ensure high-quality supervision.
Scholarship & Professional Development (10% of Load)
Active Inquiry: Maintain a consistent agenda of scholarly inquiry in accordance with CAPTE core faculty requirements.
Dissemination: Contribute to the profession through research, scholarly accomplishments, or the integration of evidence-based practice into the academic environment.
Accreditation Inquiry: Participate in accreditation-related scholarship, assessment analysis, and quality improvement initiatives related to clinical education outcomes.
Service & Institutional Governance (10% of Load)
Committee Engagement: Serve on program, departmental, or university-level committees as assigned by the Program Director.
Student Guidance: Provide academic and professional mentorship to students, focusing on career mapping, residency preparation, and their overall progress through the clinical curriculum.
Community & Professional Service: Actively engage in professional organizations, church leadership, and local community initiatives to promote the program's GRACE values and the physical therapy profession.