You鈥檝e听been in this role for听about听a year now听鈥� how has it been going?听
I鈥檓听grateful听that听colleagues and learners听have taken the time to bring me up to speed on听what听they鈥檙e听working on and听what鈥檚听important to them. That to me is the most energizing part of the entire dossier.听There鈥檚 so听much听amazing听work being done in both education and community engagement, both by individuals and听by units and departments.听The enthusiasm for doing this work to better serve our learners, our staff, our听faculty听and the听communities听in Quebec听is really听inspiring.听听
听
The听scope of the Vice-Dean鈥檚听role听has听expanded.听Can you tell us a little about the new structure and听the reasons behind the change?听
My office is now structured with two hubs of activity 鈥撎�Community Engagement and Belonging听and听Education Support, Enhancement and Innovation.听Education听is about preparing learners to meet听the future needs of Quebec society,听broader society,听and听the communities that we serve.听By linking the听education and community engagement听portfolios more explicitly, it really forces us to听identify听and听strengthen those links and to make sure that we always keep an eye on听this,听in particular听for听the听health professions.听
听
Can we hear a little more about the two hubs, starting with听Community Engagement and Belonging?听
Community听Engagement and听Belonging听brings听together leaders working in听these areas听within our听Schools and is an opportunity for us to have a听high-level view of听the听various ways听we鈥檙e听already engaging听with听communities.听We want to strengthen existing relationships and ensure that听what we build moving forward is听of mutual benefit听to our听Faculty听and the community.听
The hub听includes the听Indigenous Health Professions Program听(IHPP), which听remains听its own program with its own leadership.听Connecting the work being done听with听Indigenous听communities听to听the broader听Faculty听community allows us to learn from the wisdom of听these听experiences,听particularly听with regard to听outreach,听and also听create a community of allies.听We need to听recognize听that a small group of听Indigenous faculty and learners听can鈥檛听bear听all of听the responsibility for doing that outreach and education听鈥� we听have to听do this work together.听听
听
And听the听Education Support, Enhancement and Innovation听hub?听
This听hub听brings faculty development, rebranded as听Faculty Enrichment and Development听(FacED),听and led by Associate Dean Sophie Vaillancourt,听and听Interprofessional听Education听(IPE), led by Prof. Cynthia Perlman, closer听together听,听while听maintaining听the听expertise听of these teams.听We鈥檙e听linking听the core business in education that听crosses the boundaries of our听Schools to听better听support听this work.听听
The听FacED听team听has just听launched听one such initiative: a new听online microlearning听module,听.听This microlearning activity is accessible on-demand in English and French听and available to听the听numerous听clinical teachers and supervisors听throughout the province听who听supervise our听health professions听students.听The quality of clinical education that we offer depends on clinical teachers and supervisors 鈥� and听we鈥檙e听grateful for their commitment. This听new听approach听to听FacED听activities听recognizes and supports their work with activities they can access when they want, in small bites, in the language of their preference.听听
What听do you see as the听biggest听challenges facing educators in the health sciences听in the coming year?听
One of the challenges facing educators in this province is obviously the budgetary constraints听facing听higher education听and health care.听We鈥檙e听preparing learners for careers in the biomedical sciences, population and global health, and the health professions in a shifting landscape. We need to be on the leading edge of education and continue to recruit outstanding learners into our听cutting-edge听programs that pave the way to the future despite the challenges.听听
A challenge 鈥� but also an opportunity 鈥撎齣s听identifying听how to use听artificial intelligence听in education in a way that听takes into account听the听inherent听risks of bias, especially when听we鈥檙e听thinking about diverse groups of learners or populations.听At the same time,听there are tasks that AI could potentially do to free us up to do other higher order tasks, and I think in听health听sciences education听we need to be听thinking about听what听we can and should be offloading to technology.听听
Throughout health sciences education,听we need to听continue to听think about听belonging,听.听We are continuing work to address anti-Black racism and to meet our obligations for Truth and Reconciliation, while recognizing that other groups and communities are also suffering from racism, discrimination, and exclusion. An upcoming priority is accessibility and听looking at how听principles of universal design can听enhance听the success and sense of belonging of听our learners, faculty,听and听staff.听
听
What听are some things听the听Faculty听can听do to better听support听our educators听to face these challenges?听
Thinking about how to reach more people in the way they want to be reached is听really key.听That鈥檚听why听I鈥檓听really excited by the new听online听FacED听series,听. Knowing our听teachers and supervisors听are spread across the province,听activities that are听in-person听are inaccessible to and听exclude听many of the valuable members of our community.听There are also听four听Health Professions Schools in the FMHS, and the needs of teachers are different.听听Introduction to Clinical Supervision takes this into account, with modules for Medicine, Nursing, and Rehab Sciences.听听
At the same time, having no opportunities to meet, exchange, and learn听in-person听would听be听a mistake.听Being together fosters a sense of belonging and community.听I鈥檓听glad to see that many groups are shifting听back听to some听in-person meetings听and activities,听while听maintaining听hybrid听options to promote accessibility.听I have launched several Education and Community Engagement committees that bring together leaders from across our听six听Schools. As a community,听we鈥檙e听identifying听shared priorities, common concerns, and helping each other succeed听across the health sciences.听听
We need to make sure that we are constantly attentive to building communities of practice听and support for听the professors,听teachers,听and supervisors who are the backbone听of听the education mission.听听
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Do you have a great teacher or mentor who inspired you to do this work?听
I think the biggest inspiration for me to choose to take on this听this role is听Prof.听Annette Majnemer, who was the inaugural Vice-Dean,听Education,听and with whom I had the pleasure of working closely听when I was听Assistant Dean, Health听Professions听Education.听That was my first experience听working for a leader who was not from听Medicine, and I learned so much from her听about how each of听us听brings our own听worldview听to bear, and that the more lenses you have in the room, the better.听That鈥檚听actually听one听of the reasons I was so excited that this became an education and community听engagement portfolio.听鈥撎齀 perceive听that linking our education work to the needs of the communities we serve 鈥� all while fostering a sense of belonging in our community听鈥撎齣s听key to bringing the听whole thing together.听