Chair & Associate Professor/Professor - Physical Therapy

Date Posted: 10/31/2023
Closing Date: 01/04/2024, 11:59PM ET
Req ID: 30202
Job Category: Faculty - Tenure Stream (continuing)
Faculty/Division: Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Department: Dept of Physical Therapy
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description:

Applications are invited for the position of Chair of the Department of Physical Therapy in the Temerty Faculty of Medicine  at the University of Toronto . The successful candidate must currently hold the rank of Associate Professor or Professor and be eligible for a tenure-stream appointment. The appointment as Chair will be for a 5-year term effective July 1, 2024, renewable following a favourable review.

The successful candidate must have earned a PhD degree and completed a university-level entry-level practice degree in physical therapy. Candidates must have a comprehensive knowledge of the physical therapy profession, a demonstrated record of excellence in research and teaching and bring a vision for innovation. They must also have research and teaching interests that complement and extend the Department’s existing strengths . Candidates must demonstrate excellence in research, graduate teaching, mentorship and leadership and bring a vision for innovative interdisciplinary research and education relevant to the future of physical therapy and rehabilitation science. They will have a record of collaborative leadership and people management skills with demonstrated ability to engage with leads in other rehabilitation sciences and health care disciplines at the university and across fully-affiliated hospitals, community-based health and rehabilitation organizations and other partners.

Strong management, communication and interpersonal skills are necessary. They will be expected to lead and sustain an innovative and independent research program and maintain a competitive externally-funded research program at an international level. The candidate will oversee the promotion and implementation of strategic priorities, process improvement and change management, faculty development and recruitment, and education and research programs in a city-wide Department. They will be expected to bring an inclusive vision and be deeply committed to practically implementing the principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, Indigeneity and accessibility (EDIIA) in teaching, mentorship, research collaborations, faculty development, alumni engagement and in developing a future vision of the Department. Previous experience managing financial, budgetary and human resources would be an asset. Experience both in alumni relationship-building and successful fundraising would also be an asset. The Chair will take the Department of Physical Therapy to an even higher level of academic achievement and recognition.

In addition to the submitted research statement and strong endorsements by referees of high international standing, the successful candidate must show excellence in research and be an internationally-recognized scholar as evidenced by a record of sustained high-impact publications in leading internationally-recognized journals, presentations and leadership at significant conferences, distinguished awards and accolades for research activity, and other noteworthy activities that contribute to the visibility and prominence of the discipline.

Along with the teaching dossier submitted that includes a statement of teaching philosophy, sample course materials, and teaching evaluations, the successful candidate must show evidence of excellence in teaching through teaching accomplishments, successful experience teaching in a degree-granting program, and providing mentorship and professional development to undergraduate, graduate and health professional students and postdoctoral fellows.

Salary and rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The University of Toronto is the birthplace of Canadian physical therapy and home to the country's first physical therapy program established over a century ago. The Department of Physical Therapy is a key contributor to Canada's rehabilitation sector and University of Toronto's vibrant health sciences network, benefitting from a rich clinical and research environment, with most of its professional faculty cross-appointed to the relevant hospitals from among the 9 academic hospitals fully affiliated with the University of Toronto. Faculty members enjoy strong research collaborations across the University, nationally, and internationally. The Master of Science in Physical Therapy professional program is expanding to a second site at the Scarborough Academy of Medicine & Integrated Health . Its comprehensive Ontario Internationally Educated Physical Therapists Bridging Program provides educational, cultural and workplace programming to facilitate success in the workplace. Faculty supervise thesis-based MSc and PhD students and postdocotral researchers through the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute and other departments at the University of Toronto. The Department of Physical Therapy comprises 29 faculty and admits over 110 students into the MScPT 24-month program each year. Faculty with primary academic appointments currently hold 3 Canada Research Chairs and 1 endowed chair.

Temerty Faculty of Medicine at the University of Toronto is at the centre of North America’s largest biomedical research, education and clinical care networks; spanning the basic, clinical and rehabilitation sciences the Toronto Academic Health Science Network is one of the top five clusters of academic medicine. The University of Toronto is ranked among the top five research universities in the world and first among public universities in North America (National Taiwan University); the third-most prolific institution, and second among universities, for health sciences research (Nature Index Annual Tables); and seventh in the world for clinical, pre-clinical and health (Times Higher Education).

Interested individuals must apply online via the link below. Applications must include a (1) letter of interest outlining their relevant experience and vision for the future of the Department of Physical Therapy; (2) current CV; (3) research statement; (4) teaching dossier that includes a teaching statement, sample course materials and teaching evaluations; and (5) statement on philosophy and contributions to EDIIA [maximum 300 words]. Examples of contributions to EDIIA include mentoring of students, administrative staff and/or faculty from underrepresented groups; faculty and/or leadership development initiatives; development of inclusive pedagogies; research, scholarship and/or teaching with a focus on underrepresented and historically marginalized communities; and public engagement activities that reach out to marginalized communities. 

Applicants must provide the name and contact information of three referees. The University of Toronto’s recruiting tool will automatically solicit and collect letters of reference from each referee the day after an application is submitted. Applicants remain responsible for ensuring that referees submit letters—on letterhead, dated and signed—by the closing date. More details on the automatic reference letter collection, including timelines, are available in the candidate FAQ . 

Submission guidelines can be found at http://uoft.me/how-to-apply . Your CV and cover letter should be uploaded into the dedicated fields. 

All application materials, including reference letters, must be received by the closing date, Thursday January 4, 2024.

For detailed information on the Department of Physical Therapy, visit https://www.physicaltherapy.utoronto.ca . The Department of Physical Therapy is located at 500 University Avenue, 8th Floor, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 1V7, CANADA.

If you have questions about this position, contact Anastasia Meletopoulos, Academic Affairs Manager, Temerty Faculty of Medicine at [email protected] . 

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.

Diversity Statement
The University of Toronto embraces Diversity and is building a culture of belonging that increases our capacity to effectively address and serve the interests of our global community. We strongly encourage applications from Indigenous Peoples, Black and racialized persons, women, persons with disabilities, and people of diverse sexual and gender identities. We value applicants who have demonstrated a commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion and recognize that diverse perspectives, experiences, and expertise are essential to strengthening our academic mission.

As part of your application, you will be asked to complete a brief Diversity Survey. This survey is voluntary. Any information directly related to you is confidential and cannot be accessed by search committees or human resources staff. Results will be aggregated for institutional planning purposes. For more information, please see http://uoft.me/UP .

Accessibility Statement
The University strives to be an equitable and inclusive community, and proactively seeks to increase diversity among its community members. Our values regarding equity and diversity are linked with our unwavering commitment to excellence in the pursuit of our academic mission.

The University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). As such, we strive to make our recruitment, assessment and selection processes as accessible as possible and provide accommodations as required for applicants with disabilities.

If you require any accommodations at any point during the application and hiring process, please contact [email protected] .