Job Description

Director, AssessmentThe UGME program is a fully accredited four-year program leading to the Medical Doctor (MD) degree. This position oversees assessment in the MD program, and works with academic leadership, staff, and students, to strategically lead the development and implementation of high quality assessment policies and practices consistent with accreditation requirements that are applied consistently at all learning campuses and sites.Primary Purpose: The Director will have oversight of the assessment policies and processes as they play a crucial role in evaluating students\' progress and ensuring they meet the necessary competencies. The Director will engage in strategic development and scholarship to ensure robust, fair and transparent assessment practices, meeting or exceeding relevant University standards and CACMS accreditation standards.Nature of Work: Reporting to the Associate Dean UGME and collaborating closely with the Academic Director and Assistant Dean Curriculum, the Director of Assessment will strategically lead assessment planning and quality improvement, supporting faculty and staff to implement effective assessment processes for the UGME program. The Director of Assessment will Chair the Assessment Sub-Committee of the Curriculum Committee, will oversee and support the Assessment Specialist, and will collaborate with faculty responsible for assessment within courses. The Director of Assessment will engage in and support scholarship related to assessment including evaluation of assessment practices.Accountabilities:

• Lead the strategic planning for, and implementation of, fair, unbiased, high quality and evidence-informed assessment processes for the Undergraduate Medical Education Program that ensure alignment with university policies and accreditation standards.
• Develop and continuously improve effective assessment practices and develop, review and revise policies related to assessment for application at all program sites. This involves stakeholder consultation (such as Course/module leads, Assessment Sub-Committee, Year 1, 2, Clerkship and Clinical Skills Sub-committees, staff, student leadership, university leadership as relevant) and obtaining approval of assessment procedures and policies through appropriate program approval processes (MD program sub-committees and Curriculum Committee)
• Lead program research and scholarship to continuously improve assessment practices; engage in collaborative research integrating longitudinal program data (admissions; program evaluation; academic performance and other markers) to enhance understanding and improvement of program effectiveness and supports for student success; optimize existing and develop novel assessment practices, with a focus on fair high-quality formative and summative assessment in which sources of bias are understood and mitigated
• Chair the Assessment Sub-Committee of the Curriculum Committee and OSCE Working Group
• Participate as a member on the Curriculum Committee as an expert resource on assessment, reporting and bringing forward policies on behalf of the Assessment Sub-Committee to the Curriculum Committee
• Participate as a member on the Curriculum Quality Review Sub-Committee; in this role, provide individual course assessment review and reports to CQRSC review process, through evaluation of each course assessment plan and completion of the assessment portion of CQRSC course review documents
• Directly supervise and manage the Assessment Specialist and provide day-to-day direction to the Assessment Clerical Support in effectively performing their roles.
• Ensure timely, accurate completion of the work of the Assessment team
• Through faculty development, in-person meetings, and other forms of communication, provide direction and guidance to Course/Module/Rotation Directors leads to implement processes for defensible, rigorous, fair and unbiased assessment practices across program sites including: developing an assessment plan, blueprinting, development of items, exam question quality review, standard-setting, and post-exam review.
• Through faculty development, in-person meetings, and other forms of communication, provide direction and guidance to Course/Module/Rotation Directors to effectively monitor and evaluate formative feedback completion (including Entrustable Professional Activities - EPAs) by faculty, including review of and continuous improvement of narrative feedback quality; provide direction and guidance on incorporation of formative feedback (including EPAs) into overall assessment strategies including ensuring appropriate and adequate sampling of the EPAs across courses/clerkship rotations.
• Develop processes to ensure iterative and objective ongoing review and quality improvement of course-specific assessment plans which are included in syllabi, and ensure that syllabi adhere to existing policies and support accreditation standards
• Develop and oversee processes to ensure appropriate linkage of questions submitted to session level objectives (which can be mapped up to program level objectives)
• Lead development and oversee quality review processes in written exam question review and revision
• Work with Course/Module/Rotation Directors to develop defensible, rigorous clinical skills assessment processes, including OSCE processes, across the UG curriculum, including direct support such as:

• Leading robust review processes for OSCE stations for quality assurance and quality improvement; participating in live OSCE pilot process; and overseeing confirmation of final OSCE exam content in collaboration with the relevant Course Director and Assessment Specialist
• Attend relevant curriculum planning meetings and retreats
• Participate in the Clinical Skills Sub-committee, Clerkship Sub-Committee, Clerkship Competency Committee and other relevant committees to provide guidance on assessment planning; represent the MD program on relevant university committees or working groups as required
• Serve as the MD Program representative to national (Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada) assessment group(s) and attend local and national meetings relevant to assessment, including Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) as required; and incorporate learnings from national bodies and the medical assessment literature into assessment planning for the program
• Lead the development of accreditation documents related to assessment and participate in accreditation meetings as required

Education: A PhD in educational assessment would be considered a strong asset; equivalent combination of relevant education and proven experience will be considered.Experience: A minimum of 10 years\' experience including education/training and work experience in assessment, with direct experience in assessment in medical education required.Skills: Overseeing medical education assessment involves not only individual skills but also an understanding of organizational and cultural contexts. Continuous learning and adaptation are essential for effective oversight.Key attributes:

• Understanding of principles and practice of competency-based medical education
• Able to identify learning needs and outcomes
• Communication and relationship building; skills in effective collaboration to ensure comprehensive assessment of learners\' competencies
• Leadership skills and advocacy for learning
• Understanding of and experience in applying principles of equity, diversity and inclusion, including mitigation of unconscious and systematic bias in assessment
• Experience in research, innovation, scholarship, and evaluation as it relates to assessment and competency based education
• Knowledge of various assessment methods, understand the principles of validity, reliability, and fairness in assessment.
• Knowledge of standard setting methodology and selection

Department: College of Medicine - DnOffce
Status: Term Two Years with the possibility of extension or becoming permanent
Employment Group: ASPA
Full Time Equivalent (FTE): 1.0
Salary: The salary range, based on 1.0 FTE, is $85,555.00 - 142,503.00 per annum. The starting salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
Salary Family (if applicable): Specialist Professional
Salary Phase/Band: Phase 3
Posted Date: 7/5/2024
Closing Date: 8/1/2024 at 6:00 pm CST
Number of Openings: 1
Work Location: May be eligible for hybrid work under the terms of USask\'s Alternative Workspace Guidelines
The University is committed to employment equity, diversity, and inclusion, and are proud to support career opportunities for Indigenous peoples to reflect the community we serve. We are dedicated to recruiting individuals who will enrich our work and learning environments. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, in accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, Canadian citizens and permanent residents will be given priority. We are committed to providing accommodations to those with a disability or medical necessity. If you require an accommodation to participate in the recruitment process, please notify us and we will work together on the accommodation request. We continue to grow our partnerships with Indigenous communities across the province, nationally, and internationally and value the unique perspective that Indigenous employees provide to strengthen these relationships. Verification of Indigenous Membership/Citizenship at the University of Saskatchewan is led and determined by the and Standing Committee in accordance with the processes developed to enact the policy. Successful candidates that assert Indigenous membership/citizenship will be asked to complete the verification process of Indigenous membership/citizenship with documentation. The University of Saskatchewan\'s main campus is situated on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the M\xc3\xa9tis. We pay our respects to the First Nations and M\xc3\xa9tis ancestors of this place and reaffirm our relationship with one another. Together, we are uplifting Indigenization to a place of prominence at the University of Saskatchewan.

University of Saskatchewan