Assistant Dean for Clinical Education

Alice L. Walton School of Medicine (AWSOM) is seeking experienced, motivated, and dedicated leaders and educators to participate in the design and delivery of an innovative four-year medical school curriculum that engages medical students in active and novel learning.

Required Documents to Apply:

Applicants should submit the following materials:
• Letter of interest highlighting essential qualifications and interests
• A detailed curriculum vitae
• Teaching philosophy statement
• Diversity statement

Job Description:

About The Position

All six areas of the curriculum will be woven together into daily teaching and throughout the four-year curriculum. The Assistant Dean for Clinical Education will oversee all elements of the curriculum related to Clinical Care, including all activities involving the cultivation of students’ clinical skills learning throughout the four years. They will be a liaison on behalf of the School of Medicine with the School of Medicine Clinic, a whole health-focused clinic housed within the medical school, staffed by medical school faculty and student learners.

Position Rank/Classification

The position is open at the Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor levels, depending on experience and qualifications.

We are building a workplace and learning climate in which inclusive excellence and whole health principles are inextricable parts of our culture and practices. All voices are heard and valued, and professional and personal growth are actively supported. While AWSOM does not have a tenure track, we are building a school that will facilitate exceptional professional development opportunities for our faculty and other team members.

Major Responsibilities/Essential Functions Specific to the Position:

Contribute to ARCHES curriculum development:

• Create learning objectives and assessment methods around Clinical Care and map them to the curriculum. Ensure students meet objectives in Clinical Care courses.
• Develop and deliver content to learners using active learning methodologies and appropriate assessment methods.
• Contribute to curriculum development by working closely with AWSOM assistant education deans and course directors to ensure Clinical Care topics are woven seamlessly into weekly patient narratives, science of medicine teaching, and other areas. 
• Collaborate with the other assistant education deans and clerkship directors to ensure continuity and best practices and to assess and track student outcomes across the four-year curriculum.
• Assist course directors with identifying and recruiting appropriate clinical expertise for Phases 1-4.
• Support and oversee all aspects of required clinical clerkships.  Each required clerkship is 12 weeks long and include:  Adult Inpatient (includes internal and emergency medicine), Women and Children (obstetrics, gynecology, and pediatrics), Surgery and Procedures (includes anesthesia and radiology), and Whole Health and Mind-Body (includes psychiatry and neurology)
• Recruit, train, and supervise clerkship directors for core clerkships. 
• Together with clerkship directors guide how each clerkship is organized and assure alignment with AWSOM clerkship objectives.
• Oversee clerkship directors’ assignment of students to clinical placements within the clerkship.
• Oversee student achievement of required patient encounters and procedures.
• Monitor compliance with AWSOM education policies and accreditation requirements for clinical education.
• Conduct “Education Rounds” at clinical training sites to observe clinical education and ensure a positive learning environment.
• Monitor clerkship evaluations; propose content and process improvements to the Phase 3 and 4 subcommittee for consideration and advancement to Curriculum Committee for approval.

General activities:

• Participate in monthly meetings of the AWSOM Curriculum Committee and the three subcommittees of the Curriculum Committee.
• Participate in professional development programs to enhance leadership and teaching skills.
• Work collaboratively with the Office of Curricular Affairs.
• Participate in external accreditation and external program review processes, submissions, and follow-up actions.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Requirements

• MD or DO degree 
• Board certification
• FTE up to 1.0, negotiable

Preferred Education

• Additional training or certification in health sciences education

Minimum Work Experiences

• Experience with undergraduate or graduate medical education
• Experience in medical practice
• Demonstrated excellent patient care skills
• Demonstrated experience and expertise in undergraduate and/or postgraduate education, including curriculum development and student evaluation
• Ability to apply adult learning theory
• Ability to effectively mentor individuals, including both faculty members and students
• Commitment to meet and professional development requirements related to this role
• Demonstrated commitment to diversity and inclusiveness and ability to work with varied groups of educators and stakeholders

Preferred Work Experiences and Qualifications

• Five or more years of experience in medical practice
• Proven accomplishments in research and scholarly activity
• Comfort with an array of educational technologies and active learning methodologies
• Strong commitment to self-care

Skills Expected of All AWSOM Team Members

• Exemplary written, verbal and other communication skills
• Adaptable and flexible to the needs of the position and the school
• Collaborative Skills: Build and maintain relationships internal and external to the organization 
• Creative and Open-Minded: Enjoy exploring and supporting innovation in teaching strategies, topic areas, professional growth opportunities, and more
• Discerning: Ability to recognize and support innovation
• Highly self-directed, and reliable and accountable
• Strong commitment to self-care
• Committed to Diversity and Inclusion: Ability to work effectively with a wide variety of stakeholders (e.g., co-workers, students, community members) 
• Ability to effectively mentor a diversity of individuals
• Commitment to meet and maintain professional development requirements related to this role

About Us!

Founded in 2021 by philanthropist Alice Walton, the School of Medicine will offer a medical degree-granting program that builds on conventional medicine with an inclusive, compassionate, and whole health approach. The School of Medicine embraces self-care to empower students to care for their patients and themselves and helps them rise to the health challenges of the 21st century with a focus on mental, physical, social, and emotional health. The School will have an attached clinic for training in these concepts. Currently, the School of Medicine seeks to be a national medical school with the goal of welcoming its inaugural class in 2025, pending programmatic and institutional accreditation.

Construction of the 154,000 square-foot building has begun with the goal of completing and welcoming the first class in Fall 2025, pending accreditation. AWSOM will be located east of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas.

What We Seek

We are building a cadre of medical professionals trained in conventional medicine and in whole health, by reimagining medical education. We seek leaders and faculty who are excited by this endeavor. We are building a health care learning and delivery environment in which diversity is a strength and highly valued. Thus, we seek candidates who contribute to diversity in all its forms. Ideal candidates are committed to our goals of inclusive excellence, and to facilitating optimal health for all using a whole health approach.

Faculty and staff members will contribute to the development and rollout of the ARCHES curriculum, which is built on evidence-based approaches to teaching and learning. It includes the following six core elements:

• Art of Healing
• Research, Entrepreneurship, and Innovation
• Clinical Care
• Health Systems Sciences
• Embracing Whole Health
• Science of Medicine

All six areas of the curriculum will be interwoven throughout the four-year curriculum.

How To Apply

Applicants should submit the following materials:

• Letter of interest highlighting essential qualifications and interests
• A detailed curriculum vitae
• Teaching philosophy statement
• Diversity statement

All offers of employment are contingent on your successful completion (where permitted by state law) of a confidentiality agreement, background check and verification of being fully vaccinated for COVID-19. In addition, you will need to provide proper identification verifying your eligibility to work in the United States on your first day of work.

The Alice L. Walton School of Medicine is an equal opportunity employer committed to building and maintaining a culturally diverse workplace that is free of discrimination and harassment of any kind. We encourage women, minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans to apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, veteran status, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations in the locations where we operate.

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