Sr. Specialist for Learning & Career Counseling - Student Affairs & Admissions, School of Medicine
Job Description:
To provide expertise in planning, implementing and evaluating of medical or health profession programs and students in collaboration with the Academic Enterprise faculty to assess student needs.
Job Functions:
- Provide hands-on learning skills training to include test-taking, study, reading, critical thinking/reading, and other skills as identified during evaluation and assessment.
- Develop, facilitate and deliver proactive workshops addressing personal, academic and clinical experience issues commonly experienced by students.
- Maintain database systems for tracking students and issues pertinent to the success of the program.
- Assist with planning and administration of USMLE, Step I, Step II, or other medical, nursing and health professions preparatory and peer mentoring programs, course preparation, study workshops, residency preparation and other orientation activities.
- May provide classroom instruction for various summer program participants associated with prematriculation.
- Assess students for learning issues and assist them in remediation of identified issues.
- Provide career guidance to students which may include an understanding of career development, career theory, as it applies to the medical student/physician, nursing and health professions students.
- Assist with residency or student application issues, CV (resumes) and personal statement development as well as review prior to submission, as applicable to the program.
- Manage the formal peer tutoring program, as applicable to each school.
- Assist in the development and facilitation of strategies to prepare students for board/licensure exams.
- Screen for and manage issues that interfere with learning: attention difficulties, mood problems, personal problems, learning issues.
- Develop, train, and manage a peer group for the Physician Assistant Studies (PAS) or MD tutoring/supplemental instruction programs or the MD Step 1 mentoring program.
- Assist with planning and administration of preparatory programs for the Physician Assistant National Certifying Exam (PANCE), USMLE board examinations (Step 1 and Step 2CK), and core clerkship shelf exams.
- Screen students who may be experiencing issues related to mental and/or physical health, emotional stress, or learning disabilities, and refer them for appropriate testing, assistance, counseling, diagnosis and treatment.
- Provide career counseling to PAS and MD degree students to include an understanding of career development, career theory, and specialty interests.
- Develop a deep understanding of the curriculum for the PAS and MD degree program.
- Collect data on utilization and effectiveness of Academic Support services for PAS and MD degree programs.
- Adheres to internal controls and reporting structure.
- Performs related duties as required.
Minimum Qualifications:
- Doctoral degree in Education, Educational Psychology, Psychology or a related field with a minimum of 2 years of experience in academic counseling in a higher education setting.
OR
- Master's degree in Education, Educational Psychology, Psychology or a related field with a minimum of 5 years of experience in academic counseling in a higher education setting.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Academic health setting
- Experience supporting medical school, health science or graduate level learners to include the following: developing study strategies and protocols, using computer software and alternative technologies to promote learning, and developing outreach strategies to encourage self-referral and use of learning supports.
- Career Counseling in Medicine (AAMC program – Careers in Medicine)
- Experience in the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) and National Residency Match Program (NRMP) process
- Experience using diagnostic educational and learning tools. Assessments related to achievement, intellent and executive functioning, attention, test anxiety, DSM-V criteria, learning styles and cognition, including but not limited to: WAIS, Woodcock-Johnson, Nelson-Denny, Myers Briggs, LASSI.
Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:
- Excellent communication skills, both oral and written
- Expertise in student academic performance assessment
- Effective presentation skills for group and individual discussion
- Proficiency in a variety of teaching strategies
- Ability to work effectively with a variety of professionals
- Ability to plan, organize, set and accomplish goals
- Ability to analyze/evaluate data and make appropriate recommendations
- Ability to organize and present data in a concise manner
- Effective problem solving skills
- Knowledge of and experience utilizing learning strategies in higher education
- Knowledge of and experience utilizing pedagogical educational materials, universal study strategies, protocols, computer software and alternative technologies for learning
- Knowledge of cognitive and behavioral psychological approaches to support learning
- Demonstrated ability to supervise peer tutors and/or mentors.
Salary Information:
Estimated starting salary will range from $62,553 - $75,000 annually, depending on qualifications.
Equal Employment Opportunity:
UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a VEVRAA Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance women, minorities, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.
