AA - Assistant Program Director of Simulation - (MHSA)

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Position Overview

The Assistant Program Director of Simulation (APD-Sim) of the Master of Health Science in Anesthesia (MHSA) program at Burrell College of Health Sciences is responsible for the design, development, implementation, and continuous evaluation of the simulation and skills-based learning curriculum for AA students. This is a 0.6 FTE appointment with a faculty designation, reporting directly to the Program Director.

Simulation-based learning serves as the essential bridge between the classroom and the operating room. It is the environment where students translate didactic knowledge into hands-on technical expertise, develop critical anesthesia skills on task trainers and high-fidelity mannequins, and encounter realistic clinical scenarios in a low-stakes, instructional setting before they begin caring for patients. The APD-Sim is the architect and steward of that learning environment for the MHSA program.

The APD-Sim leads the program’s simulation curriculum within a dedicated two-OR simulation suite and clinical skills learning lab on the Melbourne campus, and coordinates access to the broader medical school simulation center and standardized patient resources for MHSA-specific learning activities. The APD-Sim also designs and integrates anesthesia-specific learning opportunities into the College’s established Standardized Patient Experience (SPE) program, through which students develop the affective domain skills of patient communication, physical assessment, and clinical interviewing.

The APD-Sim works in close collaboration with the Assistant Program Director for Academic Affairs to ensure that the simulation curriculum is tightly correlated with, and directly complementary to, the didactic curriculum. This lateral coordination is essential to achieving coherent, sequenced learning across the didactic and preclinical phases of the program.

The remaining 0.4 FTE is available for the individual’s independent professional use. The College expects that when the APD-Sim engages in clinical anesthesia practice during this time, they do so in a preceptor capacity, actively supervising MHSA students in the operating room or an approved clinical setting.

• This position is Exempt.
• This position reports to the Program Director - MHSA
• The start date for this position is Monday May 3rd, 2027.

The selected candidate will support Burrell College’s organizational health initiatives, focusing on enhancing leadership, promoting clarity of purpose, improving communication, and reinforcing a respectful, purpose-driven culture. This role is key to fostering a healthy, high-performing organization that values integrity, transparency, and collaboration. Burrell College Organizational Health Info

Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Simulation Curriculum Design and Development

• Lead the design, development, implementation, and ongoing revision of a comprehensive, integrated simulation and skills-based curriculum for the MHSA program, spanning the full arc of the AA educational experience from foundational skills acquisition through advanced clinical scenario management.

• Develop and sequence simulation learning objectives that directly correlate with and reinforce the didactic curriculum, in close collaboration with the APD for Academic Affairs and program faculty.

• Design high-fidelity simulation scenarios that replicate clinical environments, patient presentations, and anesthesia management challenges students will encounter in supervised clinical practice.

• Design and oversee task trainer-based skills curricula to build student proficiency in the core technical procedures of anesthesia practice, including airway management, vascular access, regional anesthesia techniques, and monitoring applications.

• Develop, implement, and continuously revise simulation curriculum content, case scenarios, assessment rubrics, and debriefing frameworks in response to student performance data, faculty feedback, and advances in simulation-based health professions education.

• Maintain current, accurate syllabi for all simulation and skills-based courses in compliance with program policy and CAAHEP accreditation standards.

Simulation Facility Leadership and Operations

• Lead the operational use of the MHSA program’s dedicated two-OR simulation suite and clinical skills learning lab, including scheduling, resource management, equipment maintenance protocols, and learning environment readiness.

• Collaborate with the College’s medical school simulation center team to coordinate MHSA student access to shared simulation resources, high-fidelity mannequins, and supplemental learning modalities.

• Maintain and manage simulation equipment, task trainers, anesthesia machine simulators, monitoring systems, and associated technology used in the simulation suite and skills lab, coordinating maintenance and replacement needs with program and institutional leadership.

• Develop and enforce safety protocols, equipment use standards, and infection control procedures applicable to the simulation learning environment.

• Stay current with advances in simulation technology, anesthesia education equipment, and evidence based simulation pedagogy, and recommend investments and upgrades to the Program Director as appropriate.

Standardized Patient Experience Integration

• Collaborate with the College’s established Standardized Patient Experience (SPE) program team to design and integrate anesthesia-specific learning scenarios into scheduled SPE events for MHSA students.

• Develop SPE cases and learning objectives that address the affective domain competencies of the AA profession, including patient communication, preoperative assessment and interviewing, informed consent discussions, and patient- and family-centered care.

• Ensure that SPE activities for MHSA students are sequenced appropriately within the curriculum and aligned with corresponding didactic content delivered in collaboration with the APD for Academic Affairs.

• Participate in SPE debriefing sessions and contribute anesthesia-specific clinical expertise to students feedback and formative assessment.

Instruction and Student Development

• Serve as Course Director for assigned simulation and skills-based courses, and deliver instruction across the simulation curriculum in areas of clinical and technical expertise.

• As expertise allows, provide instruction in other areas of the MHSA didactic curriculum in coordination with the APD for Academic Affairs and the Program Director.

• Schedule simulation and skills lab classes, manage course logistics, collect and review syllabi, and monitor course evaluations for all simulation-related coursework.

• Facilitate structured debriefing sessions following simulation scenarios, using evidence-based debriefing methods to support student reflection, self-assessment, and clinical reasoning development.

• Advise and mentor students in developing their clinical technical skills, professional identity, and readiness for supervised clinical practice.

• Serve on the Student Progress and Promotions Committee and contribute to decisions regarding student remediation, skills competency, and academic progression.

• Participate in student admissions processes, including application review and candidate interviews, providing recommendations to the Program Director.

• When engaged in clinical anesthesia practice in the remaining 0.4 FTE, supervise MHSA students in the operating room or approved clinical setting in a formal preceptor capacity, contributing to their supervised clinical practice hours and competency development.

Program Assessment and Quality Improvement

• Develop and implement a systematic assessment framework for simulation and skills-based curriculum, including formative and summative competency evaluations, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs), and skills checkoffs.

• Collect, analyze, and report student performance data from simulation assessments to identify learning gaps, inform curriculum revision, and support program quality improvement.

• Collaborate with the APD for Academic Affairs and Program Director to ensure simulation assessment data is integrated into the program’s broader continuous quality improvement process.

• Assist in preparing CAAHEP accreditation documentation related to simulation resources, curriculum, student competency assessment, and learning outcomes as directed by the Program Director.

• Submit an annual Faculty Activity Report and other required program reports as directed.

Collaboration and Institutional Engagement

• Work in close and ongoing collaboration with the APD for Academic Affairs to ensure that simulation learning objectives, case content, and timing are deliberately sequenced to reinforce and extend didactic instruction.

• Participate in program faculty meetings, curriculum committee activities, faculty development, and program committees as assigned by the Program Director.

• Represent the MHSA program within the College’s simulation community and, where appropriate, at regional or national simulation and health professions education meetings.

• Participate in student-facing program events including orientation, White Coat Ceremony, and commencement as program needs require.

• Maintain standards of clinical and professional performance consistent with program objectives, CAAHEP accreditation standards, and the professional expectations of a practicing Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant.

• Perform other duties as assigned by the Program Director.

Qualifications

Required Education, Credentials and Licensure

• Graduate of a CAAHEP-accredited Anesthesiologist Assistant program.

• Current and active certification as a Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant (CAA) in good standing with the National Commission for Certification of Anesthesiologist Assistants (NCCAA).

• Current and unencumbered Florida state licensure as an Anesthesiologist Assistant, or eligibility to obtain Florida licensure prior to the start date.

• Master’s degree from a CAAHEP-accredited Anesthesiologist Assistant program required at the time of appointment.

• Doctoral degree (EdD, PhD, DMSc, DHSc, or equivalent relevant to health professions education or an allied field) is preferred but not required.

• Eligibility for faculty appointment in accordance with Burrell College of Health Sciences policy; final rank will be determined based on credentials, experience, and institutional appointment criteria.

Required Experience

• Minimum of five (5) years of clinical experience as a practicing Certified Anesthesiologist Assistant.

• Demonstrated experience in academic program coordination, curriculum development, or a related administrative role within a health professions graduate program.

• Demonstrated familiarity with high-fidelity simulation equipment, task trainers, anesthesia simulators, and clinical technology routinely used in anesthesia practice.

• Demonstrated ability to design and deliver instruction in clinical or simulation-based learning environment.

Preferred Experience

• Formal training or certification in simulation-based education, such as the Society for Simulation in Healthcare (SSH) Certified Healthcare Simulation Educator (CHSE) credential or equivalent.

• Experience designing or leading simulation curricula in an AA, CRNA, anesthesia residency, or allied health graduate program.

• Experience with standardized patient programs, OSCE design, or affective domain assessment in health professions education.

• Experience as a clinical preceptor for AA students in the operating room setting.

• Familiarity with CAAHEP accreditation standards and documentation related to simulation and clinical education.

• Advanced degree in education, health professions education, or simulation science.

Required Skills and Competencies

• Deep clinical expertise in anesthesiology with demonstrated ability to translate that expertise into structured, educationally sound simulation experiences for graduate-level learners.

• Effective verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to facilitate structured debriefing, deliver constructive performance feedback, and interact professionally across students, faculty, and institutional contexts.

• Strong organizational and project management skills, with the ability to plan, schedule, and coordinate complex simulation programming across multiple learning modalities and student cohorts.

• Ability to collaborate productively with the APD for Academic Affairs, program faculty, the medical school simulation team, and institutional partners to deliver a coherent and integrated learning experience.

• Genuine interest in and commitment to simulation-based pedagogy as a vehicle for student learning, patient safety, and professional development.

• Proficiency with learning management systems, simulation management software, and standard office and educational technologies.

Working Conditions

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be provided to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Primarily office and classroom-based work environment.

• Substantial computer use, estimated at 80–90% of duties.

• This is a 0.6 FTE (part-time) appointment. Academic and administrative responsibilities are fulfilled within the 0.6 FTE commitment. The remaining 0.4 FTE is available at the individual’s discretion for independent clinical or professional activity.

• The 0.6 FTE work is performed across office, simulation suite, skills lab, and classroom environments at the Melbourne, Florida campus, with regular physical engagement in simulation operations, equipment setup, and hands-on skills instruction.

• When engaged in clinical practice during the 0.4 FTE, the APD-Sim is expected to supervise MHSA students in a formal preceptor role at an approved clinical site.

• Travel may be required for simulation-related professional development, accreditation activities, and clinical site visits; estimated at 10–20% of the 0.6 FTE commitment annually.

• Some evening or weekend availability may be required for simulation scheduling, student-facing events, and program milestones such as orientation, OSCEs, and commencement.

• This role involves regular physical engagement with simulation equipment, including mannequins, task trainers, and anesthesia machine simulators; occasional lifting of materials or equipment up to 40 lbs may be required.

Melbourne, Florida:
The City of Melbourne lies along the Indian River Lagoon, a vast estuary loved by boaters, anglers, and those who just enjoy its quiet beauty. On the other side of the river, a portion of the city lies on a barrier island with many beach parks offering even more fun in the sun. Melbourne is just south of Cape Canaveral — home to the Kennedy Space Center and Port Canaveral. You can watch launches from almost any point in the city or take a short drive up to the space center to get close to the action. While up there, you can visit Port Canaveral — an active shipping port with daily departures of cruise ships and deep-sea fishing boats. Melbourne has an international airport and is located next to a major interstate with easy access to Orlando and the attractions, Kennedy Space Center, and points beyond. Enjoy the benefits of Central Florida’s ideal coastal climate — mild winters and a lush blooming landscape year-round. Melbourne averages 242 sunny days annually with extremely mild winter seasons between 50° - 70° (F).

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Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.

NOTE: Applicants must currently be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis.

The Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity and inclusion among our faculty, staff, and students. We prohibit discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, and more. Individuals with varied backgrounds and experiences are encouraged to apply. The selected candidate will subscribe to and support our commitment to the College’s Mission.

Burrell College campuses and facilities are drug and tobacco free and comply with the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act (DFSCA). Employees and students shall not be involved with the unlawful use of controlled substances and/or illicit drugs.