Faculty of Medicine and Health
School of Medicine
Leeds Institute of Medical Education
Programme Lead, Physician Associates Programme
0.8 fte, two years fixed-term
Leeds Institute of Medical Education, within the School of Medicine, is seeking to
appoint a Lecturer to lead the development of a Physician Associate Programme.
Applications are invited for a 0.8 fte fixed term Programme Lead post for the Physician
Associates Programme for two years in the first instance. Working closely with the
Director of the Leeds Institute of Medical Education and the Director of Student
Education, the post-holder will be responsible for liaising with local partners including
Trusts, CCGs, and the Local Training and Education Board of Health Education
England to develop a local curriculum and placements, drawing on the national
curriculum, to support the training of Physician Associates.
The post holder will initially focus on developing this new programme, steering it
through internal approval processes and liaising with primary and secondary care
providers across Yorkshire and the Humber to ensure provision of high quality
placements. The post holder will also be required to teach and assess on the
programme and contribute to a variety of other educational support duties within the
Institute.
Applicants should be qualified as a physician with current GMC registration or as a
physician associate, with significant clinical experience. You should also have
experience of teaching and assessing in a variety of settings and either hold a formal
education qualification or are committed to undertake this.
This is an exciting opportunity to lead the development of a new programme responding
to the needs of the local healthcare economy.
The University of Leeds is committed to providing equal opportunities for all and
offers a range of family friendly policies
(http://hr.leeds.ac.uk/homepage/4/policies). The University is a charter member of
Athena SWAN and holds the Bronze award. The School of Medicine gained the
Bronze award in 2013. We are committed to being an inclusive medical school
that values all staff, and we are happy to consider job share applications and
requests for flexible working arrangements from our employees.
University Grade 8 (£38,511 - £45,954 p.a pro rata) depending on qualifications
and experience.
Informal enquiries regarding the post should be directed to Professor Trudie
Roberts, Director, Leeds Institute of Medical Education (t.e.roberts@leeds.ac.uk;
0113 343 4368 or Mrs Laura Stroud, Director of Student Education
(L.Stroud@leeds.ac.uk; 0113 343 3951).
If you have any enquiries about your application please contact Sarah Simpson,
tel: 0113 343 1889 or email: s.l.simpson@leeds.ac.uk.
Job Ref: MHIME1013
Closing date: 12th January 2014
JOB DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND
The School of Medicine at Leeds has an enviable reputation for the quality of its
MBChB programme. This post offers the opportunity to lead the development of a new
related postgraduate programme responding to the needs of the local healthcare
economy.
JOB SUMMARY
In line with the University’s Learning and Teaching strategy you will contribute to a
highly developed portfolio of undergraduate and taught postgraduate teaching and
contribute to scholarly activities within the School. Your role will focus on the
development and implementation of the postgraduate diploma Physician Associates
Programme, but may also include teaching, assessment, quality assurance and other
related duties on this or other programmes.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
PROGRAMME DEVELOPMENT
1. Lead on the development of the Physician Associates Programme with the School
of Medicine, implementing the nationally-agreed curriculum and assessments, and
ensuring that the Programme will meet future regulatory requirements as well as
responding to the needs of local healthcare partners.
2. Develop relationships with local secondary care placement providers to ensure
provision of high quality placements throughout the programme.
3. Liaise with local healthcare providers to ensure the programme meets their needs
whilst offering all students appropriate opportunities for training and employment.
4. Develop and maintain a corpus of expertise in appropriate knowledge, skills and
behaviours through the creation of a Physician Associates Programme team and
committee structure that draws together relevant academic and clinical practitioner
staff, NHS placement providers and students
5. Carry out campus and clinical placement quality assurance processes to ensure the
programme becomes and remains at the forefront of UK provision.
6. Work with the Physician Associates Programme Team to ensure that all necessary
University approval documentation progresses in a timely fashion for both
implementation and future curriculum enhancement
TEACHING
1. Undertake a full teaching load, including significant involvement in the design,
development and delivery of modules in the subject area; contribute to teaching
across undergraduate and post qualification programmes and a range of academic
levels.
2. Participate in the effective supervision of undergraduate and post-graduate students
undertaking dissertations/projects as required
3. Ensure teaching content and method of delivery meets the required learning
objectives and investigate innovative approaches to teaching and assessing through
work with colleagues in the School of Medicine and via membership of the MBChB
Clinical Placement improvement team
4. Incorporate policy/practice developments in the scholarship of teaching to ensure
learning and teaching is clearly linked to wider strategic agenda and targets.
5. Participate in the assessment process for students, making effective use of
innovative and technological methods to ensure timely developmental feedback that
focuses on improvement and student development
6. Provide a range of pastoral, professional and curriculum support mechanisms that
meets the needs of an increasingly diverse student body.
7. Promote the inclusion of the development of enterprise/employability/entrepreneurial
skills in the curriculum.
8. Contribute to the recruitment of applicants to the course and participate in activities
and events that foster widening participation for those who can benefit.
SCHOLARSHIP
1. Transform and apply knowledge acquired from scholarship to teaching
2. Reflect on practice and the development of own teaching and learning skills
3. Contribute to research and/or scholarly publications in collaboration with colleagues
within the School/Institute.
4. Undertake effective co-supervision of post-graduate students undertaking
research/scholarly projects at master’s level.
5. Conduct individual or collaborative scholarly projects to contribute to the continued
improvement of the programme
6. Demonstrate achievement of markers of esteem (for example through acting as an
external reviewer, presentation of peer reviewed papers at scientific and scholarly
conferences at national or international standing or supporting
practice
developments)
7. Work with, and support the work of, the National Association of Physician
Associates
ADMINISTRATION
1. Contribute
to
the
administrative
process
of
the
School
e.g.
examinations/assessment, quality assurance process
2. Contribute to the organisation and management of the student experience e.g.
student tracking and progression
3. Remain proactive in own personal and professional development, and to undertake
staff development opportunities as may be appropriate.
4. Undertake the role in accord with the requirements of the University’s Health &
Safety Policy. This may include ensuring that risk assessments in own area are
completed
5. Engage in academic leadership activities commensurate with role and grade.
6. Contribute to the development of teams and individuals by participating both as
reviewer and reviewee in the SRDS system
7. Contribute to the recruitment, management and development of staff as required
8. Make active contribution to School, Faculty and University committees as
appropriate
9. Act as a mentor to colleagues with less experience and peer reviewer of learning
and teaching, as required.
GENERAL
1. Undertake any additional activities commensurate with the post-holder’s level of
training and experience and conducive to fulfilment of the job purpose outlined
above, as well as similar posts elsewhere within the University
2. Have an awareness and understanding of Health & Safety issues as they relate to
the University and placement settings
3. Integrate the University value of inclusiveness into all appropriate aspects of the
role, respecting the dignity and diversity of all members of the University and partner
communities and of visitors to the University.
4. Work with our students as members of a learning community to provide world-class
education and an excellent student experience
5. This job description should not be regarded as a definitive list of duties and
responsibilities, which will develop and change over time through natural
progression.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS
Working closely with the Director of LIME and the Director of MBChB, you will work in a
team with the Placements Contracts Lead, named colleagues in the Academic Unit of
Primary Care, Physician Associates and key learning, teaching and research
colleagues within the School and across the Faculty and wider University to develop the
programme. You will also develop relationships with external stakeholders in the health
and social care economy and network extensively with the National Association for
Physician Associates.
UNIVERSITY VALUES
All staff are expected to operate in line with the university’s values and standards, which
work as an integral part of our strategy and set out the principles of how we work
together. More information about the university’s strategy and values is available at
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/comms/strategy/
PERSON SPECIFICATION
Essential Attributes:
Education and Training


Either current GMC registration or qualified as a UK Physician Associate, in either
case with no restriction on current practice
Holds a recognised teaching qualification (equivalent to ULTRA) or willing to
undertake
Specialist Knowledge



Significant clinical experience in a relevant discipline
Experience of teaching undergraduate and/or postgraduate students in a health
related discipline
Good understanding of contemporary practice issues related to the practice areas of
UK Physician Associates
Relevant Experience





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

Evidence of developing creative and innovative ways of delivering research-led
learning and teaching including the effective use of new and creative learning and
teaching technologies
Demonstrable ability to teach effectively and provide a stimulating environment for
learning and teaching
An ability to motivate, inspire and challenge students intellectually, as evidenced for
example in excellent student feedback obtained from teaching.
Developing scholarship, for example through presentation of papers
Experience of developing teaching material and varied approaches to meet student
learning objectives
Potential to establish collaborative links with researchers from other
fields/institutions
Can demonstrate a clear understanding of the health learning and teaching agenda
at local, regional and national levels
Success in, and commitment to, working in cross-disciplinary teams and
environments
Personal Attributes

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Excellent communication, presentation and interpersonal skills at all levels
A proven ability to work under pressure effectively, responsibly and independently
and apply sound judgement and decisions to variety of challenges and situations,
taking accountability for own actions and the consequences
Ability to build, maintain and develop effective working relationships, being an
ambassador for the School, inside and outside the University
Highly self motivated, able to organise time, workload and prioritise tasks
Effective team player
A willingness to share the School’s vision and commitment to excellence in all
aspects of work and output
An appreciation of the policy and strategic issues currently affecting teaching,
research and IKT in higher education


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Committed to the University values of Academic Excellence, Community, integrity,
inclusiveness and Professionalism1
IT experience including the use of MS Office, proficient use of the web and Outlook
for diary planning and email
Evidence of commitment to own personal and professional development
An ability to manage and respond to results from enhancement and monitoring
activities.
Ability to plan and prioritise teaching and research initiatives in line with strategic
objectives.
Proven ability to translate excellence in research and scholarship into learning
opportunities for students.
Relevant Experience




1
Experience of significant contribution to effective module/programme development,
administration and review
Experience of and participation in the supervision of post-graduate students
Proven ability to contribute to School, Faculty, University and/or external
professional committees at a regional or national level
A commitment to research demonstrated through scholarly excellence in the field of
subject specific area
Further information on University Values, please visit the University Strategy web pages on
http://www.leeds.ac.uk/about/strategy/values.htm
Further Information
Faculty Information
With more than 6,000 students, 1,600 staff and annual research income of £60m, the
Faculty of Medicine and Health at Leeds is bigger than some universities. Leeds has
one of the largest medical and bioscience research bases in the UK, and is an
acknowledged world leader in cancer, cardiovascular, psychiatric, genetic, and
musculo-skeletal and health services research. Treatments developed in Leeds are
transforming the lives of people around the world living with conditions such as HIV, TB,
diabetes and malaria.
The School of Medicine
The School of Medicine at the University of Leeds is a major international centre for
research and education. Our ambition is to improve health and reduce health
inequalities, locally and globally, through excellent scientific research and the
translation of that research into healthcare practice, and through the education of future
scientific and clinical leaders who will advocate and practise an evidence-based
approach. Our major strategic aims are to:
•
•
•
•
Deliver outstanding research including basic discovery science through to
applied health research that makes a significant difference to health.
Produce exceptional graduates, clinicians, educators, doctoral and post-doctoral
fellows whose learning has been informed and inspired by our research
excellence and who will form the next generation of academic and clinical
leaders.
Develop and support knowledge transfer activities that flow from our academic
activities.
Create and maintain an efficient and sustainable environment for research and
teaching within an organisational culture and management style that enacts and
supports the university’s core values of community, inclusiveness, integrity and
professionalism.
The School of Medicine is organised into seven Institutes. All are committed to high
quality research-led teaching, through their training of postgraduate research students,
delivery of postgraduate taught courses, and its leadership in undergraduate teaching.
The School works closely with the local NHS, having a number of jointly funded clinical
posts to ensure this relationship is effective and strong for both research and student
education.
Leeds Institute of Medical Education (LIME) Director: Professor Trudie Roberts
LIME provides the administrative support, co-ordination and leadership for the School of
Medicine’s undergraduate medical degree, including admissions, curriculum
development, assessment, student support and clinical placement liaison. It provides
the technology-enhanced learning and innovation support for the School of Medicine.
LIME also has a very active scholarship programme of research and innovation in
medical education and uses its expertise to influence medical education policy and
practice nationally and internationally. To achieve this it works with a range of
stakeholders including the academic community, the profession, the public, regulators
and policy makers.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Terms and Conditions
Details of the terms and conditions of employment for all staff at the university, including
information on pensions and benefits, are available on the Human Resources web
pages accessible via the links on the right hand side, or at http://hr.leeds.ac.uk/policies
University Teaching and Research Award
The Senate of the University has agreed that all newly appointed staff with a contract of
0.5 FTE and above who have a teaching/ research role and are deemed new to
teaching or research in Higher Education should be required to complete successfully
all of the requirements of the University of Leeds Teaching and Research or an
appropriate alternative. Whether or not this applies to you, will be decided as part of
the appointment procedure at interview.
Further details of the ULTRA are available at http://www.sddu.leeds.ac.uk/sdduultra.html.
Staff with contracts of less than 0.5 FTE may take the ULTRA provided that they have a
broad enough range of teaching, research and assessment to complete the
requirements of the Programme: this will be decided in conjunction with the School and
the course providers.
Disclosure and Barring Service checks
This post falls under the remit of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions)
Order 1975. As such, all applicants are required to declare any convictions, cautions,
reprimands and warnings, including any pending criminal prosecutions and those
which would otherwise be considered 'spent' under the 1974 Act. However,
amendments to the Exceptions Order 1975 (2013) provide that certain ‘spent’
convictions and cautions are now 'protected' and are not subject to disclosure to
employers , and cannot be taken into account. Guidance and criteria on the filtering of
these cautions and convictions can be found on the Disclosure and Barring Service
website. https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/disclosure-and-barring-service
and at http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2013/1198/pdfs/uksi_20131198_en.pdf
Declarations of any such information as described above, should be made in the ‘other
personal details’ section of the application form and details sent to the Recruitment
Officer at disclosure@leeds.ac.uk.
Enhanced Disclosure from the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) is required for this
position. The successful applicant will be required to give consent for the University to
check their criminal record status through independent verification (from the DBS).
Information will be kept in strict confidence. Your offer of appointment will be subject to
the University being satisfied with the outcome of these checks.
Disabled Applicants
The post is located in the Worsley Building. Disabled applicants wishing to review
access to the building are invited to contact the department direct. Additional
information may be sought from the Recruitment Officer, email disclosure@leeds.ac.uk
or tel + 44 (0)113 343 1723.
Disabled applicants are not obliged to inform employers of their disability but will still be
covered by the Equality Act once their disability becomes known.
Further information for applicants with disabilities, impairments or health conditions is
available in the applicant guidance.