This position provides administrative support for the day-to-day operation of the residency program. Under the direction of the Program Director, the incumbent responds to the specific needs and inquires of faculty, residents, and medical students as they relate to recruitment and admissions processes; resident rotation scheduling, resident assessments and faculty and rotation evaluation processes; and, administrative and financial support for the Program, Program Director, Residency Program Committee trainees within the Department of and/or trainees rotating through the department/division.
A program administrator (PA) for a Residency Program at Queen’s University is responsible for supporting the Program’s Director (PD), faculty, and residents or clinical fellows, and working with regulatory, educational and accreditation bodies as required. In most cases, the PA reports to the PD. Time allocation for this role is dependent on the program and is XX FTE (see PD job description).
Duties and Responsibilities (may include but are not limited to the following)
Academic administrative support to the Program Director
- Prepares confidential correspondence and reports related to administrative, academic, and clinical deliverables of the program
- Assist in maintaining the schedule, appointments, meetings, and files of the Program Director
Perform administrative support duties to the program
- Central point of reference for phone calls, emails, in-person inquiries
- Drafting/preparing correspondence (sometimes sensitive and confidential)
- Scheduling and assisting in the preparation of reports
- Respond to inquiries from residents and staff, redirect complex problems to senior staff
- Take, transcribe, and distribute minutes and prepare agendas and compile and research meeting material for Residency Program Committee meetings (could also include Competency Committee Meetings).
- Coordinate the annual resident leadership selection processes (e.g., Chief/Seniors, committee representatives)
- Schedule exams (e.g., orals, mock orals, OSCEs), which may include recruiting and booking examiners, and locating and booking rooms for exams.
- Provide assistance to residents in completing forms or providing policy guidance for financial reimbursement for travel, conferences, etc.
- Update website (as required, and if applicable).
- Resident Call coverage – ensure resident call is coordinated, updating the schedules accordingly and working with KHSC Switchboard
Coordinate and maintain the annual rotation scheduling for residents
- Working with the Program Director coordinate the assignment of mandatory and elective rotations for all residents in the program.
- Include opportunities for electives from residents from other programs or universities
- Working with Resident leads, or other site coordinators, as appropriate, manage vacation and leave request; liaise with the PG Office on formal leaves (medical leaves, parental leaves).
- Matching residents with academic advisors
- Coordinating resident/faculty meetings and documenting / following up on action items as required
- Communicating with faculty, hospital and support staff
- Communicating with the Regional Education Office
- Communicating and scheduling with external hospital and community clinics
- Assist residents with issues related to their training as they arise
- Liaise with hospital sites regarding any issues related to resident training
- Liaise with stakeholder organizations (PGME Office, Hospital Medical Affairs Office, College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario, Professional Association of Residents of Ontario, CFPC/RCPSC).
Be familiar with the relevant components of the PARO (The Professional Association of Residents of Ontario) contract, regarding leave, call, etc.
Coordination of the collection and compilation of resident assessments and faculty/rotation evaluations
- Using Elentra, managing the set up and distribution and reporting of assessments of residents to the Program Director, Academic Advisors and/or Competence Committees
- Coordinating and management evaluations of rotations and preceptors for residents in the program using Elentra
- Coordinate and manage the distribution of assessments of regional preceptors as needed and support the Program Director/Department Head in distributing those forms in a timely way.
- Coordinate other evaluations that may arise as a result of new CQI requirements for programs, e.g., CC evaluations, etc.,
Manage Registration and Records
- Coordinate the annual registration process for new and returning residents, following the policies and procedures of the Postgraduate Medical Education Office
- Collaborate with the PG Office on the registration of elective residents, ensuring all timelines are followed.
- Ensure registration for international trainees are submitted within work visa, pre-entry assessment program timelines, and within PG Office timelines.
- Track and monitor trainee absences
- Support the Program Director in developing and tracking remediation and probation plans
- Gather and organize resident data
- Report on Medical Trainee Days (MTD) as well as verify accuracy of data on a quarterly basis.
- Manage the process for the appropriate retention of departed trainee files in collaboration with the PGME Office.
- Respond to requests for information from the Department, the Postgraduate Medical Education Office, SEAMO or the Faculty of Health Sciences as required
Organize meetings/special events
- Coordinate the annual program orientation for new incoming trainees
- Coordinate the annual recruitment and selection process; which includes maintaining program website content, brochures and printed material as required; and taking into consideration advertising, and admissions processes
- Coordinate educational seminars/teaching topics
- Coordinate retreats, research days, symposia and conferences as needed.
- Provide support for educational sessions including room and audio-visual set-up, distribution of learning materials, and the collection and collation of evaluation forms
- Guest speakers – coordinate accommodations / honorariums / gifts for guest speakers invited to the department for teaching
- Coordinate graduation / convocation for graduating resident group (i.e., graduation gifts; venue / catering; schedule of events; preparing certificates, etc.,)
- Assist in creating / distributing surveys (e.g., within the department, with medical students, following an event, etc.,) and collate data / feedback for review
Canadian Resident Matching Service (CaRMS)
- Prepare and update program descriptions for CaRMS with detail on current program contacts, selection criteria and process, curriculum and training sites
- Gain familiarity with CaRMS on-line portal and co-ordinate with file reviewers and PGME office as necessary.
- Receive and screen applications for residencies.
- Schedule interviews, coordinating with applicants and with PAs and PDs in other programs at Queen’s University and in other universities.
- Coordinate program information sessions
- Communicate throughout the process with the applicants.
- Provide coordination for the Resident Selection Committee.
- Collate applicants’ scores from CaRMS interview process for the Resident Selection Committee, and input scores to the CaRMS site.
- Manage applications from non-CaRMS applicants.
Assist with the process of accreditation by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and the College of Family Physicians of Canada
- Document and maintain policies and procedures for the Department
- Enter data into the CanAMS system as requested by the Program Director
- Coordinate Program Reviews (External Reviews for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada and College of Family Physicians of Canada as well as Internal Reviews or Audits)
- Ensure all documents (e.g., binders, resident files) are updated and readily available for the reviewers.
- Schedule meetings for reviewers and manage logistics as required.
Administer Departmental accounts including monitoring and reconciliation
- Prepare financial spreadsheets
- Reconciliation
- Requisitions or journal entries
- Process transactions, prepare cheques
- Pay bills and complete deposits
- Responsible for the follow-up and resolution of account discrepancies
Coordinates all travel and accommodation arrangements for residents and/or program director
Other duties as assigned in support of the Program Director and/or department
New Program Administrators who are interested in a mentor please contact the PGME office and we will connect you with a current program assistant who is willing to mentor one of our new program administrators.
Supports for Residency Administrative Support
Depending on the size and nature of the residency program, the activities of residency administrative support can be shared with one or more of the following positions:
- Program coordinators or assistants,
- Administrative assistants,
- Site coordinators,
- Fellowship coordinators,
- Hospital coordinators,
- Curricular coordinators,
- Research associates,
- Educational consultants,
- Program Manager,
- Program Director, and/or,
- Department faculty
Selection of Administrators - Based on Queen’s University Human Resources Policies or the Policies of the hiring institution (e.g., Kingston Health Sciences Centre)
Education, experience, and skills (including organization, interpersonal, communication, information technologies and others) should be considered for all applicants to this role.
Performance Expectations
Residency program administrative personnel should receive feedback on their performance in a fair and transparent manner, consistent with any applicable university, health organization, or union contracts.
Note:
This role may have a different name (e.g., Program Coordinator, Program Administrative Assistant); however, the responsibilities are generally consistent.
[1] The remainder of this role description is written for residents; many of the responsibilities for fellows and for learners working towards a diploma are similar.
[1] This role is managed as a part-time position for some programs. This role description includes only the activities related specifically to the PGME program and its residents.
Job Summary updated: October 4, 2022
New Program Administrators who are interested in a mentor please contact the PGME office and we will connect you with a current program assistant who is willing to mentor one of our new program administrators.