Academic Skills Specialist

Carle Illinois College of Medicine

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (Illinois) and Carle Health System (Carle) have embarked on an exciting endeavor by creating the nation’s first engineering-based college of medicine. The Carle Illinois College of Medicine is seeking an Academic Skills Specialist to support the academic success of highly selective students in an innovatively designed curriculum.

The Academic Skills Specialist will create, develop, and implement academic intervention programs for groups of students as well as provide individual academic skills consultations to facilitate success in medical school. The individual selected to hold this administrative position may qualify for faculty status within the medical college, and if so, may be considered for a concurrent unpaid, non-tenured, faculty appointment.

This is a rare opportunity to join an enthusiastically engaged, multi-disciplinary group of academic scholars, health care professionals, and specialists in medical education at the intersection of engineering, biological, and clinical sciences.  This is a full-time, benefits eligible Academic Professional position.  Salary will be commensurate with experience and qualifications. The start date will be as soon as possible after the close of the search.  

Responsibilities include:

• Provide individual academic skills assessments and consultations with elite students in order to ensure students reach their potential and achieve their own personal learning goals.
• Meet with students to assess their need for academic support services and help them develop effective habits and active learning strategies for medical school study and exam taking.
• Work with the areas of student assessment, student affairs, and small group facilitators to identify students demonstrating academic difficulty then reach out to these students and offer assistance.
• Help students with disabilities (e.g., ADHD or learning disabilities), and assist with arrangements to apply for academic accommodations per University policy.
• Follow up with students and maintain appropriate documentation.
• Collaborate with others in the Academic Affairs and Student Affairs areas to create, develop, and implement intervention programs for groups of students, faculty and staff, including mandatory sessions on active learning strategies for all first year students and workshops on topics including learning styles, stress management, and cultural competencies.
• Provide academic coaching and support for students on an ongoing basis, monitoring and tracking progress of students participating in assistance.
• Maintain communication with faculty and staff in support of students.
• Attend meetings, seminars, and trainings to develop faculty and staff understanding of board examinations and student success rates.
• Assist with the development and management of programs to prepare students for licensure exams; provide in-service examinations to increase performance for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and board preparation.
• Serve as a member of the overall student services and development team.
• Work with the academic technologies area in the College to ensure students are adept with these as related to computer based examinations and quizzes, education assignments, evaluation instruments/tools, and surveys.
• Develop skills assessment methods and offer assistance that compliments and aligns with the case-driven, problem-based, active learning environment of curriculum delivery.
• Prepare student academic skills assistance-related accreditation reports for the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) and reports for various stakeholders.
• Foster a culture of diversity and inclusion and champion positive inter-professional relationships bridging the college’s private/public organization and missions.
• Collaborate on an ongoing basis with the areas of Faculty Affairs, Curriculum Development, Student Affairs, Faculty Development, Academic Technologies, and others as needed in an environment of collaboration and inclusion, combined strengths, and administrative transparency.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships in a manner consistent with a workplace of dignity and respect; support and engage in equal employment opportunity principles, rules, and regulations.
• Attend meetings pertinent to the Carle Illinois College of Medicine and participate in personal professional development related to the topics of student skills assessment and assistance; keep abreast of advances in the field and updates to expectations and requirements for outcomes measurement and evaluation of the student academic skills area.
• Will require working a flexible schedule to accommodate students’ class, exam and rotation commitments.
• Perform other related duties or projects as assigned to further the mission of the college.

Required education:  Master’s degree.

Preferred education:  Master’s degree in educational psychology, biological sciences or higher education preferred, other degree fields will be considered. Advanced degree, preferably terminal degree with a specialty in Educational Psychology.

Required experience, skills and abilities include:

• Minimum of 2 years of experience in educational training, educational counseling, higher education administration, education or related experience. A PhD or EdD (including ABD) in a related field may be substituted for work experience.
• Experience conducting educational workshops and seminars with both large audiences and small groups.
• Evidence of effective use of strong interpersonal and communications skills that incorporate tact and diplomacy.
• Evidence of excellent collaboration skills, with the ability to cultivate relationships to think creatively and solve problems.
• Must have advising/counseling skills and strong interpersonal/human relations skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills are required, including the ability to appropriately manage discrete and confidential information.
• Excellent independent judgment and problem-solving skills.
• Must have strong project management, and team-building skills, as well as skills and abilities to work cooperatively with all constituencies in a unique environment of engineering-based medical education in the context of the Carle and Illinois private/public relationship.
• The position requires strong work ethic, an approachable demeanor, and a consistent focus on the academic standing and support of students.
• Must be willing to learn all aspects of the college’s strategic approach to curriculum, research, diversity and inclusion, and collaborative approach.
• Must be willing to learn and respect University policies, relevant Liaison Committee on Medical Education standards and Carle policies related to physicians serving as educators.

Preferred experience, skills and abilities include:

• Knowledge of student and patient privacy regulations (FERPA, HIPAA, etc.).
• Experience working with culturally diverse elite students.

Procedure for candidacy:

For more information on the Carle Illinois College of Medicine, please visit https://medicine.illinois.edu/.  Applications will be accepted until the position is filled, and review of applications will begin immediately.  For fullest consideration, applicant materials should be received by no later than April 30, 2018. Interested candidates must create a candidate profile through https://jobs.illinois.edu/ submit an application, resume, and a letter of interest.  Also required is a list of names and contact information of three professional references.  For further information regarding application procedures, contact Jennifer Steiling at steiling@illinois.edu.

The University of Illinois conducts criminal background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer.

The University of Illinois is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer. Minorities, women, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. For more information, visit http://go.illinois.edu/EEO. To learn more about the University’s commitment to diversity, please visit http://www.inclusiveillinois.illinois.edu