(When Applying Please Include Cover Letter)

PRIMARY FUNCTION:

This position will provide specialized academic counseling to medical students at Sidney Kimmel Medical College (SKMC). The Director of Academic Support will be part of the Office of Student Affairs & Career Counseling at the medical school and report to the Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs & Career Counseling, while working collaboratively with others in the college to ensure that direct service to students is integrated and equitably available to all SKMC students. The Director of Academic Support will engage students, individually and with group learning activities, at all phases of the medical school curriculum (pre-clerkship and clerkship, including preparation for USMLE Step examinations); develop programming centering on study skills; and interact with teaching faculty.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

• Comprehensive Needs Assessment: Conduct a thorough needs assessment to identify the specific academic support needs of medical students at SKMC across all phases of the curriculum and USMLE preparation.
• Strategic Planning: Develop a strategic plan outlining clear objectives, goals, and strategies for providing specialized academic counseling and support services to medical students. Ensure alignment with the overall mission and goals of the Office of Student Affairs and Career Counseling and SKMC.
• Personalized Counseling: Implement personalized academic counseling services that address the unique needs and challenges of individual medical students. Offer one-on-one counseling sessions to provide tailored support and guidance.
• Group Learning Activities: Develop and facilitate group learning activities that promote peer support, collaboration, and the exchange of academic strategies and resources among medical students. These activities include but are not limited to study groups, workshops, or seminars focused on study skills and exam preparation.
• Programming Development: Create and implement programming centered on study skills enhancement, time management, test-taking strategies, and stress management techniques tailored to the demands of medical education. Develop, manage, and coordinate a peer tutoring program to provide additional academic support for students. Evaluate the effectiveness of these programs regularly and make adjustments as needed.
• Maintain database systems for tracking students and issues pertinent to the success of each student and ensure proper documentation of student study plans, visit/session notes, and exam scores. Track student outcomes and identify academic interventions to support student success. Monitor student performance and initiate contact with students experiencing difficulty.
• Collaboration with Faculty and Administrators: Work closely with medical school faculty, administrators, and staff to identify academic challenges and implement proactive strategies to address them. Serve as a member of a multidisciplinary team to identify and address students with academic deficits and develop tailored support plans. Provide faculty with resources and training on supporting students' academic success and promoting a culture of academic excellence.
• Technology Integration: Explore the use of technology tools and platforms to enhance academic support services, such as online resources, interactive tutorials, and virtual study groups.
• Professional Development: Participate in ongoing professional development opportunities for the Director of Academic Support and other staff members involved in delivering academic counseling services. Stay informed about best practices in medical education, counseling techniques, and student success initiatives.

OTHER FUNCTIONS AND COMPETENCIES needed in addition to Essential Functions:

• Continuous Improvement Process: Establish a systematic process for continuous improvement of academic support services, utilizing data-driven insights. Regularly evaluate the effectiveness of academic support programs and services and make necessary adjustments based on feedback and performance metrics. Seek out new and innovative curricula, texts, and technological applications to benefit student learning.
• Stay Updated with Latest Trends: Stay informed about the latest trends in medical education, academic support, and student success initiatives. Incorporate best practices into programming to ensure that academic support services remain relevant and effective. Participate in national organizations and conferences to understand new strategies for academic success and bring insights back to SKMC.

Qualifications

EDUCATIONAL/TRAINING REQUIREMENTS:

• Doctoral degree in Education, Counseling, Educational Psychology, Psychology, Higher Education, or a related field required

EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS:

• A minimum of 3-5 years of experience in academic and/or career counseling in a higher education setting preferred.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

• College level Teaching Experience is preferred but not required
• Experience in student affairs/individual/group coaching or counseling is required
• Experience using diagnostic educational and learning tool is required
• Prior experience with assessments related to achievement, intellectual functioning, attention, test anxiety, DSM-V criteria, learning styles and career development; including but not limited to: WAIS, Woodcock-Johnson, Nelson-Denny, Myers Briggs, LASSI is required

Conditions of Employment

Covid Vaccination is a requirement for employment at Jefferson for employees working at Jefferson's clinical entities or at the University. If you are not currently vaccinated you will be required to receive the vaccination prior to hire date if you are offered employment, unless you request and receive an approved medical or religious exemption from Jefferson.

Closing Statement

Jefferson includes Thomas Jefferson University and Jefferson Health, a dynamic university and health system with broad reach across the Delaware Valley. Jefferson is the second largest employer in Philadelphia and the largest health system in Philadelphia based on total licensed beds.

Through the merger of Thomas Jefferson University and Philadelphia University in 2017, our University includes ten colleges and four schools. We are an NCAA Division II university and an R2 national doctoral university offering undergraduate and graduate-level programs that provide students with a forward-thinking education in architecture, business, design, engineering, fashion and textiles, health, medicine and social science.

Jefferson Health, the clinical arm of Thomas Jefferson University, has grown from a three-hospital academic health center in 2015, to an 18-hospital health system through mergers and combinations that include hospitals at Abington Health, Aria Health, Kennedy Health, Magee Rehabilitation and Einstein Healthcare Network. We have over 50 outpatient and urgent care centers; ten Magnet®-designated hospitals (recognized by the ANCC for nursing excellence); the NCI-designated Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center (one of only 70 in the country and one of only two in the region); and one of the largest faculty-based telehealth networks in the country. In 2021, Jefferson Health became the sole owner of HealthPartners Plan, a not-for-profit health maintenance organization in Southeastern Pennsylvania. We are the first health system regionally to create an aligned payer-provider partnership.

Jefferson's mission, vision and values create an organization that attracts the best and the brightest students, faculty, staff, and healthcare professionals, as well as the most visionary leaders to drive exceptional results.

• OUR MISSION: We improve lives.
• OUR VISION: Reimagining health, education and discovery to create unparalleled value
• OUR VALUES: Put People First, Be Bold & Think Differently and Do the Right Thing

As an employer, Jefferson maintains a commitment to provide equal access to employment. Jefferson values diversity and encourages applications from women, members of minority groups, LGBTQ individuals, disabled individuals, and veterans.

Par Reference Code

106035