Clinical Director - Distributed Veterinary Teaching Program

Overview

The Department of Veterinary Clinical and Life Sciences in the College of Veterinary Medicine at Utah State University seeks applicants for the position of Clinical Director of the Distributed Veterinary Teaching Program (DVTP).

The Clinical Director is the senior veterinary faculty leader and administrator responsible for the clinical, operational, and personnel functions of the DVTP. Reporting to the Associate Dean for Clinical Programs, the Director directly supervises the DVTP Program Coordinator and Clinical Relations Veterinarians and provides overall leadership for the personnel, processes, partnerships, and quality-assurance activities required to deliver a high-quality distributed clinical year.

The Director integrates the student-facing and partner-facing functions of the program. The DVTP Program Coordinator leads student placement coordination, scheduling and logistical support, communications, documentation, records, database maintenance, and general program administration. Clinical Relations Veterinarians support preceptor readiness, preceptor training and development, clinical-site monitoring and troubleshooting, and alignment of clinical learning environments with contemporary standards of veterinary practice. The Clinical Director ensures that these functions operate as a coordinated, accountable, and responsive system.

This is a Logan-based position. The Clinical Director's primary office and duty station will be in the Veterinary Medical Education (VME) Building on the Utah State University Logan campus. The position is not designed as a remote or regionally based appointment.

The successful candidate will join the College at a pivotal stage in the development of Utah's first four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. USU's distributed clinical education model places veterinary students in carefully selected veterinary practices, hospitals, diagnostic facilities, shelters, ambulatory services, and other clinical environments where they learn under the supervision of practicing veterinarians and USU faculty.

The Clinical Director works closely with the Associate Dean for Clinical Programs, faculty instructors of record, Practice-Ready Advisors, curriculum leaders, and other College personnel.

The Department of Veterinary Clinical and Life Sciences welcomes applications from qualified candidates regardless of their current U.S. work authorization status. Visa sponsorship may be available depending on individual circumstances and applicable immigration requirements. The University supports standard sponsorship costs but cannot cover the additional $100,000 H-1B fee if applicable. Sponsorship eligibility will be determined by University Human Resources prior to an official offer of employment.

Responsibilities

Travel Expectations

• Travel is an essential function of this position. The Clinical Director is expected to travel to affiliated clinical training sites throughout Utah and the Intermountain Region, with travel anticipated to average approximately 20-30% of work time.
• Evaluation and monitoring of new and existing clinical training sites;
• Preceptor orientation, training, development, and support;
• Relationship development and maintenance with affiliated veterinary instructional partners;
• Follow-up on clinical-site, preceptor, or student-learning concerns;
• Quality-assurance and continuous-improvement activities; and
• Representation of the College at partner and professional meetings.
• Travel frequency will vary according to program needs and may be greater during periods of clinical-site development, onboarding, or program implementation. Some overnight travel is required.

Teaching - 70%

• Provide leadership for the quality, consistency, and continued development of veterinary clinical education delivered through the Distributed Veterinary Teaching Program.
• Develop, implement, evaluate, and continuously improve clinical educational experiences in collaboration with College faculty, Clinical Relations Veterinarians, preceptors, and affiliated veterinary instructional partners.
• Lead the development and implementation of expectations for workplace-based veterinary instruction and clinical supervision.
• Provide, coordinate, and evaluate initial and ongoing training for veterinary preceptors, including clinical teaching, supervision, feedback, assessment, student safety, and preceptor responsibilities.
• Mentor veterinarians serving as clinical preceptors and support their development as effective clinical educators.
• Work with Clinical Relations Veterinarians to support preceptor readiness, clinical-site readiness, clinical teaching quality, contemporary standards of practice, and resolution of site or preceptor concerns.
• Foster productive relationships with affiliated veterinary instructional partners and other external stakeholders to provide high-quality and appropriately varied clinical learning opportunities.
• Participate in the evaluation and monitoring of potential and existing clinical training sites and recommend improvements when needed.
• Collaborate with faculty instructors of record and Practice-Ready Advisors to support consistent assessment of student clinical performance and progressive development toward practice readiness.
• Help establish and maintain consistent expectations for student supervision, feedback, entrustment, clinical responsibility, and professional behavior across distributed sites.
• Participate in the development and refinement of clinical-year curriculum, orientation, policies, procedures, and instructional materials.
• Use student outcomes, preceptor feedback, site evaluations, program data, and other evidence to support continuous quality improvement.
• Participate in structured didactic, experiential, and clinical instruction as appropriate to the needs of the curriculum.
• Maintain currency in veterinary clinical practice, veterinary medical education, workplace-based assessment, and emerging approaches to clinical teaching.
• Contribute to professional productivity appropriate for a clinical faculty appointment, which may include educational scholarship, presentations, continuing education, publications, grants, development of educational resources, or other contributions to veterinary education.

Administration and Program Leadership - 20%

• Directly supervise the DVTP Program Coordinator and Clinical Relations Veterinarians and provide administrative oversight for assigned DVTP support personnel.
• Establish work priorities, assign responsibilities, manage performance, provide coaching and professional development, and conduct or participate in formal performance evaluations.
• Provide oversight of the Program Coordinator's supervision of assigned support staff.
• Lead regular DVTP team meetings and establish clear workflows, accountability, and communication expectations.
• Ensure effective coordination between student placement, scheduling, documentation, and program-administration functions and clinical partner, preceptor, site-readiness, and quality-assurance functions.
• Establish priorities for clinical-site development, monitoring, and partner support in alignment with program needs.
• Manage and assess staffing, workflow, operational, and resource needs and recommend improvements to the Associate Dean for Clinical Programs.
• Address personnel, programmatic, clinical-site, and preceptor-related issues within the Director's area of responsibility.
• Ensure timely escalation of significant academic, personnel, safety, accreditation, or partner concerns through appropriate College channels.
• Build and sustain a team culture characterized by professionalism, responsiveness, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Ensure that responsibilities delegated across the DVTP team are clearly defined and effectively integrated.

Service - 10%

• Provide leadership and oversight for the operational and clinical functions of the Distributed Veterinary Teaching Program.
• Work collaboratively with the Associate Dean for Clinical Programs to implement the strategic direction of the clinical program.
• Support compliance with applicable AVMA Council on Education accreditation standards, policies, and procedures related to distributed clinical education.
• Participate in the development, review, and implementation of standards for approval and continued monitoring of affiliated veterinary instructional partners.
• Support College committees responsible for oversight and approval of clinical training sites and experiences.
• Develop and maintain relationships with veterinarians, practice leaders, professional organizations, veterinary employers, and other stakeholders throughout Utah and the Intermountain Region.
• Represent the College of Veterinary Medicine in interactions with clinical partners and the broader veterinary profession.
• Provide veterinary leadership in addressing concerns involving clinical sites, preceptors, clinical standards, or the quality of the student learning environment.
• Ensure that clinical-site requirements, agreements, training, documentation, data, and operational processes remain aligned across the DVTP.
• Collaborate with appropriate College and University units on clinical-program development, curriculum, policy, and implementation.
• Participate in departmental, college, and university governance and other service activities appropriate to faculty rank and appointment.
• Contribute to efforts that strengthen the visibility, reputation, and professional network of the USU College of Veterinary Medicine.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM), Veterinary Medical Doctor (VMD), or equivalent veterinary degree.
• Eligibility for appointment to the faculty of Utah State University at the Clinical Assistant Professor level or higher.
• At least seven years of professional veterinary experience following receipt of the veterinary degree.
• Current licensure to practice veterinary medicine in a U.S. state or eligibility to obtain appropriate veterinary licensure as required for assigned duties.
• Demonstrated veterinary professional leadership.
• Demonstrated supervisory, management, or team-leadership experience.
• Experience supervising, mentoring, teaching, or supporting the professional development of veterinarians, veterinary students, veterinary technicians, staff, or other members of veterinary teams.
• Demonstrated ability to organize and coordinate complex programs involving multiple personnel and external partners.
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, and written and verbal communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to build productive professional relationships and address complex or sensitive issues constructively.
• Ability and willingness to travel approximately 20-30% of work time, including occasional overnight travel.
• Valid driver’s license to perform essential job responsibilities, such as driving university vehicles and transporting materials
• Facility with contemporary communication, educational, and information technologies necessary to support a geographically distributed clinical program.

Preferred Qualifications

• Leadership experience in veterinary clinical education, distributed veterinary education, community-based veterinary education, clinical-year administration, or a comparable professional program.
• Experience directly supervising professional staff or faculty.
• Significant experience as a veterinary preceptor, clinical educator, medical director, practice owner, practice leader, or clinical program administrator.
• Experience managing teams with both student-facing and partner-facing responsibilities.
• Experience developing or managing partnerships between veterinary educational institutions and private, public, nonprofit, or corporate veterinary organizations.
• Demonstrated expertise in clinical teaching, workplace-based learning, competency-based veterinary education, or assessment of clinical performance.
• Experience developing or delivering faculty or preceptor-development programming.
• Practice-management or veterinary organizational leadership experience.
• Familiarity with AVMA Council on Education accreditation standards and expectations relevant to clinical education.
• Experience with clinical-program quality assurance or continuous quality improvement.
• Demonstrated experience managing difficult clinical, personnel, student, or partner-related issues in a professional environment.
• Experience using educational or clinical-program data to evaluate outcomes and guide improvement.
• Board certification in an AVMA-recognized veterinary specialty.
• Evidence of professional productivity in veterinary education or clinical practice.
• Demonstrated ability to build consensus among individuals and organizations with differing perspectives and priorities.

Appointment at Rank

• Appointment will be made at the rank of Clinical Assistant Professor, Clinical Associate Professor, or Clinical Professor based on the successful candidate's qualifications, professional accomplishments, leadership experience, and record of achievement consistent with Utah State University policy.
• Candidates considered for appointment at the Clinical Associate Professor or Clinical Professor rank must demonstrate accomplishments and professional stature commensurate with the applicable rank.

Required Documents

Along with the online application, please attach:

Curriculum vitae to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Resume/CV”

Letter of application describing qualificiations for the position and interest in leading distributed veterinary clinical education at Utah State University to be uploaded at the beginning of your application in the Candidate Profile under “Documents 1-10”

Names and contact information for three professional references to be typed at the beginning of the application

The letter of application should specifically address the candidate's experience in veterinary leadership, supervision and team management, clinical education or mentorship, development of professional partnerships, and improvement of clinical learning or practice environments.

**Document size may not exceed 10 MB.**

Advertised Salary

Commensurate with qualifications and experience

ADA

Employees typically work indoors and are protected from weather and/or contaminants, but not, necessarily, occasional temperature changes.  

College/Department Highlights

The successful candidate will join the Utah State University College of Veterinary Medicine during a defining period in its development.

Utah State University is establishing the state's first four-year Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program. The College welcomed its inaugural class in 2025 and is developing toward an anticipated class size of approximately 80 veterinary students in subsequent cohorts.

A defining feature of the USU veterinary curriculum is its Distributed Veterinary Teaching Program, through which students complete substantial portions of their clinical education in authentic veterinary practice environments. Students learn alongside veterinarians in private practices, specialty and emergency hospitals, ambulatory services, shelters, diagnostic facilities, and other approved clinical settings.

The DVTP has progressed from program design to implementation. The College has established processes for approval and monitoring of affiliated veterinary instructional partners, development and training of clinical preceptors, assessment of student clinical performance, documentation of clinical experiences, and continuous evaluation of clinical learning environments.

The Clinical Director will have the opportunity not simply to administer an existing program, but to lead and shape the people, systems, partnerships, and educational practices that will define USU's distributed clinical model.

The College is seeking a veterinary leader who is energized by the opportunity to connect academic veterinary education with contemporary veterinary practice, lead a multidisciplinary program team, and build strong partnerships with practicing veterinarians who play an essential role in preparing students for successful entry into the profession.

University Highlights

As Utah’s student-centered, land-grant research university, Utah State University expands opportunity and strengthens communities across the state through learning, discovery, extension, and engagement. Founded in 1888, USU now holds two Carnegie distinctions: R1 status for very high research activity and the Carnegie Community Engagement Classification. Its innovative research and scholarship is grounded in reciprocal partnerships with local, regional, and global communities, advancing knowledge and serving the public good across Utah, the nation, and the world. With over 50 world-class research facilities and the nation’s second-oldest undergraduate research program, USU prepares students to become active, civically engaged leaders who can address critical societal challenges.

USU enrolls over 29,800 students, both online and in person at locations throughout the state. Utah State’s 30 locations include a main campus in Logan, Utah, residential campuses in Price and Blanding, and six additional statewide campuses, along with education centers serving every county. USU educates students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries. For over 100 years, USU Extension has served and engaged Utahns, serving every county in the state.

Competing at the NCAA Division I level in 16 sports, USU is a proud member of the Pac-12 Conference, which it joined July 1, 2026. The Aggies capped a historic final season in the Mountain West by capturing nine combined regular-season and tournament titles in 2025-26, with five teams advancing to postseason play. This tradition of excellence extends to the classroom, where 232 student-athletes earned academic honors, and to the community, where USU ranked second nationally in Division I service hours, with nine teams placing in the top 10 for community service.

Utah State is dedicated to fostering a community where all individuals feel respected, valued, and supported and where diversity of thought and culture are cultivated. We seek to recruit, hire, and retain people from all walks of life who will champion excellence in education, research, discovery, outreach, and service. We believe that promoting a strong sense of community and belonging empowers and engages all members of USU to thrive and be successful. Forbes recognized our commitment to employees when it named Utah State the best employer in Utah in 2023. Learn more about USU.

The university provides a Dual Career Assistance Program to support careers for partners who are also seeking employment. Additionally, USU is committed to providing access and a reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. To request a reasonable accommodation for a disability, contact the university’s ADA coordinator in the Office of Human Resources at 435-797-0122 or [email protected].

*updated 10/26

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In its programs and activities, including in admissions and employment, Utah State University does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination, including harassment, based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy, Title IX, or any other federal, state, or local law.

Utah State University is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate or tolerate discrimination including harassment in employment including in hiring, promotion, transfer, or termination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other status protected by University policy or any other federal, state, or local law.

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In all circumstances, Utah State University follows state and federal laws related to sex-segregated spaces.

The following office has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the application of Title IX and its implementing regulations and/or USU’s non-discrimination policies:

Civil Rights & Title IX Office

Old Main Room 405

1475 Old Main Hill, Logan UT 84322

[email protected]

(435) 797-1266

For further information regarding non-discrimination, please visit crtix.usu.edu or contact:

U.S. Department of Education

Denver Regional Office

303-844-5695| [email protected]

U.S. Department of Education

Office of Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

800-421-3481 |  [email protected]

*updated 08/2026