Physician Assistant/Associate

About the role

Physician Assistants/Associates (PAs) are essential members and leaders within the healthcare team at Ketchum Health Medical Clinic (KHMC). Dedicated to promoting, improving, and maintaining the health and well-being of diverse patient populations, PAs serve as key points of contact for patients and their families throughout the continuum of care. Providing comprehensive, family-centered care, PAs collaborate closely with physicians and interdisciplinary healthcare professionals to deliver high-quality, patient-centered services. Reporting to Marshall B. Ketchum University (MBKU) or its designee(s) for operational and clinic/patient-care matters, PAs are responsible for delivering effective medical care while contributing to a positive, efficient, collaborative, and interprofessional work and learning environment.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive family medicine services to patients across the lifespan, including preventive, acute, and chronic care management.
• Obtain and document complete and accurate patient histories and perform physical examinations.
• Assess, diagnose, and develop treatment plans for medical conditions and illnesses.
• Order, interpret, and evaluate diagnostic studies, laboratory tests, and imaging results.
• Prescribe medications and treatments in accordance with state regulations and clinic policies.
• Perform procedures within the PA's scope of practice and competency.
• Educate patients and families regarding diagnoses, treatment plans, medications, preventive care, and health maintenance.
• Collaborate with supervising physicians and interdisciplinary healthcare team members to coordinate and ensure appropriate patient care.
• Supervise medical staff members as appropriate and consistent with applicable laws.
• Maintain accurate, timely, and compliant documentation within the electronic health record (EHR).
• Promote continuity of care through appropriate referrals, follow-up care, and patient communication.
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives, audits, clinic meetings, and organizational activities as assigned.
• Adhere to all clinic, university, state, federal, HIPAA, and infection control policies and procedures.
• Serve as a clinical preceptor for MBKU students.
• Participate in interprofessional and service activities, health initiatives, and MBKU events as requested.
• Support a professional, respectful, and culturally responsive clinical environment.
• Maintain current licensure, certification, continuing medical education (CME), and credentialing requirements necessary for PA practice.
• Provide consistent, high-quality, patient-centered medical care.
• Monitor, evaluate, and respond to medical conditions, laboratory findings, diagnostic results, and other clinical reports appropriately and in a timely manner.
• Maintain accurate, thorough, and timely medical documentation within the electronic health record.
• Demonstrate appropriate and compliant medical coding and billing practices for services rendered.
• Communicate effectively and professionally with patients, families, colleagues, learners, and other stakeholders.
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives, educational activities, and performance measures designed to enhance patient care and clinical outcomes.
• Support the education and professional development of Marshall B. Ketchum University (MBKU) students through clinical teaching and mentorship.
• Collaborate effectively within an interdisciplinary healthcare team to support continuity and coordination of care.
• Adhere to all applicable clinic, university, state, federal, HIPAA, and safety policies and procedures.
• Regular and reliable attendance is required; adhering to university attendance policy.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned by MBKU administrators or its designee.

Requirements

• Demonstrated knowledge of family medicine principles and patient-centered care practices.
• Ability to assess, diagnose, and manage a broad range of acute and chronic medical conditions across the lifespan.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively within an interdisciplinary healthcare team.
• Commitment to professionalism, cultural humility, ethical practice, and patient confidentiality.
• Proficiency in electronic health record (EHR) systems and medical documentation.

Qualifications

• Graduation from an accredited Physician Assistant/Associate program.
• Current or eligibility for licensure as a Physician Assistant/Associate in the State of California.
• Current certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
• Current Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration or eligibility to obtain upon hire.
• Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification.

Preferred Qualifications

• Prior clinical experience in family medicine, primary care, community health, or outpatient clinical practice.
• Experience working with diverse patient populations.
• Experience teaching, mentoring, or precepting healthcare students.
• Familiarity with quality improvement initiatives and evidence-based practice.
• Bilingual or multilingual communication skills preferred.

About the University

Located on a beautiful, seven-acre campus in Fullerton, California, MBKU is an independent, private, non-profit, accredited educational institution. MBKU is home to the Southern California College of Optometry, the School of PA Studies, College of Pharmacy, and the Doctor of Medical Science Program (DMSc). MBKU owns and operates three healthcare centers at their clinical teaching facility, Ketchum Health, providing a vision center and PA medical clinic practice in Orange County and a second vision center in Los Angeles.

A tradition of excellence since 1904, Marshall B. Ketchum University began as the Los Angeles School of Ophthalmology and Optometry. In the early 1970s, the College moved to its current home in Fullerton, CA, and was renamed Southern California College of Optometry. Today, MBKU offers career opportunities at the forefront of health care education, emphasizing learning, advancement, and work-life balance.

Our mission is to educate caring, inspired health care professionals who are prepared to deliver collaborative, patient-centric health care in an interprofessional environment. At MBKU, we lead in interprofessional healthcare, building on over a century of experience. In 2012, we added the first Physician Assistant program in Orange County, followed by the College of Pharmacy in 2014, and most recently, the fully-online Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) program in 2024.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and life insurance.
• Free vision exams.
• Short and long-term disability.
• Generous paid time off plans.
• University-sponsored retirement plan.