Discipline Chair for Pharmacology

Job Title: Discipline Chair for Pharmacology

Department: Biomedical Affairs and Research Date: March 2025

FLSA: Exempt Work Location: Auburn Campus

Employee Category: T/R Faculty Work Schedule: M-F, 8am - 5pm

Reports to: Associate Dean for Biomedical
Affairs and Research

Percent Employment: 100%

Direct Reports: N/A

I. Job Summary:
The Discipline Chair will serve as the Course Director for the Pharmacology course and for
content in the Discipline in the Clinical Medicine course small group cases. The Chair will teach
medical students Pharmacology across a two-year preclinical curriculum, to conduct research
and scholarly activity, and to provide service to the institution. The Chair will also coordinate
and integrate the basic science discipline with the clinical curriculum and work collaboratively
with the Virginia, Carolinas, and Louisiana campus faculty to ensure that the learning objectives,
curriculum, and testing methods are consistent across campuses. The Chair will provide
leadership in research together with the Virginia, Carolinas and Louisiana campuses, and assist
faculty in the discipline and related disciplines in grant writing efforts to seek extramural
funding.

II. Job Duties:
1. Oversee the development, organization, and delivery of the Pharmacology lectures, small group

cases, flipped classroom-reviews, and to oversee any Pharmacology laboratory instruction in the
Pre-Clinical Blocks. To provide from time to time Pharmacology content/expertise for
integration into the clinical years.

2. Serve as the Course Director for Pharmacology preparing the syllabi with all instruction,
objectives, and preparing all exams for the course annually. Work collaboratively with the Chairs
on the other 3 VCOM campuses to assure consistency in content, objectives, and exam methods
across campuses.

3. Provide classroom lectures and provide flipped classroom designed instruction to review the
small group case presentation curriculum.

4. Provide Pharmacology content for the small group cases presented in infectious disease in the
clinical medicine course.

5. Update the Pharmacology curriculum on an annual basis, in cooperation and collaboration with
the Chairs from the other 3 VCOM campuses, assure a common curriculum, objectives, and
exam methods. Attend the Curriculum retreat annually.

6. Perform research in an area related to your field of expertise and provide scholarly activity
annually. Be active in seeking and obtaining funding for that research. Mentor junior faculty and
students in research.

7. Assure the College remains current with scientific trends within the discipline of Pharmacology.
8. Serve as a liaison for the College with other academic sites, and agencies, as appropriate.
9. Work in a positive manner with the Campus Dean and the Associate Dean for Medical

Education for the development of the Biomedical Division and the integrated curriculum.

10. Represent the College in a positive manner which facilitates a pleasant and productive work
environment especially in interactions with students, faculty, and staff.

11. Participate in faculty development and faculty meetings.
12. Attend all Biomedical Division and Research meetings held by the College.
13. Obtain/ maintain literacy in your field.
14. Be familiar with and adhere to the administrative and academic practices, policies and

procedures of the College as set forth in the Faculty Handbook, College Catalog and College
Policies Manual.

15. Submit an annual Faculty Activity Report.
16. Participate in student candidate interviews and service to the college as assigned by the Dean, or

Associate Dean.
17. Perform other duties as assigned.

III. Required Qualifications:
Education: PhD in Pharmacology or equivalent degree, a PharmD degree, or a DO or MD
degree with relevant experience in Pharmacology teaching
Licensure or certification: N/A
Experience:

• Achieved (or eligible for) the rank of Associate or Full Professor

• Publications in peer reviewed journals

• A strong record of university committee participation

• A record of community service

• Ability to mentor students

• A strong record of scholarly activity that includes development of /participation in a

• Postdoctoral experience in a field of biomedical research

• Teaching experience at the graduate or medical school level

• Excellent interpersonal and communications skills

• Strong team player

• Commitment to institutional mission and values

• Basic computer proficiency
  

Preferences may be given to applicants who have the following skills or attributes.

• have an active research program and/or

• membership on a grant review board

IV. Working Conditions and Efforts: The physical demands and work environment characteristics
described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully
perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable
individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The position requires a rapid

pace, some days with long hours to meet expectations, long distance driving to rural sites, and
the ability to organize, interpret, and utilize a large volume of information.

Physical demands: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is required to ambulate
(may be with use of assisted devices); sit, stand (or accommodate for standing); use hands and
vision for teaching; use office equipment such as computers; speak to large and small groups of
individuals for teaching; perform moderate telephone and poly-com communication/usage;
occasionally be required to life and/or move up to 50 pounds; drive distances up to five hours
or to fly on occasion to other campuses or meetings.

Work environment: Office, classroom, laboratory constitute working environments. Outside
travel required up to 5% of time. The noise level in the work environment is usually minimal.
The pace of the work requires a rapid pace to synthesize and organize large volumes of material,
while prioritizing duties.

This position is classified as exempt, at the Professional level, because it requires the
advanced knowledge of a “learned professional” in which to meet the job duty
requirements.

Employment with VCOM is “at-will”. This means employment is for an indefinite

period of time and it is subject to termination by the employee or by VCOM, with or

without cause, with or without notice, and at any time. Nothing in this position

description or any other policy of VCOM shall be interpreted to be in conflict with or to

eliminate or modify in any way, the “at-will” employment status of VCOM employees.

V. VCOM Core Values: The employee is expected to adhere to all VCOM polices. As the
environment is a professional college, the VCOM faculty/staff are expected to dress and behave in a
professional manner at work. VCOM faculty/staff are expected as VCOM employees, to be a
person who obeys all laws and professional expectations of an upstanding citizen of the community.
VCOM expects all employees to maintain a positive attitude in all working relationships with all
VCOM departments, employees, medical students, prospective medical students, interns and
residents and to treat all others engaged in the duties of the employment, with mutual respect.