Responsibilities/Duties:

The University of Alberta, Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry (FoMD), in partnership with Alberta Health Services (AHS), invites applications for a jointly held or independently held position(s) of 1) contingent tenured Academic Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology and/or 2) Zone Clinical Department Head, Women's Health.

Edmonton is a growing city with a population of ~1 million and home to the University of Alberta, one of Canada’s top teaching and research universities. The University of Alberta is internationally recognized for excellence across the health sciences, humanities, sciences, creative arts, business and engineering. Home to 40,000 students and 14,000 faculty and staff, the university attracts more than $500 million in sponsored research revenue, ~35% to the FoMD.

FoMD is among the world’s top 100 medical schools and is one of Canada’s premier health education and research intensive medical faculties. Within the FoMD, the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology focuses on clinical care, internationally recognized research programs, and medical and graduate student education and has demonstrated excellence in residency training, as exemplified by its highly successful accreditation by the Royal College of Physician and Surgeons of Canada and the Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) last year with resident positions completely filled in the first match.

FoMD is also the home faculty for the Women and Children’s Health Research Institute (WCHRI). WCHRI is a partnership between the University of Alberta and AHS, with financial support from the Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation and the Royal Alexandra Hospital Foundation. WCHRI is the only research institute in Canada (and is one of the few in the world) to focus on the health of women and children and perinatal health.

AHS is Canada’s first and largest province-wide system responsible for delivering health services to the over four million people living in Alberta, as well as to some residents of Saskatchewan, British Columbia, and the Northwest Territories. AHS has recently been identified as one of the top five most integrated health systems in the world with over 110,000 employees and is supported by over 14,300 volunteers and almost 10,300 physicians practicing in Alberta. AHS operates the University of Alberta Hospital, the Royal Alexandra Hospital, and seven suburban hospitals within the greater Edmonton Area and collaborates with two facilities operated by Covenant Health (the Grey Nuns and Misericordia Community Hospitals).

The AHS Clinical Department of Women’s Health is a strategic lead program of the Royal Alexandra Hospital and provides tertiary level care for north-central Alberta and the surrounding provinces, including northern British Columbia and the Northwest Territories. This includes a wide range of subspecialties such as gynecological oncology, urogynecology, fertility and endocrinology, and maternal fetal medicine, as well as over 7000 births per year.

Details about the University of Alberta, the Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry, and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology can be found at www.ualberta.ca Details about Alberta Health Services can be found at http://www.albertahealthservices.ca.

Academic Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology

The Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology is responsible for a Department of 15 full-time academic faculty and over 110 clinical faculty at five hospital sites. The academic department administration and its clinical subspecialty divisions are housed in the Lois Hole Hospital for Women, the only women's hospital in Alberta.

The Department has a strong focus on medical education, research, and graduate education and includes the research intensive Division of Reproductive Sciences housed in the Heritage Medical Research Centre on the North Campus of the University of Alberta. This Division includes seven PhD-level internationally recognized basic, clinical, and population-based scientists who use biomedical techniques and epidemiological approaches to study women's health. Two of these members hold prestigious Canada Research Chairs. Multiple cross appointments in other departments and faculties strengthens faculty and university-wide collaborations. Reproductive Sciences trains post-doctoral fellows and MSc and PhD graduate students, including residents who pursue graduate degrees through the Clinical Investigator Program (CIP) and undergraduate students in the field of reproductive health. Funding in the Division is >$12.5 million and >$1.5 millon for trainees.

The Chair of the Department also serves as an important stakeholder in WCHRI to represent women’s health on the WCHRI Oversight Board and by engaging with WCHRI to establish and enable strategic research priorities aimed at improving health outcomes for women. The successful candidate for Department Chair may also be eligible for the Alberta Women’s Health Foundation Chair in Women's Health Research. This Research Chair will provide leadership in the advancement of the women’s health research program and includes annual funding to support research in the department and across disciplines.

Zone Clinical Department Head, Women's Health

The Zone Clinical Department Head (ZCDH), Women’s Health is governed by the Medical Staff Bylaws and Rules and reports to the Edmonton Zone Medical Director. The clinical department consists of 109 primarily appointed medical staff and 66 medical staff with supplementary appointments. The ZCDH, Women’s Health is responsible for ensuring that standards of care are being met in the department, and that support for research and teaching is available. This position provides input into the development of policies and criteria for procedures as it relates to Women’s Health at all health facilities within the Edmonton zone, and evaluates the performance of medical staff working within the department. In collaboration with other Zone Clinical Departments, advocacy for the provision of high quality and safe patient care and coordinated service delivery within all facilities and communities is critical to the role.

Qualifications:

The ideal Academic Chair and/or Zone Clinical Department Head will be a visionary and strategic leader with a proven track record of success in inspiring excellence and engaging faculty, a record of personal academic and/or clinical accomplishment and excellent interpersonal skills, as well as innovative ideas on how to meet the opportunities of academic, education, research, and clinical service leadership in an integrated health region. The successful candidate(s) is(are) expected to:

• Strategically position the Department/Zone for success by creating and implementing a strategic plan for continued growth and sustainability
• Develop a vision for the future to strengthen emerging research, education and clinical areas in the Department/Zone
• Create a positive working environment through demonstrated abilities in communication and collegiality
• Demonstrate superior interpersonal skills with extensive demonstrated supervisory experience
• Promote faculty and staff development to inspire excellence in research, education and clinical care
• Ensure teaching resources for medical student education in classrooms, small groups, and clerkship settings
• Seek out collaborations with internal and external stakeholders
• Increase Department/Zone visibility within the Faculty, the University and the Zone provincially, nationally and internationally
• Inspire the growth and excellence of medical and graduate education
• Be an inclusive and visionary leader with significant experience in academic/medical leadership
• Foster new clinical programs, and enhance existing clinical service
• Be considered a strong respected clinician by peers with a passion for quality and patient safety
• Committed to fulfilling clinical and non-clinical duties as a representative of the Clinical Department of Women’s Health.

Candidates for the Academic Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology position must hold a MD or MD/PhD (or be currently tenured Academic faculty holding a PhD, MD, or MD/PhD in the FoMD at the University of Alberta) with demonstrated research and education activity/trajectory/leadership. The successful candidate will be offered a contingent tenure-track appointment and a concurrent clinical appointment with AHS.

Candidates for the ZCDH, Women’s Health position must hold professional certification in Obstetrics and Gynecology and candidates must be eligible for licensure to practice medicine in the Province of Alberta. Candidates with an interest in applying for both positions must hold an MD or MD/PhD. Applicants should clearly indicate which position(s) they are applying to in their cover letter. There will be a three (3) to five-year term of appointment with the possibility of extension. Rank, terms of the appointment, and salary/stipend for these positions will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

The AHS and FoMD Search and Selection Committees will be run concurrently. Interested candidates should submit an up-to-date curriculum vitae (CV) outlining their current clinical and/or research/educational interests and their leadership experience. The names of three references should also be forwarded.

To assist the University in complying with mandatory reporting requirements of the Immigration and Refugee Protection Act (R203(3)(e), please include the first digit of your Canadian Social Insurance Number in your application (within your cover letter). If you do not have a Canadian Social Insurance Number, please indicate this in your application (within the cover letter).

Recruiter Contact:

Interested persons are asked to submit their material to both eneil@ualberta.ca and through the job posting at www.doctorjobsalberta.com by midnight MST on May 13, 2021. However, the posting will remain open until the position is filled. For any support related to the application, please reach out to Erin Neil at eneil@ualberta.ca or Megan Jamieson at megan.jamieson@ahs.ca.

All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. If suitable Canadian citizens or permanent residents cannot be found, other individuals will be considered. The University of Alberta is committed to an equitable, diverse, and inclusive workforce. We welcome applications from all qualified persons. We encourage women; First Nations, Métis and Inuit persons; members of visible minority groups; persons with disabilities; persons of any sexual orientation or gender identity and expression; and all those who may contribute to the further diversification of ideas and the University to apply.

Albertas health care system is one of the best in the world and physicians in Alberta experience a variety of challenging and rewarding opportunities while also enjoying a high standard of living. Whether you are interested in practicing in a large hospital in an urban centre or a small community clinic in a rural area, Alberta offers plenty of choices to suit your skills and interests.
General Practitioners and Family Physicians are licensed health care professionals and are educated in the general practice, with opportunities to focus their practice in specialized areas.
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