Program Assistant, Kelowna Site FP PG and Faculty Development SMP

Job Category
BCGEU Okanagan Support Staff

Job Title
Program Assistant, Kelowna Site FP PG and Faculty Development SMP

Department
Administrative Support Interior | Medical Postgraduate | Faculty of Medicine

Posting End Date
May 27, 2024

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the day prior to the Posting End Date above.

Job End Date

This position is located within a health-care facility, therefore, the successful candidate will be required to provide verification of full vaccination against Covid-19 provided prior to the start date, as required by a provincial health mandate.

This position is part-time salaried 0.8 FTE and the full-time salary range will be prorated accordingly.

Please include a cover letter with your application.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Background:

The Faculty of Medicine delivers Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) in Family Practice and over 80 specialty and subspecialty programs recognized by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the College of Family Physicians of Canada. Within the Interior Health region, there will be seven family practice sites through the Interior as of July 2024; the Kelowna Rural and Regional streams operate from the Clinical Academic Campus at KGH.

The Southern Medical Program (SMP) is one of four distributed Medical Undergraduate Programs (MDUP) within the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine.  The program is delivered in partnership with the University of British Columbia (UBC), the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC) and the University of Victoria (UVic) and in close collaboration with the Interior Health Authority (IH).  The SMP delivers its education and training at five primary education sites at UBC Okanagan, Kelowna General Hospital, Vernon Jubilee Hospital, Royal Inland Hospital, and Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital in addition to regional and community hospitals, community health centers, and family physician offices in 30 different communities.

JOB SUMMARY

The Program Assistant provides diversified and complex administrative support for the Family Practice (FPPG) Postgraduate Program and Faculty Development activities for the Southern Medical Program (SMP) at the Kelowna Site.  The incumbent is responsible for core operational functions of the FPPG program at the site: they will coordinate the resident academic and clinical experiences, implement procedures and processes, facilitate faculty leadership initiatives, and advise learners. The incumbent is given varying degrees of latitude for exercising independent initiative and judgement to develop operational procedures, determine priorities, and coordinate program deliverables.  Administrative staff in the FPPG program are required to have an extensive understanding of programmatic, site, and Faculty of Medicine (FOM) policies and procedures. Additionally, incumbents will develop a large network of relationships with stakeholders within the Health Authorities, Hospital Departments, UBC units, and Faculty of Medicine Undergraduate and Postgraduate Offices.

ORGANIZATIONAL STATUS

This position reports to the Manager, Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) Interior. The incumbent will also receive direction from the Kelowna FPPG Site Coordinators, Faculty Leadership, as well as the Department of Family Practice administrative leaders.  

The incumbent will work closely with Faculty Leadership, Program Managers, Program Administrators, Clinical Faculty, and Interior Health Administrators. The incumbent interacts independently with the FoM Postgraduate Medical Education and Faculty Development offices, residents, medical students, clinical faculty, as well external organizations such as The College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia, and Resident Doctors of BC. 

WORK PERFORMED

FP PG Program Delivery:

• Administers work flow and designs operational processes
• Responds to complex inquiries and triages dynamic, sensitive, and confidential issues in varying domains such as resident performance, preceptor issues, financial concerns and other elements of program delivery
• Supports the Site Director (SD) and residents in navigating/interpreting University, Faculty of Medicine, and Postgraduate Education policies; provides recommendations for site specific guidelines
• Organizes and supports the Site Resident Training Committee; in collaboration with the Site Coordinators, ensures key issues are brought forward for discussion
• Organizes and facilitates educational functions such as orientation, practice exams, procedural skills workshops, simulation sessions and scholarship events.
• Organizes faculty development and behavioral medicine sessions in collaboration with Site Faculty.
• Supports the accreditation processes by identifying areas of risk and providing recommendations to the Site Coordinators and Site Director; contributes to accreditation documentation; coordinates logistical aspects of accreditation visits
• Maintains the on-line learning platforms related to rotations/electives (current examples are MedNET and Entrada).
• Acts as a liaison between the Central FPPG office, Kelowna Site stakeholders, clinical departments and residents
• Prepares meeting materials and provides additional meeting/workshop support as needed
• Other duties as required

Clinical Scheduling:

• Develops, maintains and distributes resident schedules; facilitates the placement of electives:
• Requires collaboration and frequent communication with various clinics, hospitals, and departments to establish capacity and secure placements
• Ensures preceptors and hospital administrators are aware of the protected academic sessions and resident time off
• Plans specialized schedules for residents with accommodations or unique learning plans
• Triages scheduling issues on behalf of the preceptor and residents
• Posts rotation learning objectives online for residents; ensures documents remain up to date
• Responsible for keeping the online scheduling systems (One45 and CPMS) current with resident and preceptor data
• Facilitates and monitor clinical faculty appointments to ensure preceptors are approved to teach.

Academic Curriculum and Sessions:

• Develops the academic schedule, topics, and events in collaboration with the SC and SD; sessions vary in style and delivery (procedural skills workshops, scholarly/research projects, simulation labs, didactic sessions, journal club etc.)
• Responsible for recruitment and scheduling of presenters
• Distributes objectives and cases and all supporting documentation to residents and presenters
• Responsible for securing rooms and video conferencing options as well as troubleshooting issues during the delivery of the session
• Coordinates academic sessions with other FPPG sites to share teaching resources

Finance:

• Maintains an in-depth knowledge of the financial policies and procedures in relation to the FPPG program, with emphasis on resident reimbursement, teaching payments and faculty reimbursements
• Tracks and submits academic teaching payments  
• Monitors spending of the Resident Activity Fund: approves and processes reimbursements, instructs residents and faculty on the parameters of use for the Resident Activity Funds
• Approves and triages resident reimbursements paid by PGME; drafts communication pertaining to PGME reimbursement policies
• Tracks and calculates clinical teaching payments and provides detailed reports to the FPPG Central Office

Assessment & Evaluation:

• Maintain/updates individual academic records for residents; including tracking and escalating performance or professionalism related issues
• Monitors assessment and evaluation of Residents through the online system; responsible for disseminating assessment forms in a timely manner.
• Schedules periodic reviews (resident progression) and generates assessment reports to support these meetings
• Coordinates and supports the Site Level Competency Committee meetings
• Disseminates and tracks completion of teacher assessment and rotation evaluations; creates year end evaluation reports which are reviewed by SD

Resident Support:

• Responsible for approving and updating resident records in the Resident Management System relating to academic promotion, vacation, and sick leave/absences
• Liaises with the credentialing and licensing bodies to provide information on resident academic standing, recommendations for writing the CFPC exam, and completion of training
• Participates in the planning and execution of site events such as orientation, scholar days, and graduation
• Responds to inquires in alignment with the Resident Doctors of BC Collective Agreement
• Liaises with health authority partners to arrange patient system records access, training and hospital access
• Aids in the securing of housing for residents

Resident Selection:

• Organizes recruitment sessions with potential applicants
• Collaborates on the creation promotional material and social media content to market the site
• Engages with community partners to create opportunities to attract future doctors to the site
• Participates in the development of resident selection criteria and scoring at the site level

Coordinates SMP Faculty Development activities (0.3 FTE):

• Coordinates logistics and supports Faculty Development activities, events, and meetings under the direction of the SMP Faculty Development Director through the Interior sites.  Includes development of invitation lists, registration, agendas, minutes, schedules, room bookings (AV equipment), catering, organizing and distributing learning materials, reports, producing and distribution of associated certification.
• Monitors and tracks Faculty Development training expenses pertaining to activities, events and meetings and reporting to the Faculty Development Director and Financial Officer; ensuring payments are made as per policies and procedures.
• Maintains database records: producing reports as required by the Faculty Development Director, Regional Associate Dean and Administrative Director (e.g., summary evaluation report for major faculty development initiatives).
• Produces certificates, and ensures liaison with UBC Faculty of Medicine Faculty Development Office and UBC Continuing Professional Development Office regarding faculty development activity.
• Coordinates the SMP Student Awards packages and adjudication meetings and communication to group members with guidance from the Faculty Development Director and Faculty of Medicine members.
• Coordinates the administrative process and submission of Teaching Awards for the Interior through collaboration with the Faculty Development Director, Regional Associate Dean and Communications Manager.  Current examples include Faculty of Medicine, UBC / UBCO, student nominated, and Canadian Association of Medical Education (CAME).  

CONSEQUENCE OF ERROR

This position will be working in a high-performing team environment and will participate in finding solutions to issues. The incumbent must be able to work independently and set priorities. The position will require the ability to make decisions quickly and under stress in a clinical education environment. This position handles inquiries that can be urgent, contentious and/or sensitive in nature. A high degree of confidentiality is required.

Error in judgment, or ineffective communication, may lead to damaged relationships within the medical community, or with the rotation and program.  Loss of preceptors for a Faculty of Medicine Education programs could have immediate repercussions for the learners and residents, and on medical education program delivery, potentially compromising the program effectiveness with long lasting negative impacts amongst the medical community.

SUPERVISION RECEIVED

This position reports to the Manager, Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) Interior. The incumbent will also receive direction from the Kelowna FPPG Site Coordinators, Faculty Leadership, as well as the Department of Family Practice faculty and administrative leaders. 

They are expected to work with minimal level of direction and supervision with a high level of accuracy. This position is expected to be able to take initiative, apply a high level of detail, exercise judgement, problem-solve and troubleshoot, apply discretion to determine course of action and follow through independently. Unusual issues, or decisions where clear procedures are not available, will be directed to the relevant manager, Program Director/Faculty Lead, or the Administrative Director as appropriate for direction, advice and collaboration.

SUPERVISION GIVEN

 None

QUALIFICATIONS

High School graduation and two years post-secondary secondary education. Minimum three (3) years' experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience. Previous medical education or post-secondary administrative experience an asset. Experience with working in a collaborative, team environment.

• Excellent organizational skills including setting priorities and managing multiple tasks is a requirement.
• Enthusiasm to nurture an environment that celebrates diversity, builds on strengths found in differences and seeks to encourage growth in all members of the team;
• Demonstrated interpersonal and diplomacy skills, as well as demonstrated ability to develop effective working relationships with community members, staff, faculty and learners;
• Familiarity with MS Office Suite required, as well as comfort navigating a variety of administrative web-based systems.
• Experience with planning events a requirement
• Must have excellent problem-solving skills, and the ability to navigate the changing landscape of medical education.
• Ability to take initiative, determine course of action and then follow through independently.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both verbally and in writing.
• Works independently and productively in a hybrid and distributed work environment.
• Role requires flexibility to assist with special events outside of normal working hours.