Sessional Instructor, Master of Physician Assistant Studies, Cumming School of Medicine

Description
The Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) Program,  Cumming School of Medicine , at the University of Calgary invites applications for a  Sessional Instructor  to serve as a Foundations Educator in the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) Program.

Term Dates:  Friday, January 1, 2027 - Friday, December 31, 2027

Courses of Instruction:
Winter 2027 (Monday, January 4, 2027 - Friday, April 30, 2027)

MDPS 622 - Foundations of Practice II

MDPS 630 - Foundations of Practice V

Spring 2027 (Monday, May 3, 2027 - Friday, June 25, 2027)

MDPS 623 - Foundations of Practice III - Part I

MDPS 627 - Foundations of Practice VI - Part I

Summer 2027 (Monday, June 28, 2027 - Friday, August 20, 2027)

MDPS 624 - Foundations of Practice III - Part II

MDPS 628 - Foundations of Practice VI - Part II

Fall 2027 (Monday, August 30, 2027 - Friday, December 17, 2027)

MDPS 621 - Foundations of Practice I

MDPS 629 - Foundations of Practice IV

The successful candidate will deliver high-quality instruction within the Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) curriculum through a combination of large-group teaching, small-group facilitation, experiential learning, simulation, and case-based instruction. Teach foundational and applied concepts that support the development of competent, compassionate, and practice-ready Physician Assistants. Develop instructional materials, learning activities, and educational resources that support student learning and engagement. Provide timely formative and summative feedback to learners and contribute to student assessment activities.

Facilitate learning in areas including:

Professional identity formation

Foundations of physician assistant practice

Professionalism

Clinical reasoning

Health systems and team-based care

Other non-clinical competencies relevant to physician assistant education

The successful candidate will serve as the primary educator responsible for delivery of major components of the longitudinal Foundations of Practice curriculum. In collaboration with the Medical Director and other faculty, the successful candidate will coordinate the delivery of the curriculum across both years of the program, ensuring continuity of learning and integration of professional competencies with students' evolving clinical knowledge and experiences.

Responsibilities include:

Coordinate the delivery of the Year One and Year Two Foundations of Practice curriculum in collaboration with the Medical Director and other faculty.

Develop and deliver instructional sessions that integrate professional identity formation, physician assistant practice, professionalism, health systems, ethics, and other foundational non-clinical competencies.

Develop and facilitate sessions that prepare students for transition into clinical practice and clerkship.
Facilitate Year Two clinical review sessions that support integration of students' clerkship experiences through case-based discussions, diagnostic reasoning, evidence-informed practice, and reflective learning.

Collaborate with clinical faculty to ensure alignment between didactic and clinical learning experiences.

Support curriculum mapping, course evaluation, and continuous quality improvement activities consistent with accreditation standards.

Lead the integration of narrative medicine, reflective practice, and humanistic approaches throughout the curriculum.

Develop educational activities that promote empathy, patient-centred care, resilience, communication, and reflective practice.

Facilitate reflective discussions and longitudinal professional development exercises that foster professional identity formation and lifelong learning.

Serve as a mentor for physician assistant students throughout the program.

Provide academic guidance, coaching, and professional mentorship.

Support students in achieving academic and professional success through individualized guidance and timely feedback.

Participate in student individualized learning plans, as appropriate.

Develop, administer, and evaluate learner assessments aligned with course learning objectives.

Participate in assessment review, standard setting, and continuous improvement of evaluation processes.

Contribute to Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), simulation-based assessments, and other competency-based evaluation activities.

Contribute to the ongoing development, implementation, and evaluation of the MPAS curriculum.

Participate in curriculum review, educational innovation, and quality improvement initiatives.

Contribute to accreditation activities, curriculum mapping, and program evaluation.

Engage in scholarly activities related to physician assistant education, health professions education, or educational innovation, as appropriate.

Participate in faculty meetings, curriculum committees, admissions activities, and other educational initiatives as assigned.

Collaborate with faculty, clinical preceptors, and community partners to support the successful delivery of the MPAS curriculum.

Contribute to a collegial and…