Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education
Position overview
Application Window
Open date: February 18, 2025
Next review date: Monday, Apr 7, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Apply by this date to ensure full consideration by the committee.
Final date: Wednesday, Dec 31, 2025 at 11:59pm (Pacific Time)
Applications will continue to be accepted until this date, but those received after the review date will only be considered if the position has not yet been filled.
Position description
The University of California, Davis School of Medicine is recruiting for a Senior Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education (SAD) at the Full Professor level in the Regular, Regular/In Residence, In Residence, or Clinical X series, with faculty responsibilities in clinical, research, and/or teaching duties in an appropriate academic department.
The SAD provides leadership for the management of the MD program. This includes admissions, student affairs, curriculum, and medical school pathway programs as well as overseeing key leadership positions within Undergraduate Medical Education (UME). They will be a key member of the senior leadership team for the SOM and will be charged with articulating a vision and working collaboratively to design and implement initiatives that further the success of the undergraduate medical student community across the enterprise.
The SOM has seen tremendous growth, innovation and change in recent years, and the institution now enters an important period of assessing what is working well and what requires more attention and/or resources to ensure continued success. The current highly integrated and innovative curriculum was implemented in 2020, and the SAD will be instrumental in evaluating its progress. The SAD will lead the continued development of innovative physician workforce pathways that address underserved communities and diversify the academic faculty of the future through research pathways for students. The SOM had an LCME accreditation site visit in 2022 and received another full 8-year accreditation. The next scheduled LCME site visit is in 2030.
The next SAD will work to ensure that the SOM demonstrates excellence in preparing its medical students for the challenges ahead as technology and health system reform brings evolving change over the course of an individual physician’s career. The next SAD will represent these values and communicate the vision of the school’s mission-based work, as they encourage creative thinking and innovative solutions from its faculty to ensure the SOM supports student success now and in the future. Key to their success is the ability to build relationships with a variety of stakeholders across the campus, region, and state. The ideal candidate will have a strong academic background in medical education, a collaborative leadership style, an unwavering commitment to student and faculty mentorship and development, possess excellent communication skills, and be passionate about providing an exceptional student experience. They will be a consensus-oriented individual who displays “respectful courage” and is highly influential in their ability to encourage people forward. In recognition of the SOM’s outstanding diversity, the next SAD will be committed to understanding the distance traveled and the impactful, unique, and diverse backgrounds of the student body.
Key responsibilities of the new Senior Associate Dean:
- Strategic visioning for undergraduate medical education, organizational management and accountability, accreditation and compliance, and educational innovation.
- Oversight of Undergraduate Medical Education (UME), the UME programs and the creation, coordination, implementation, and alignment of all UME activities, including the Associate Dean for Admissions, Associate Dean for Curriculum, and Associate Dean for Students.
- Leadership of the educational mission for UME to train the physicians that California needs and delivers an innovative curriculum of distinction.
- Effectively and appropriately communicate and collaborate with UME counterparts within the UC system, key partners at UC Davis Health System and other external constituencies to further develop and advance UME programs and activities, including clinical training sites at UC Davis Health and its affiliate partners.
- Utilize a continuous educational quality improvement strategy for all aspects of UME.
- Developing interprofessional lifelong learning programs which integrate medical educational opportunities between the Schools of Health and other allied health professions as part of the Health System’s Strategic Plan for Interprofessional Education.
- Establish creative and trusting partnerships for strategic planning with the various committees, chairs, faculty, staff, students and others to develop a program designed to enable students to achieve their educational goals through core competencies.
- Work with the Committee on Educational Policy (CEP) to implement changes in the curriculum, appoint and dismiss course directors, and provide resources needed for curriculum implementation in conjunction with departments, ensuring the adequacy of the faculty at all instructional sites.
- Meet all requirements for LCME accreditation and utilize a continuous educational quality improvement strategy.
- Develop and advance scholarship in medical education and lead and assist efforts to acquire extramural funding for grants and projects.
- Interact with constituencies to assist with implementation of information technology across our education mission - including online admissions, a robust curriculum database, longitudinal student tracking, and advancing the role of AI in medical education.
- Work closely with the Chief Administrative Officer for the Office of Medical Education to ensure appropriate alignment of resources and staffing.
- Work with Faculty Development, Academic Personnel, and the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to provide educational development opportunities in teaching, promoting equity and inclusion, utilizing trauma-informed educational principles, and other medical education offerings for faculty.
- Partner with the education deans and directors to assess and address the needs and scope of the student run clinics.
- Work with key leaders to integrate health and wellness activities for all medical students.
To see the full position description and to apply visit https://ucrecruit.ucdavis.edu/JPF06907.
Qualifications
Qualified candidates are those who hold an MD or equivalent doctoral degree with a demonstrated leadership progression in a medical school and/or academic health center. Clinically active candidates must be board certified and eligible for licensure in the state of California.
Qualified applicants must also possess academic credentials that qualify for appointment as Full Professor in the Ladder Rank (Regular), In-Residence, or Clinical Investigator (Clinical_X) series at the University of California.
The ideal candidate is expected to be a highly respected physician leader, possess dynamic leadership skills and administrative expertise, and to lead in a manner that supports and contributes to the success and unity of the School of Medicine, the campus community and the University of California System. In addition, the SAD:
Leadership
- Understands the organizational landscape, anticipates and articulates the critical opportunities, goals, and potential problems relevant to the educational mission.
- Is comfortable working through conflict, flexible and excellent at problem-solving.
- Is an excellent communicator who encourages constructive debate from all aspects of the school, including students, faculty and staff.
- Is dedicated to the professional and leadership development of students, colleagues, mentees, and self.
- Exhibits an appreciation for the need for preparation, collaboration, planning, communication, and benchmarking of results in their approach to problem solving and program building.
- Is skilled at recruitment and retention, and placing value on the role of leaders in mentorship and sponsorship.
- Acts with honor and integrity in personal and professional actions.
- Develops strong partnerships with all relevant constituents and contributes to the success of all entities.
Management
- Has the ability to manage a complex organization with success defined according to broadly accepted measures.
- Is skilled at organizing and managing human resources, including resolving conflict.
- Understands and passionately advocates for compliance with institutional and external regulations.
- Delegates effectively while maintaining focus on strategy and overall goals of the medical education curriculum.
- Identifies desired outcomes and measuring the progress toward those outcomes - utilizing rigorous metrics to assess outcomes of current programs and of any implemented curricular reforms. Understands the nuances of administration of medical education.
- Participates in the management of an academic enterprise and demonstrates an understanding of the issues involved.
Mission Performance
- Demonstrates enthusiastic advocacy for the SOM’s multiple missions and its commitments to equity and belonging.
- Demonstrates an appropriate understanding of and enthusiasm for each of the three missions of an academic medical center: patient care, education, and research.
- Demonstrates commitment to the teaching mission through didactic activity, participation in curriculum oversight and planning, or developing innovative approaches to education and training.
- Understands the broad research mission – basic, translational, and clinical – and is committed to its growth.
- Facilitates exchanges of ideas and programs across multiple organizations.
Personal and Interpersonal
- Fosters and supports change and innovation, with an ability to delegate yet maintain overall control and to set high standards.
- Exhibits self-awareness, humility, and empathy in their interactions with others.
- Has the courage to act on convictions after adequate communication and gathering of facts and input.
- Possesses well-developed, emotionally intelligent skills to build consensus around decisions.
- Exhibits optimism and a high energy level with an orientation towards innovation and action.
- Exhibits the values and behavior of a good citizen in their actions within the organization at large.
- Encourages trust, openness, and optimism.
- Communicates naturally, frequently, and effectively.
- Demonstrates cultural humility.
External Activities
- Has experience working with leadership of academic societies, funders, hospitals, faculty practice organizations, research institutes, or other mission critical institutions as appropriate.
- Demonstrates, or exhibits the apparent ability to build productive relationships with alumni, donors, government leaders, and related external stakeholders.
- Demonstrates attention to the culture, needs, and aspirations of the community.
Application Requirements
Cover Letter
Curriculum Vitae - Your most recently updated C.V.
Statement of Contributions to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion - Contributions to diversity, equity, and inclusion documented in the application file will be used to evaluate applicants. Visit https://academicaffairs.ucdavis.edu/faculty-equity-and-inclusion for guidelines about writing a statement and why one is requested.
Authorization to Release Information Form - This form is required for all applicants applying to academic recruitments. Please see the Employment Disclosure Requirements webpage for more information. Download, complete, sign, and upload the form: https://recruit.ucdavis.edu/shortcuts/authorization_release_form
- 5 required (contact information only)
References will only be solicited for those candidates advancing to final consideration for the position.
Help contact: essantizo@ucdavis.edu
About UC Davis
As a condition of employment, the finalist will be required to disclose if they are subject to any final administrative or judicial decisions within the last seven years determining that they committed any misconduct, are currently being investigated for misconduct, left a position during an investigation for alleged misconduct, or have filed an appeal with a previous employer.
- “Misconduct” means any violation of the policies or laws governing conduct at the applicant’s previous place of employment, including, but not limited to, violations of policies or laws prohibiting sexual harassment, sexual assault, or other forms of harassment, discrimination, dishonesty, or unethical conduct, as defined by the employer.
- UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy
- UC Anti-Discrimination Policy for Employees, Students and Third Parties
- APM - 035: Affirmative Action and Nondiscrimination in Employment
To implement this process, UC Davis requires all applicants for any open search to complete, sign, and upload the form entitled, "Authorization to Release Information" into UC RECRUIT as part of their application. If an applicant does not include the signed authorization with the application materials, the application will be considered incomplete, and as with any incomplete application, will not receive further consideration.
UC Davis is a smoke and tobacco-free campus (http://breathefree.ucdavis.edu/).
We are an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer, and particularly encourage applications from members of historically underrepresented racial/ethnic groups, women, individuals with disabilities, veterans, LGBTQ community members, and others who demonstrate the ability to help us achieve our vision of a diverse and inclusive community.
The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories covered by the UC nondiscrimination policy.
For the University of California's Affirmative Action Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4010393/PPSM-20
For the University of California's Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: http://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination
Under Federal law, the University of California may employ only individuals who are legally able to work in the United States as established by providing documents as specified in the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. Certain UC Davis positions funded by federal contracts or sub-contracts require the selected candidate to pass an E-Verify check. More information is available at: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify
The University of California, Davis (UC Davis) is committed to inclusive excellence by advancing equity, diversity and inclusion in all that we do. UC Davis celebrates the multi-cultural diversity of its community by creating a welcoming and inclusive environment demonstrated through a variety of resources and programs available to academics, staff, and students. Diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging are core values of UC Davis that are embedded within our Principles of Community and are tied with how to best serve our student population. Our excellence in research, teaching, and service can best be fully realized by members of our academic community who share our commitment to these values, which are included in our Diversity and Inclusion Strategic Vision, our strategic plan: “To Boldly Go,” our Principles of Community, the Office of Academic Affairs’ Mission Statement, and the UC Board of Regents Policy 4400: Policy on University of California Diversity Statement. UC Davis is making important progress towards our goal of achieving federal designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American, Native American, and Pacific Islander-Serving Institution. The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion offers a plethora of resources on their website, and the Office of Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (HEDI) has outlined similar goals in their "Anti-Racism and DEI Action Plan.” There are a plethora of links available on the About Us webpage where you can learn more about our Administration, Diversity and Inclusion, Rankings, Locations, Native American Land Acknowledgement, Sustainability, Visiting UC Davis, UC Davis Health, and Campus Safety.
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As a University employee, you will be required to comply with all applicable University policies and/or collective bargaining agreements, as may be amended from time to time. Federal, state, or local government directives may impose additional requirements.
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