Departmental Division Director Position Description

Building Community and Common Purpose

The Departmental Division Director (DDD) mandate is to bring the division together while at the same time ensuring that all sites remain strong and are the best they can be. The DDD is expected to have a high level view of the Division in the broader context of the University, country and world. This enables the DDD to identify and facilitate opportunities to enhance city-wide collaboration and integration and to raise the profile and impact of the division nationally and internationally.

Aligned with the strategic priorities of the Department, the DDD is expected to lead the division in the establishment of a collective vision and divisional priorities. In so doing, the DDD is expected to promote faculty cohesion and well-being through a sense of belonging, ownership and pride in Divisional membership.

Health Human Resource Planning (Recruitment, Retention & Retirement)

The DDD plays an important role in the assessment of physician needs within the specialty, and therefore in partnership with the PICs, in health human resource planning. Health human resource planning is expected to be a standing item at divisional executive committee meetings.

The DDD should meet at regular intervals with the PICs, either individually or in groups, to address issues of health human resources. While recruitment is generally instigated by the PIC(s) and the hospital division directors, the DDD is expected to participate in all searches as a representative of the University department and ensure that recruitment follows departmental guidelines to ensure a fair, equitable and transparent process.

The DDD’s knowledge of trainees, both current and prior, and of the divisional landscape is invaluable to identifying potential candidates and ensuring that all faculty recruits are positioned to succeed in their chosen academic career, including ensuring the right hospital fit and availability of resources, including mentorship. To this end, both PIC and DDD must review and approve the academic and mentorship plans of new recruits.

Mentorship of Faculty Across the Academic Lifespan

The DDD is expected to serve as an advocate for the general wellbeing of the faculty members, providing a safe space to discuss sensitive issues, such as professionalism, within or across sites.

The DDD serves as a vital informal mentor for both trainees and faculty members. The DDD should meet annually with all Division members in their first five years on faculty to ensure successful continuing faculty appointment review. Beyond five years, the DDD is encouraged to meet every 1-2 years with faculty members to review their academic accomplishments, challenges and plans.

The DDD is required to provide a DDD Reporting Letter for all divisional members undergoing Continuing Faculty Appointment Review (CFAR) or Senior Promotion. At Promotion, the DDD letter is critical to articulating the impact of the faculty member’s scholarly contributions to their field. The DDD is expected to initiate and support award applications for faculty members and trainees.

Education

The DDD is responsible for the accreditation of their subspecialty residency training program, the integrity of its clinical and research fellowship programs, and the overall experience and satisfaction of its learners, including undergraduate MD and internal medicine trainees. They do this by providing strong support to their Residency Program Director (RPD), Residency Program Committee and other divisional education leads, e.g. leads for Clerkship, Fellowships, Competency Based Medical Education (CBME) and Continuing Education. The RPD reports directly to the DDD and to the appropriate DoM Director (PGY 1 Programs or PGY 4 Programs). The Fellowship Director similarly reports to the DDD as well as to the DoM Director of Fellowships. The DDD is expected to work closely with the RPD, the relevant DoM Directors of specialty or subspecialty programs, and the Vice Chair for Education in resident/fellow selection, program delivery, career mentoring, evaluation of trainees, evaluation of faculty teachers and fostering a culture of support, accountability, fairness and inclusion.

Research & Quality and Innovation

Working with the PICs, the hospital division heads, and the Departmental leadership, the DDD is expected to promote academic collaborations city-wide, within and beyond the Division, and to recognize, promote and celebrate successes. The DDD should appoint representatives to serve on key Departmental committees, including the DoM Research Committee.

Communication

The DDD is expected to work closely with the DoM lead for communications to ensure effective, timely division-wide communication, e.g., via the divisional website, newsletters or other mechanisms. Ideally, the DDD will attend divisional meetings at each site at least once annually.

Professionalism

The DDD is expected to role model and promote citizenship (contributions to the division and the department) and to foster an environment of inclusion, fairness, transparency and professionalism. The DDD should ensure that faculty members and trainees are aware of relevant policies and principles of the Faculty of Medicine, notably Relationships with Industry, Code of Conduct and Ethical Conduct of Research. Allegations by trainees regarding unprofessional behavior by Division faculty members should reported to and handled by the DDD in conjunction with the relevant hospital or educational leadership.

Funding and Advancement

The DDD works closely with the DoM Business Director and Advancement Officer to manage divisional funds, raise new funds and steward existing divisional donors. Careful attention to and engagement of existing donors is time well spent. In this era of fiscal restraint, fundraising is essential to support academic activities such as rounds, research seed grants, awards, research day, CME events, journal club, etc.

All unrestricted educational grants received from industry must be kept in a divisional account at the University in order to ensure adherence to policies and practice for such monies. Financial management, strategic planning, communications and advancement services are provided by the Department of Medicine.

Governance

Each Division is expected to have a Divisional Executive Committee, chaired by the DDD, and comprised of Institutional Division Directors, faculty leads for Education (Residency Program Director, Fellowship Director, and as appropriate, Competency Based Education lead and Continuing Education lead), Research, Quality & Innovation, Mentorship (Mentorship Facilitator) and the Divisional Administrative Lead. The committee is expected to meet regularly - at least six times per year – and to keep Divisional membership abreast of key decisions and initiatives. Allocation of divisional funds should be approved by this committee or a sub-committee of this group.

Support

The DDD and RPD are provided annual stipends and administrative support for their roles. These stipends are based on the number of full-time faculty and residents in the division. A small stipend is also provided for each Mentorship Facilitator. In addition, each Division is annually allocated unrestricted funds to support divisional activities, including stipends for additional divisional leadership roles. The amount provided is based on the size of the division and residency program as per the stipends. Some divisions also have access to revenue from University endowments or trust accounts assigned to activities in their division.

Term

The DDD term is for five years, renewable once upon successful external review.