Career Center

Job overview:
Under the oversight of the Senior Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs, the Assistant Dean of Pre-Clinical Sciences will operationalize the integration of the pre-clinical and clinical curricula, and design and implement new models of pre-clinical science curriculum. This individual will oversee the ongoing curriculum operations, teaching technician team, and budget for the related curriculum.

Duties:

Leadership and Administration: Work closely with the Senior Associate Dean to lead and administratively ensure academic quality through evidence-based pedagogical principles for the pre-clinical curriculum.

Curriculum Oversight: Lead the development of and implementation of a new curricular design for a renewed pre-clinical curriculum using the competency based veterinary education (CBVE) model as the foundation. This will include but is not limited to:

● Work closely with the Assistant Dean of Curriculum to develop and implement new models for instruction of foundational science curriculum across all four years of veterinary school
● Works closely with the Associate Dean of Education to advise on faculty development that aligns with best practices for the veterinary curriculum
● Prioritize curricular projects and develop implementation strategies and processes timelines for a new curriculum
● Develop a process to sunset the legacy curriculum
● Develop processes for curriculum maintenance that maintains accreditation standards while still prioritizing high-quality instruction and contemporary topics 
● Work closely with the curriculum committee to understand and minimize challenges to the implementation of new methods, content, and schedule
● Act as an operational resource for individual faculty as they design, develop, and execute new curricular delivery methods
● Collaborate with the pre-clinical course coordinators to facilitate student assessments aligned with CBVE model
● Collaborate with the Associate Dean, Assistant Dean, and Directors in the Office of Academic and Student Affairs and academic technologists to ensure curricular integration across all four years aligning with admission, retention, wellness, and DEI values and the mission of the college.
● Act as a conduit between the curriculum operations staff, faculty, and students to reinforce the mission, vision, and DVM education strategic plan.
● Monitor operational resources and recommend organizational changes to enhance support for faculty and students
● Collaborates with the Director of the South Dakota State University Professional Program of Veterinary Medicine to maintain a harmonized curriculum through oversight of shared learning outcomes between the two programs.
● Supervises the Veterinary Teaching Technician Team Supervisors and direct reports who provide instructional support to experiential learning in the DVM curriculum
● With the Senior Associate Dean, identifies opportunities for educational scholarship focused on curricular innovations
● Serve on the Committee on Curriculum and Educational Policy (ex officio) and other ad hoc committees as needed.

Minimum Required Qualifications:
● Masters degree in a foundational science or education-related field. Ph.D. preferred.
● Six years of experience in curriculum management and/or instructional design or related field

Additional Qualifications:

● Curriculum:
â—‹ Interdisciplinary understanding of biological foundational sciences and how they relate to veterinary medical education. (examples may include, biology, anatomy, biochemistry, epidemiology, microbiology, pathology, physiology, infectious disease, etc.)
â—‹ Expertise in the principles of learning and instructional design, adult learning theory, educational research, development of competency-based education, and assessment of student learning (skills, knowledge, and attitudes)
â—‹ Experience with technology-based instruction and evaluation
â—‹ Ability to work collaboratively with project staff, faculty, and administration and advise faculty and instructors on their curriculum and teaching methodology
â—‹ Ability to work collaboratively with team members to develop and implement a new curriculum
â—‹ Ability to synthesize research findings into reference materials and guides for curriculum developers and other audiences.
â—‹ Experience with learning technologies and instructional designers to develop and engage students in eLearning, portfolio development, and IT assessment exercises
â—‹ Broad experience with assessment approaches to document student mastery such as multiple-choice questions, short answer examinations, OSCEs, and 360-degree evaluations
â—‹ Experience with various teaching methodologies such as problem-based learning, team-based learning, competency-based learning, technology-assisted learning, and flipped classrooms

● Leadership:
â—‹ Demonstrated evidence of strong interpersonal and communications skills, effective critical thinking, and the ability to set priorities and manage multiple tasks
â—‹ Demonstrated evidence of a commitment to promoting a culture that respects and advances diversity and inclusion of all people, inquiry, and scholarship
â—‹ Demonstrated creativity and strategic thinking with the ability to take initiative and the willingness to learn
â—‹ Demonstrated ability to respond effectively and assertively to crises, workflow problems, and conflicts
â—‹ Demonstrated experience in working with complex tasks and large-scale projects that require meeting critical deadlines
â—‹ Excellent writing skills
â—‹ Demonstrated experience supervising and developing team members
â—‹ Demonstrated experience and efficacy in managing change in complex environments
â—‹ Demonstrated record scholarship including but not limited to presentations and publications.

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