Sr. Program Assistant

Job Summary

The position provides administrative support for the Postgraduate Education Program in the Department of Medicine at the Vancouver General Hospital Site. The Internal Medicine Training Program is the largest centralized program in the Faculty of Medicine with 50+ new positions available each year making this program the second largest in the country. With the ongoing expansion of the medical school into distributed sites within the province the program will continue to increase in size.

This is a large program and operational demands are high and require a strong understanding of the systems and policies across the Program, the University, and the Faculty of Medicine. Position liaises with physicians in the communities and distributed sites as well as interacts with various private accommodation facilities. This position is responsible for dealing with sensitive and confidential issues as well as exercising judgment and tact when dealing with many situations.

Organizational Status

The position reports directly to the Vancouver Postgraduate Program Manager and is supervised by the Program Coordinator. Takes work direction and programmatic support to the Program Director, Associate Program Director, Curriculum Development and to the Associate Program Director, Evaluations & Remediation. The position interacts with Faculty, Residents and the Faculty of Medicine Postgraduate Deans' Office. Position liaises with physicians in the communities and distributed sites as well as interaction with various private accommodation facilities.

Work Performed

Program:

• Responsible for WebEval, overseeing 3,260+ resident ITERs and 5,500+ evaluations of Faculty/Services, assisting external staff with edits, keeping system links current, troubleshooting issues, and informing the Program Coordinator, Manager, and Associate Program Director of any low-performance evaluations.
• Works with the Program Director on maintenance and updating of rotation objectives and rotation specific ITERs.
• Organizes and coordinates the annual Lead Resident recruitment process, serving as the primary point of contact for applicants and scheduling interviews for six Lead Medical Resident positions each year.
• Compiling and creating reports as necessary.
• Manages the maintenance and updating of their assigned sections of the Elentra website.
• Assists with preparing documentation for Royal College on-site surveys and internal reviews, and organizes on-site visit arrangements as needed.
• Acting as a resource for the program and answers all program related questions.
• Coordinates annual resident lifecycle processes, including resident file management and archiving, email distributing list creation, resident composite photo preparation, promotion processing through One45, resident profile maintenance in Elentra, and onboarding activities for incoming residents.

Events:

• Coordinates all aspects of the PGY-1 The Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS) interviews, including monitoring electronic applicant files, managing and implementing the web-based Interview Administration System, assisting with the short-listing of approximately 750 applicants, compiling marks, booking Zoom sessions, and arranging roughly 450 interviews with applicants, faculty, and the Lead Resident over a three-week period.
• Oversees annual Visa Trainee interviews to ensure eligibility criteria are met and liaises with the Postgraduate Medical Education office to facilitate offers and manage any process changes.
• Coordinates monthly Residency Training Committee (RTC) and Residency Program Committee (RPC) meetings, including preparing agendas, communicating with committee members, attending early-morning meetings, taking and transcribing minutes, and managing annual resident representative appointments.
• Coordinates quarterly Clinical Teaching Unit (CTU) Director meetings, including preparing agendas, communicating with committee members, attending meetings, and transcribing minutes.
• Organizes all aspects of the annual Resident Research Day, including creating and developing the program, collecting abstracts and presentations, coordinating adjudicators, booking the venue, arranging catering and technical support, and tracking the budget.
• Attends and assists as required at all academic resident events including the ACP exam, Annual Whistler Conference, Annual Resident BBQ, and other events as necessary.

General Administrative Support:

• Assists residents with various letters, including PGY level confirmations, bank or salary letters, Out-of-Province elective letters, and other documentation as needed.
• Assists the Program Director and residents with the preparation and processing of paperwork for hospital reference checks, credentialing, and clinical associate licensing.
• Distribution of End of Training Certificates annually.
• Distributes communications from the Postgraduate Medical Education office to residents and faculty.
• Maintains and updates the job procedures manual as needed.
• Performs other related tasks and projects as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

This position must work with tact, discretion, and confidentiality concerning resident records and personal information. The Senior Program Assistant is expected to exercise tact and discretion when responding to inquiries from external agencies and individuals and is expected to consult with the Vancouver Manager on complex issues. Consequences of indiscretion and unprofessional attitude could reflect negatively on the Internal Medicine Program, PGME Dean’s Office, the Department of Medicine, the Faculty of Medicine, and the University.

Supervision Received

Work is done primarily independently. However, consults the Vancouver Program Manager or Program Coordinator with new or complex problems.

Supervision Given

No formal supervision is given, but the role may assist in training new staff on work procedures and may oversee the work of students or temporary staff.

Minimum Qualifications

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own
- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• High school graduation and a two-year post-secondary diploma are required, with training in office procedures and experience in a medical setting preferred.
• Four years of related experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience, is expected.
• Strong computer skills are required, including intermediate proficiency in Word and Excel and experience using Zoom and One45.
• The role requires excellent communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills; the ability to prioritize, multitask, meet deadlines, and maintain accuracy; and the ability to exercise tact and discretion.
• Candidates must be able to work independently and as part of a team, take and transcribe minutes, and work a flexible schedule, including early-morning or occasional evening meetings.