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Associate Director, Curriculum (Indigenous Communities & Health)

Department: School of Medicine
Position supervisor: Assistant Dean, Curricular Innovation
Contract length: 3 years
Hours of work per week: 0.2 FTE (7.25 hours per week)
Position type: Clinical Faculty 
Rate of pay: Daily rate for MDs 

About the School of Medicine

It’s time to transform medical education. Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Medicine is being designed to shift the paradigm of healthcare delivery and improve the well-being of individuals, families and communities. With a community-driven, intentionally inclusive approach, the new school will train doctors whose cultural awareness and humility are as crucial as their medical skills.

Led by Dr. Teresa M. Chan, a forward-thinking educational leader, TMU’s School of Medicine will draw on the university’s commitment to community, equity, and innovation to address rapidly changing healthcare needs. The school will train a new generation of physicians who are ready to learn, to adapt, and ultimately to be agents of change.

Work across the School of Medicine will be supported by its Social Accountability office to ensure a focus on Black community health, Indigenous community health, anti-racism, anti-ableism, disability inclusion and universal design, anti-homophobia and transphobia, to create a positive health environment for LGBTQ2SI+, and to serve and work in partnership with historically under-represented and under-served communities as a positive space.

Brampton/Peel and its surrounding communities, are part of the Treaty Lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit.  We acknowledge that these lands are also the shared space of Anishinabek, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee, Ojibway/Chippewa and Métis peoples.

We honour the Indigenous peoples who cared for this land for thousands of years before us, and commit to valuing the Two Row Wampum.  This Living Treaty represents settlers and Indigenous peoples moving forward together, in parallel, respecting each other’s ways of being, knowing and doing.

We honour the Dish with One Spoon Treaty, and in this spirit we strive to treat the land and people of our community with mutual respect, taking only what we need and sharing what is available to ensure sustainability for those that follow us.

The opportunity

The Associate Director, Curriculum plays an integral role in shaping the course of medical education within the School of Medicine. With six distinct Course Programs — Practice of Medicine, Health Systems Sciences, Community and Global Health, Professional and Personal Development, Person-Centred Care, and Indigenous Communities & Health—each Associate Director ensures that their respective program's content aligns with the overarching vision and mission of the School of Medicine and Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU).

The Associate Director, Curriculum, Indigenous Communities & Health at TMU School of Medicine is a pivotal leadership role ensuring alignment with the institutional vision and mission. This involves strategic curriculum development, implementation, and improvement to enhance educational experiences for medical students. In collaboration with various leaders such as the Director and Associate Directors of Curriculum, Thread Leads, and other relevant stakeholders, the Associate Director, Curriculum, Indigenous Communities & Health is a subject matter expert and aims to develop competency-based curricula that are aligned with accreditation standards and evolving medical education needs, providing essential skills for clinical practice.

Qualifications

  • Completion of a Doctor of Medicine or equivalent (i.e. MBBS).
  • Must have or be eligible for an appointment to the TMU Clinical Faculty.
  • Must be eligible to hold an appointment at a TMU School of Medicine affiliated clinical partner institution or academic health centre.
  • At least 3 years of experience in Indigenous pedagogy or health education and/or as a member of a School of Medicine clinical faculty, preferably with experience in designing and delivering medical education, including curriculum development and innovation.
  • A minimum of three years of experience in medical education and must have evidence of administrative and curricular responsibilities in a Medical School educational activity.
  • Knowledge of and understanding of the implementation of competency-based education.
  • Must be certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) or by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC).
  • Must hold a valid and current licence to practise medicine in Ontario or another Canadian jurisdiction at the time of application.
  • Extensive knowledge of the Indigenous Ways of Being, Knowing and Doing to lead in and enable design and delivery within and across the UGME curriculum.
  • Ability to lead curriculum and/or assessment development and innovation with change management for the Indigenous Communities & Health area. 
  • Experience with Indigenous pedagogical approaches to learning.
  • Strong leadership, communication, organisational and interpersonal skills.
  • Leadership skills and ability to engage in collaborative consultations and effective respectful communications with internal and external stakeholders.
  • Demonstrated success working in collaborative in-person and virtual teams.
  • Ability to meet pressured and tight deadlines and outcomes.
  • Experience with embedding EDIA into administrative activities and leadership practices and insights on integrating these values into the Indigenous Communities & Health curriculum development.
  • Strong commitment and focus to principles of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility (EDIA) in learning, patient care and leadership, with a track record of advancing EDIA and decolonization.
  • Record of educational research, and publication/presentations for peer review.
  • Knowledge, understanding and/or experience in the Indigenous Communities & Health area with a focus on quality improvement processes and application through educational evaluation in medical education.

In addition to the above, the following TMU Leadership Competencies are required:

  • Acts with Integrity: Demonstrates behaviours aligned with high ethical standards and personal integrity and acts in accordance with TMU values
  • Builds Relationships of Trust and Collaboration: Actively builds a culture of trust and fosters meaningful relationships.
  • Leads Inclusively: Creates an inclusive environment where everyone is respected, recognized, empowered to achieve their potential and valued for their differences.
  • Demonstrates Organisational Acumen: Understands and respectfully navigates complex internal and external environments by using sound judgement, diplomacy and tact.
  • Drives Vision & Results: Creates and implements a vision grounded in sound decision-making to achieve desired outcomes

How to apply - Deadline to Apply October 31, 2024

The preference is for applications to be submitted online through the Google form available  (google form) here (external link) . If a candidate does not have access to a Google account, applications 

may be submitted via email to medicine@torontomu.ca. Applications submitted by email should include:

  • The position the applicant is applying for
  • The applicant’s name and contact information
  • Whether the applicant is a citizen or permanent resident of Canada

All applications should include the following components as separate attachments:

Curriculum Vitae (CV):

Please provide a detailed curriculum vitae highlighting your relevant education, work experience, skills, and accomplishments.

Cover Letter:

Please provide a brief cover letter introducing yourself and explaining why you are interested in the Associate Director, Curriculum, Indigenous Communities & Health position. Be sure to comment specifically on your background and experiences, as noted in the section “Qualifications” above, within medical education and any current or past involvement with the institutions providing healthcare in Brampton and surrounding areas.

Response to Application Questions:

  1. How would you design a course on Indigenous Communities & Health to be delivered using active learning techniques?
  2. What influence will your positionality have over your role as an Associate Director, Curriculum, Indigenous Communities & Health?

Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority, in accordance with Canadian immigration regulations. Candidates must therefore indicate in their application if they are a permanent resident or citizen of Canada.

About Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University)

Serving a highly diverse student population of over 45,000, with 100+ undergraduate and graduate programs built on the integration of theoretical and practical learning and distinguished by a professionally focussed curriculum with a strong emphasis on excellence in teaching, research and creative activities, TMU is a vibrant, urban university known for its culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, community engagement and city-building through its award-winning architecture.

At the intersection of mind and action, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. Integral to this path is the placement of equity, diversity and inclusion as fundamental to our institutional culture. Our current Academic Plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do.

TMU welcomes those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of equity, diversity, and inclusion and will assist us in realizing the benefits of embedding these values into the work at every level and in every unit of the university. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada and to bring lived experiences to the work, we encourage applications from members of equity deserving groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples in Canada, First Nations Peoples in the United States, racialized people, Black people, persons with disabilities, women, and  2SLGBTQ+ people.

In April 2022, the university announced our new name of Toronto Metropolitan University, which will be implemented in a phased approach. Learn more about our next chapter.

Toronto Metropolitan University’s commitment to equity, diversity inclusion, and accessibility

  • We encourage all First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples or Indigenous peoples of North America, to self-identify in their applications. If you are an Indigenous applicant and require support during the recruitment process, please reach out to James McKay, Indigenous HR Lead at james13@torontomu.ca. 
  • Toronto Metropolitan University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and aims to ensure that independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity are embedded in all aspects of the university culture. To find out more about legal and policy obligations please visit the Accessibility and Human Rights websites.
  • Candidates who belong to one or more of the equity-deserving groups recognized at TMU are welcome to connect with Ahmed Ahmed [a.ahmed@torontomu.ca], Interim Executive Director, Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion.
  • For any confidential accommodation needs in order to participate in the recruitment and selection process and/or inquiries regarding accessing the application please contact medicine@torontomu.ca.
  • Clinical Faculty requiring accommodations can access support via TMU Workplace Wellness: https://www.torontomu.ca/human-resources/askhr/workplace-wellbeing-services/