FAU Foundations of Medicine.docx

Director of the Foundations of Medicine Curriculum 

Assistant/Associate Professor of Integrated Medical Science

Position Summary: 

The Schmidt College of Medicine at Florida Atlantic University seeks scholars who are committed to supporting the learning needs of students from diverse backgrounds and to engaging communities underrepresented in higher education. Florida Atlantic University is committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all who interact in our community. In building this environment, we strive to attract students, faculty and staff from a variety of cultures, backgrounds and life experiences. Florida Atlantic University embodies a culture of strategic and collaborative community engagement that results in mutual benefit to the institution and the diverse internal and external communities that it serves.

The Charles E. Schmidt College of Medicine at FAU has an outstanding opportunity for an innovative, dynamic and collaborative clinical faculty member to serve as the Director of the Foundation of Medicine (FOM) Curriculum/Associate Director of Interprofessional Education (IPE) to teach in the undergraduate medical education curriculum, lead the Interprofessional Initiatives for the College with FAU’s Colleges of Nursing and Social Work, as well as other potential roles within the College based on expertise and experience. This position will join the Integrated Medical Science Department as an Assistant/Associate Professor and report to the Assistant Dean for Medical Education/Curriculum and ultimately the Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education and the Chair of the Integrated Medical Science Department. 

The FOM Curriculum Director is a medical educator responsible for building and fostering a positive and inclusive academic learning environment for the faculty, staff and medical students. The Director collaborates with COM leadership to ensure horizontal and vertical integration of the curriculum across the continuum of the MD program. The FOM courses provide students with an understanding of the fundamental principles necessary to become a competent, compassionate and professional physician and opportunities to integrate knowledge of basic science, clinical skills and the science of clinical practice components required for direct patient care. Student activities in the courses in Years 1 and 2 include small group case-based discussions, workshops, lectures, laboratory work, exercises with standardized patients, an inter-professional education program with nursing, pharmacy and social work students, a half-day community preceptorship, experiences in clinics for the underserved, simulation activities in the COM’s Simulation Center, and a wide range of assessments including OSCEs. Other essential learning objectives and subject matter are integrated throughout the curriculum including professionalism, communication, team-based patient centered care, complex chronic disease management, health promotion and disease prevention, reflective practice and self-improvement, and evidence-driven decision making and lifelong learning. These are complex courses involving multiple full time and volunteer faculty.

The Director of FOM will have primary oversight and responsibility to collaborate with the FOM Co-Course Directors on the operations of the four FOM courses (FOM 1, 2, 3 and 4) which run throughout the first two years of medical school. The Director of FOM will: 

• Create, organize, and review course syllabi, learning objectives, and assessment methods and collaborate on instructional materials/content for each session 
• Give lectures, conduct workshops, facilitate small groups for some FOM sessions and in the Introduction to Hospital Medicine, Synthesis and Transition and Transition to Residency courses
• Prepare course exams, participate in OSCEs/Institutional Competency Assessment (ICA) weeks and chair the FOM Course Grading Committee
• Serve as the College’s Associate Director of IPE in the University’s Office of Interprofessional Education and coordinate with the other College’s on the IPE educational curriculum
• Recruit, oversee and evaluate volunteer faculty, university faculty and staff involved in the courses including coordinating with the Clinical Skills and Simulation Center, physician preceptors in the community, and clinics for the underserved

• Coordinate required patient experiences with affiliate community-based faculty
• Create and continually improve education experiences that add value to student learning and competency
• Prepare annual post-course review/self-evaluation of the Course and present to the Curriculum Committee

• Organize and lead facilitator meetings and provide faculty development
• Provide ongoing formative feedback to students and develop and conduct remediation of the course for students as needed
• Advise and mentor students

• Complete Curricular Map of the Course
• Collaborate with basic science, clerkship, thread and curriculum directors to ensure horizontal and vertical integration between components of the medical curriculum
• Serve on College of Medicine curricular and disciplinary committees as assigned

This position will include the expectation of scholarly work which can focus on medical education, clinical practice or scholarship in some other area in which the candidate can collaborate with faculty and trainees. Faculty also participate in other service related activities such as providing mentorship for students, contributing to COM committees, and participating in faculty development, among others. The Director of FOM represents the clinical sciences on curriculum committees and the student promotions committee.

Perform other related duties and complete special projects as assigned.  

Minimum Qualifications:

M.D. or D.O. degree from an accredited institution, board certification in internal medicine (or related primary care specialty), a FL medical license or eligibility for FL licensure, and credentials that merit appointment at the rank of assistant professor or higher. 

Successful candidates would have significant teaching experience with medical students, and demonstrated teaching excellence documented by peer and learner evaluations and possibly teaching awards. Significant experience teaching clinical medicine to medical students in lectures/seminars; small groups; and clinical settings; and expertise in assessment of learner performance. Track record of curriculum development at the level of sessions, courses, and/or clerkships, including experience developing and implementing innovative approaches to education and faculty development for medical educators are anticipated. Consistent track record of scholarship relevant to the priorities and institutional strategic plan of an academic health sciences center including invited lectures, enduring materials, peer reviewed publications and/or grant funded projects, is desirable. Exceptional time management, the ability to be flexible, adaptable, and manage multiple demands and effectively communicate (oral and written) with a wide range of university and health care community stakeholders from widely diverse backgrounds is required. Possess a high level of professionalism, independence and dependability.