Academic Associate

McGill University; St. Catharines; On-site; CAD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A prominent Canadian university is looking for a Wellness Consultant to support health professions learners at its Niagara campus. The role includes providing short-term clinical counseling, developing wellness curricula, and collaborating with various teams to enhance learner support. Candidates must be equipped with a PhD or equivalent in a relevant field and have significant experience in mental health programming. Bilingual communication skills in English and French are essential for this role.

Qualifications

• PhD or a graduate degree in a relevant field with a professional order.
• Experience in mental health program design and delivery.
• Understanding of wellness issues in health professionals.

Responsibilities

• Provide short-term counseling to PGME learners.
• Develop wellness curriculum and workshops.
• Collaborate with teams to enhance student support.

Skills

Mental health program design

Crisis management

Communication skills

Counseling

Teamwork

Education

PhD or graduate degree in clinical or counselling psychology, social work, or a related field

Tools

Zoom

Job description

Please refer to theHow to Apply for a Job (for External Candidates) job aid for instructions on how to apply.

If you are an active McGill employee (ie: currently in an active contract or position at McGill University), do not apply through this Career Site. Login to your McGill Workday account and apply to this posting using the Find Jobs report (type Find Jobs in the search bar).

The Office of Medical Learner Affairs is dedicated to supporting learners throughout their health professions training by creating, promoting and sustaining a culture of wellness and resilience within the academic and clinical learning environments. Based on an accreditation standard of the medical school, the office provides a safe and confidential venue to seek out resources that protect and enhance the learners' health and well-being with the objective of working together to create a healthy learning environment.

The mission of the Office of Medical Learner Affairs is to provide Health Professions learners with counselling services, support groups and workshops to facilitate the development of skills and strategies to navigate through a critical and demanding point in their lives. The Office of Medical Learner Affairs also develops and implements an academic curriculum that promotes wellness for psychological, academic, physical and financial well-being. It should be noted that the Wellness Consultant may have additional particular and unique roles within the Health Professions programs that they support.

McGill University’s Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences Post Graduate Medical Education (PGME) encompasses over 1300 residents enrolled in a variety of residency and fellowship training programs. Under the supervision of the Assistant Dean, Resident Affairs, the Wellness Consultant provides expert short-term clinical counselling services to learners in PGME at the Montreal campus. However, the Office of Medical Learner Affairs offers services at the Montreal and Outaouais campuses, and at times the Wellness Consultant may be asked to support other programs or sites when there are surges in activity or leaves/absences.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Counselling and Case Management (60-70%)

• Conduct clinical assessments and provide one‐on‐one short‐term counselling to PGME learners who are in distress or seeking support. Counselling can be offered in person, or remotely via Zoom.
• Organize and facilitate support groups, as appropriate.
• With the direction of the Assistant Dean, Resident Affairs, determine the need for intervention in the event of an emerging crisis, conduct suicide assessments and interventions, and facilitate urgent and non-urgent recommendations. If necessary, launch the Office of Medical Learner Affairs crisis management protocol.
• Act as an intermediary for further care; collaborate with referral sources to simplify learner access to long‐term counselling services in the community, if deemed necessary, or other support services at the University.

Prevention and Innovation (15-25%)

• Work with the Assistant Dean, Resident Affairs on the development of the wellness curriculum to support PGME trainees.
• Contribute to the design and delivery of workshops in the wellness curriculum and presentations that meet learner wellness needs and accreditation standards.
• Serve as a resource person in strengthening the capacity of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences to respond quickly and effectively to learners in the early stages of disruptive behavior and crisis. May be called upon to provide advice to senior academic administration in the Faculty and affiliated hospitals on matters related to trainee crisis;
• Demonstrate flexibility and make decisions in fluid situations with unpredictable outcomes.
• Contribute wellness content to the Office of Medical Learner Affairs website.

Teamwork and Partnerships (15%)

• Contribute to the ongoing assessment of priorities for the Office of Medical Learner Affairs in conjunction with other team members and academic leadership.
• Work closely and collaborate with the other Wellness Consultants, Operations Manager, Project Administrator, and Administrative Coordinators on special projects.
• Collaborate with teammates at both campuses to develop a community of practice. Share best practices, observations and lessons learned on a regular basis to support consistent, quality counselling services, and collaborate on inter‑professional projects.
• May attend the Canadian Conference on Medical Education (CCME) and the provincial equivalent, if funding is available.
• Attend Office of Medical Learner Affairs meetings.
• Represent the Office of Medical Learner Affairs within McGill and at local, national, and international events and online meetings relevant to the mission of the Office.
• May be requested to attend specific additional meeting at the request of the Assistant Dean, Resident Affairs.
• Maintain awareness of professional associations and national bodies that promote communication and collaboration on new approaches and resources on relevant issues in physician health.

Scholarly Work (5%)

• Show interest and initiative in developing, designing, and implementing research studies relating to learner wellness, building resilience, and programs offered by the Office of Medical Learner Affairs

Education Required:

• PhD or a graduate degree in clinical or counselling psychology, social work or a related field. Must be a member of a relevant professional order (eg. Ordre des conseillers et conseillères d’orientation du Québec (OCCOQ), l’Ordre des psychologue du Québec, Canadian Counselling and Psychotherapy Association.)

Qualifications Required:

• Experience in mental health program design and delivery.
• Experience in administration in medical education is an asset
• A superior understanding of the issues of wellness/resilience in health professionals, particularly those related to residents and fellows is essential. Competence in stress management training (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy or Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction) is an asset.
• Relevant experience in counseling in the educational context, preferably in the health professions. Specifically, experience working with learners in academic difficulty and from diverse educational and cultural backgrounds.
• Understanding of the clinical training environment, including the educational framework and standard evaluation tools.
• Superb oral and written communication, leadership, organizational, and interpersonal skills in English and French.
• Ability to communicate effectively with staff and senior academic administrators about issues facing learners in crisis and make recommendations on strategy.
• Able to work effectively and collaboratively with professional staff in the University, to set up networks of aid and response for learners in difficulty.
• Able to exercise patience, tact, judgment, and discretion/confidentiality.
• Able to work both independently and collaboratively; to create and work with teams.
• Able to work effectively with an adult learning model.
• Demonstrated ability to recognize the limits of one's own scope of practice .

Before applying, please note that to work at McGill University, you must be both authorized to work in Canada and willing to work in the province of Quebec at the campus where the position is based / located.

McGill University is an English-language university where most teaching and research activities are conducted in the English language, thereby requiring English communication both verbally and in writing.

McGill University is committed to equity and diversity within its community and values academic rigour and excellence. We welcome and encourage applications from racialized persons/visible minorities, women, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, ethnic minorities, and persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, as well as from all qualified candidates with the skills and knowledge to engage productively with diverse communities.

At McGill, research that reflects diverse intellectual traditions, methodologies, and modes of dissemination and translation is valued and encouraged. Candidates are invited to demonstrate their research impact both within and across academic disciplines and in other sectors, such as government, communities, or industry.

McGill further recognizes and fairly considers the impact of leaves (e.g., family care or health-related) that may contribute to career interruptions or slowdowns. Candidates are encouraged to signal any leave that affected productivity, or that may have had an effect on their career. This information will be considered to ensure the equitable assessment of the candidate’s record.

McGill implements an employment equity program and encourages members of designated equity groups to self-identify. It further seeks to ensure the equitable treatment and full inclusion of persons with disabilities by striving for the implementation of universal design principles transversally, across all facets of the University community, and throughaccommodation policies and procedures. Persons with disabilities who anticipate needing accommodations for any part of the application process may contact, in confidence, [e-mail].

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority.