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Associate Dean, Indigenous Resurgence in Medicine and Wellness

Department: School of Medicine
Position supervisor:  This position reports directly to the Dean (or Dean’s delegate) and collaborates with the Associate Deans for Social Accountability and Equity and Black Flourishing, the Associate Dean, UGME and Associate Dean, PGME for associated responsibilities. This position oversees associated TMU staff.
Contract length: 5 Year Term
Hours of work per week: 0.4 FTCE
Position type: Clinical Faculty 
Rate of pay: Daily rate $1300

About the School of Medicine

It’s time to transform medical education. Toronto Metropolitan University’s School of Medicine is being designed to shift the paradigm of healthcare delivery and improve the well-being of individuals, families and communities. With a community-driven, intentionally inclusive approach, the new school will train doctors whose cultural awareness and humility are as crucial as their medical skills.

Led by Dr. Teresa M. Chan, a forward-thinking educational leader, TMU’s School of Medicine will draw on the university’s commitment to community, equity, and innovation to address rapidly changing healthcare needs. The school will train a new generation of physicians who are ready to learn, to adapt, and ultimately to be agents of change.

Work across the School of Medicine will be supported by its Section of Community, Culture and Belonging to ensure a focus on Black community health, Indigenous community health, anti-racism (including anti-Black racism, anti-Asian racism, anti-Indigenous racism, anti-Semitism and Islamophobia), anti-ableism, disability inclusion and universal design, anti-homophobia and transphobia, to create a positive health environment for LGBTQ2SI+, and to serve and work in partnership with historically under-represented and under-served communities as a positive space.

Brampton/Peel and its surrounding communities, are part of the Treaty Lands of the Mississaugas of the Credit.  We acknowledge that these lands are also the shared space of Anishinabek, Huron-Wendat, Haudenosaunee, Ojibway/Chippewa and Métis peoples.

We honour the Indigenous peoples who cared for this land for thousands of years before us, and commit to valuing the Two Row Wampum. This Living Treaty represents settlers and Indigenous peoples moving forward together, in parallel, respecting each other’s ways of being, knowing and doing. 

We honour the Dish with One Spoon Treaty, and in this spirit we strive to treat the land and people of our community with mutual respect, taking only what we need and sharing what is available to ensure sustainability for those that follow us.

The opportunity

Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI-RDIR), Decolonization and Reconciliation will be intentionally infused throughout all facets of the TMU School of Medicine including admissions; clinical faculty and staff recruitment; educational programming; the learning environment; curriculum; scholarly, research and creative (SRC) activities; enterprise; and patient, family, and community engagement. In this way, we will continually foster a culture of inclusion and engagement and advance social justice. The TMU School of Medicine will be the first medical school in Canada founded and intentionally built upon the foundations of social accountability, EDI and Reconciliation. 

This new leadership role has been created to support the advancement of the School’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion [EDI-RDIR] Strategy and Action Plan and its decolonization and reconciliation goals. This cross-cutting opportunity influences every facet of development within the School.  The ideal candidate will demonstrate adaptability and versatility, providing guidance and leadership with a broad spectrum of Indigenous knowledge. The successful candidate in this position shall be an ex-officio member of the School of Medicine Council and shall work independently and collaboratively with the other Associate Deans and clinical faculty leads within the Community, Culture, and Belonging (CCB) Section.

Qualifications

Minimum level of education and specialty/discipline required

  • Completion of a Doctor of Medicine or equivalent.
  • Must have or be eligible for an appointment to the TMU Clinical Faculty.
  • Must be eligible to hold an appointment at a TMU medicine affiliated clinical partner institution or academic health centre.

Minimum number of years and type/area of experience required given minimum education requirement

  • A minimum of 5 years of experience practising as a physician or combined clinical experience and additional formal post-graduate education totalling at least 5 years.
  • Lived experience relevant to the position (i.e., the candidate will be a member of the equity-deserving group on which the position focuses); 
  • Scholarly expertise in the area of Indigenous Health or equivalent clinical experience;
  • Expertise in knowledge dissemination including but not limited to curriculum design and course design and delivery in the area of Indigenous Health; 
  • Extensive community engagements within Indigenous communities and organisations at the regional, provincial and national level; 
  • Effective administrative and leadership responsibilities in either medical education or health care;
  • Experience supervising staff in a unionised environment.

Required certifications, designation or licences to complete the key responsibilities of the position

  • All candidates must be certified by the College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) or by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC).
  • Holds a valid and current licence to practise medicine in Ontario or another Canadian jurisdiction. 
    • Individuals appointed to interim positions must hold a licence to practise medicine in a Canadian jurisdiction and be eligible to apply for a licence to practise medicine in Ontario from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).
    • If applicable, upon transition to a permanent position must hold a licence to work in Ontario by one year prior to the opening of the School of Medicine and the launch of the CCB Section. 
    • Successful candidates for permanent positions must hold a licence to practise medicine in Ontario from the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario (CPSO).

Required skills and demonstrated knowledge

  • Experience providing an Indigenous voice in multiple settings that may include academia, clinical environments and the community; 
  • Demonstrated experience and commitment to applying anti-racism, EDI, decolonization and accessibility principles in practice; 
  • Demonstrated ability to include diverse perspectives and experiences using an intersectional approach;
  • Demonstrated self-awareness of one’s own identity, biases, prejudices, power, and privilege;
  • Ability to engage in and facilitate difficult conversations, especially in the context of diversity;
  • Knowledge of best practices related to strategic program planning and implementation
  • Analytical reasoning skills;
  • Superior interpersonal/human relations skills;
  • The ability to handle multiple projects/assignments at once; to plan, manage and evaluate a variety of programs and projects simultaneously;
  • Time management skills;
  • Decision-making skills;
  • Excellent presentation skills and be comfortable making presentations to small and medium-sized groups;
  • Creative, strategic and an innovative thinker;
  • Demonstrates agility in working in a fast-paced and collaborative team environment.
  • Ability to establish and maintain multi-sectoral relationships (i.e., across Universities, hospitals, provincial Ministries and other stakeholders); 
  • An ability to work independently and as an effective team-member, with a demonstrated ability to take initiative and exercise sound judgement; 
  • Experience with multi-stakeholder communications and ability to maintain relationships; 
  • Outstanding communication (oral and written skills); and
  • Strong interpersonal skills.

In addition to the above, candidates and incumbents must demonstrate the following TMU Leadership Competencies:

  • Acts with Integrity: Demonstrates behaviours aligned with high ethical standards and personal integrity and acts in accordance with TMU values;
  • Builds Relationships of Trust and Collaboration: Actively builds a culture of trust and fosters meaningful relationships;
  • Leads Inclusively: Creates an inclusive environment where everyone is respected, recognized, empowered to achieve their potential and valued for their differences;
  • Demonstrates Organisational Acumen: Understands and respectfully navigates complex internal and external environments by using sound judgement, diplomacy and tact;
  • Drives Vision & Results: Creates and implements a vision grounded in sound decision-making to achieve desired outcomes.

Preferred Experiences, Skills, & Qualifications

  • Preferred candidates will have or be eligible for an appointment to the TMU Clinical Faculty at the rank of Associate Professor or higher;
  • Expertise in knowledge dissemination including but not limited to, curriculum design and course design;
  • Experience with multi-stakeholder communications and ability to maintain relationships.

How to apply 

Click  (google form) HERE (external link)  to apply. 

  • Please note that all qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, applications from Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority, in accordance with Canadian immigration regulations. Candidates must therefore indicate in their application if they are a permanent resident or citizen of Canada.

About Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University)

Serving a highly diverse student population of over 45,000, with 100+ undergraduate and graduate programs built on the integration of theoretical and practical learning and distinguished by a professionally focussed curriculum with a strong emphasis on excellence in teaching, research and creative activities, TMU is a vibrant, urban university known for its culture of innovation, entrepreneurship, community engagement and city-building through its award-winning architecture.

At the intersection of mind and action, Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) is on a transformative path to become Canada’s leading comprehensive innovation university. Integral to this path is the placement of equity, diversity and inclusion as fundamental to our institutional culture. Our current Academic Plan outlines each as core values and we work to embed them in all that we do.

TMU welcomes those who have demonstrated a commitment to upholding the values of “Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, Accessibility, Anti-Racism & Reconciliation, Decolonization, and Indigenous Resurgence (EDIAA-RDIR) and will assist us in realizing the benefits of embedding these values into the work at every level and in every unit of the university. In addition, to correct the conditions of disadvantage in employment in Canada and to bring lived experiences to the work, we encourage applications from members of equity deserving groups that have been historically disadvantaged and marginalized, including First Nations, Métis and Inuit Peoples in Canada, First Nations Peoples in the United States, racialized people, Black people, persons with disabilities, women, and  2SLGBTQ+ people.

In April 2022, the university announced our new name of Toronto Metropolitan University, which will be implemented in a phased approach. Learn more about our next chapter.

Toronto Metropolitan University’s commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion

  • We encourage all First Nations, Metis and Inuit peoples or Indigenous peoples of North America, to self-identify in their applications. If you are an Indigenous applicant and require support during the recruitment process, please reach out to James McKay, Indigenous HR Lead at james13@torontomu.ca. 
  • Toronto Metropolitan University is committed to the principles of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), and aims to ensure that independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity are embedded in all aspects of the university culture. To find out more about legal and policy obligations please visit the Accessibility and Human Rights websites.
  • Candidates who belong to one or more of the equity-deserving groups recognized at TMU are welcome to connect with Ahmed Ahmed [a.ahmed@torontomu.ca], Interim Executive Director, Office of the Vice-President, Equity and Community Inclusion.
  • For any confidential accommodation needs in order to participate in the recruitment and selection process and/or inquiries regarding accessing the application please contact medicine@torontomu.ca.
  • Clinical Faculty requiring accommodations can access support via TMU Workplace Wellness: https://www.torontomu.ca/human-resources/askhr/workplace-wellbeing-services/