Assistant Dean, Professional Affairs - CBMC

PURPOSE OF CAMPUS: 

Dalhousie University and Cape Breton University entered into a partnership in 2022 to establish the Cape Breton Medical Campus in Sydney, NS, with a goal of admitting the first cohort of learners in 2025. Together, the institutions share the goal of enhancing their contribution to Nova Scotia’s evolving health reform agenda by: 

• increasing the number of family physician specialists and, eventually, Royal College specialist physicians serving communities in rural Nova Scotia;
• training physicians with exceptional skills and cultural competencies in the areas of family medicine, rural family medicine, rural practice, and L’nu health;
• advancing healthy communities through promotion of a preventative and collaborative care model that enables equitable access across the full continuum of care;
• creating opportunities for interprofessional education between physicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, social workers, public health professionals, and other healthcare professionals to meet the current and future needs of communities in rural Nova Scotia; 
• improving health outcomes in rural communities and across Nova Scotia health zones, through interdisciplinary research, particularly in the areas of aging, frailty, and other diseases prevalent in rural communities (such as cancer and diabetes), as well as Indigenous health and African Nova Scotian health; 
• mobilizing inspired, passionate physician leaders to increase training capacity in Cape Breton and rural Nova Scotia; and
• advocating for family physicians and the health care system as a whole.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION:

Cape Breton Medical Campus (CBMC) is one of the three campuses of Dalhousie Faculty of Medicine. The main administrative office is located on the CBU Campus in Sydney.   CBMC offers a continuum of education programming for up to 30 students per year over the 4-year undergraduate program. In addition, postgraduate residency training programs will be developed, and additional core clinical rotations will be provided through the postgraduate training programs based in Halifax and other areas of rural Nova Scotia. Clinical teaching is provided by more than 650 faculty distributed throughout the clinical teaching sites and supported by local staff and academic leadership in Nova Scotia Health regional facilities. A partner in the Nova Scotia Health Innovation Hub, Cape Breton is a developing leader in rural clinical trials capacity building. The Centre of Excellence for Healthy Aging is dedicated to programs and research that translates into improved care for older adults in rural Nova Scotia. Continuing professional development is provided to all faculty regardless of geography

JOB SUMMARY:

Reporting jointly to the Senior Associate Dean CBMC, the Assistant Dean of Professional Affairs provides academic and administrative leadership to support the creation and maintenance of healthy learning environments within the Faculty of Medicine by addressing learner mistreatment and promoting professionalism. 

This role is a 0.2 FTE role and the ability to work flexible hours within the CBMC schedule structure is a requirement

SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Address Learner Mistreatment: 

• Receive disclosures of professionalism breaches, especially in relation to learner mistreatment, from any source including the learner. 

• Address professionalism breaches, particularly in relation to learner mistreatment, providing guidance to the parties involved and working in accordance with policy and procedures, including adjudicating on the matters where appropriate, understanding there may need to be coordination with key stakeholders with primary oversight (ie RHAs, Colleges). 

• Develop and maintain standardized, mandatory, transparent formal internal processes for PMAs (Person of Meaningful Authority, i.e., dept/division head, PD, SD, clinical zone lead) who are investigating a complaint against one of their faculty members and provide them with guidance. 

• Provide timely communication to all parties including learner(s) throughout complaint process, including “close the loop” information. 

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2. Oversee Outreach and Education Activities  

• Promote professionalism as a whole and the OPA’s services, especially as it relates to the learning environment and learner mistreatment, within FoM, in keeping with related FoM policy and other applicable frameworks.  

• Lead the development, promotion and oversight of relevant professionalism initiatives (i.e., forums, professionalism committees, recognition programs). 

• Collaborate/liaise with CPDME or others to offer educational initiatives 

• Collaborate/liaise/serve as a resource and coordination point for UGME, PGME, SA, RA, GHO offerings on healthy learning environment and professionalism. 

• Engage stakeholders from the broader health care community (RHA’s, Med societies, Colleges). 

3. Data Administration and Reporting  

• Maintain a database of all reports of learner mistreatment and learning environment concerns within UGME and PGME. 

• Update and review multiple sources of data for disclosure of learner mistreatment i.e., program and clerkship directors, assistant and associate deans charged with this responsibility, SA & RA reports, the VOTR and the CGQ. Sources could include individual faculty evaluations, rotation evaluations and learner surveys. Data will be collated and monitored for red flags or signals of ongoing learner environment concerns/mistreatment should multiple events occur over time. 

• Provide annual reports on the learning environment for both the FoM as a whole and by department, as well as to Health Authority Medical Education leads where appropriate. 

• Obtain mandatory outcomes reporting and follow up as required. 

4. Administration 

• Co-Lead the Office of Professional Affairs 

• Co-Chair the OPA Advisory Committee 

• Serve on the Anti-Oppression committee and Council of Associate & Assistant Deans 

• Provide oversight of administrative staff and budgets necessary to support the work of the OPA at both campuses. 

• Update and maintain FoM policies and procedures on learner mistreatment  

Accountability:

The Assistant Dean of Professional Affairs reports to the Senior Associate Dean CBMC and Education and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine through: 

• Regular meetings with the Senior Associate Deans

• Oral and/or written reports at the Council of Assistant and Associate Deans’ meetings 

• Annual written reports to the Senior Associate Dean CBMC outlining goals achieved and newly established 

• Oral and/or written reports as required by the Dean or Senior Associate Dean 

The Assistant Dean Professional Affairs is accountable to the Faculty through: 

• Annual written and/or oral reports as required by the Faculty (e.g. annual Faculty meeting) 

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS:

• MD degree required;
• Master’s degree in Education or Medical Education is considered an asset;

• Active academic appointment in the Faculty of Medicine;

• Experience in/with: 

• Policy and procedural administration, and understanding of procedural fairness. 

• Working in a diverse community, including skills in cultural competence. 

• Developing and maintaining strong working relationships with a variety of stakeholders. 

• Handling sensitive, confidential information 

• Working with learner mistreatment issues. 

• Demonstrated competencies:  

• Objectivity and impartiality – consider and balance competing interests 

• Ability to build trust and relationships with integrity. 

• Ability to work in a diplomatic and credible manner in a multi-leveled, culturally diverse institution which includes students, faculty, staff, and administration.

• Listening and crisis intervention skills. 

• Leadership competencies including thinking and acting strategically, relationship building, and accountability for performance and results. 

• Ability to work a flexible schedule;
• Experience as departmental clerkship director an asset;
• Exceptional attention to detail;
• Proficiency in MS Office applications (Word, Excel) and database systems is required;
• Knowledge of Brightspace, One45 and Sharepoint would be considered an asset;
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to organize and prioritize workloads, as well as the ability to work independently and multi-task in a deadline driven, team environment;
• Ability to navigate and work with confidential setting with sensitive data;
• Knowledge of medical education programs and/or academic health care environment would be beneficial;
• Must have ability to work independently with minimal supervision;
• Demonstrated self-starter that has shown to exercise initiative and sound judgment in all aspects of work.