Assistant/Associate/Professor of Practice (Clinical Skills)(Oro Valley, AZ)

The University of Arizona’s College of Veterinary Medicine (UA-CVM) invites applications for a career track, non-tenure eligible faculty position with a focus on delivering and refining the companion animal portion of the longitudinal Clinical Skills curriculum for first and second year veterinary students. This individual will work collaboratively with faculty to foster a culture of excellence in a team-based approach to Clinical Skills training and assessment that is hands-on, practical, and innovative by design. The UA-CVM has adopted a distributed clinical training model and does not have a Teaching Hospital. Hence, the position is strictly teaching and does not entail a clinical component or any patient care duties.

The UA-CVM curriculum is built on an inclusive, evidence-based pedagogy that is organized into organ-system blocks. The Clinical Skills laboratories are fully integrated with these systems-based courses to co-teach and apply key principles to hands-on learning. Traditional didactic lectures are not part of our teaching program. Clinical Skills coursework involves hands-on labs with task trainers as well as live animals to create engaging, interactive experiences for students to apply knowledge and clinical reasoning to real-world problems. Skills are attempted, observed, practiced, assessed, and refined. Reflective observation is incorporated into the learning process so that students can look back on and ultimately grow from past experiences. Year 2 involvement may also include the development and delivery of skills-based labs for the core course, Companion Animal: Advanced Clinical Management.

We value an inclusive environment that fosters adaptive, innovative learners who will be successful leaders in the field of veterinary medicine. The successful candidate will demonstrate a commitment to joining and contributing to an academic culture of inclusive and active learning. Abundant faculty development resources are available to assist faculty in developing skills in active learning strategies.

Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!

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• Partner with faculty and support staff in the design, development, delivery, and refinement of the Clinical Skills course within the pre-clinical veterinary medical doctorate curriculum.
• Demonstrate clinical skills to students on live animals and models in laboratory teaching settings and provide constructive guidance in real time.
• Develop rubrics for and assess student learning through objective structured clinical exams (OSCEs) and hands-on skills assignments.
• Collaborate with faculty leading organ-system block courses to ensure integration of the clinical skills curriculum across the continuum of the program.
• Deliver curricular content to veterinary students within the CVM vision of inclusive, evidence-based Team-Based Learning and Peer Instruction pedagogy.
• Contribute to and/or design low-fidelity non-animal teaching tools (models and modules) to maximize student proficiency and competence when it comes to performing techniques or procedures.
• Contribute to the clinical year training by leveraging experience with canine and feline species to support the development and implementation of opportunities for clinical training in companion animals.
• Participate in the development or delivery of elective courses (as needed or as time permits) for students with an interest in companion animal practice and assist in identifying and coordinating supporting expertise for the electives.
• Engage with community members for the organization and maintenance of the pet professor program.
• Be accessible to the student body for office hours and scheduled meetings to assist students with learning.
• Engage in ongoing assessment and professional development and participate in programs and professional organizations to facilitate innovation and application of best practices for clinical skills education.
• Engage in the CVM collegial community, the university community, and the larger global academic community through participation in shared governance, advisory committees, and academic/professional society meetings.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Commitment to active learning and interest in delivering laboratory sessions that prioritize hands-on activities, intentional repetition, and reflective practice
• Constructive partnership with others and an eager willingness to take a collaborative approach to the delivery of team-led labs
• Excellent written and oral communication skills

• DVM degree (or international equivalent)
• At least two years of clinical experience within companion animal practice

• four years of clinical experience within companion animal practice
• Prior experience in the education of veterinary students and/or graduate trainees in clinical settings.
• Experience in educational research and/or scholarship.
• Board certification or board eligible in a relevant specialty.