Patient Programs Coordinator

Posting End Date

September 10, 2026

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

Ongoing

This is a part time position at 0.5 FTE, salary will be prorated.

This position is expected to be filled by promotion/reassignment and is included here to inform you of its vacancy at the University.

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Description Summary

This position recruits, trains and supports successful delivery of activities involving patient programs participants, including Standardized Patients (SPs), Volunteer Patients (VPs), Clinical Teaching Associates (CTAs) used for teaching and assessment of medical students for the Southern Medical Program (SMP).

This position will require an individual who is comfortable in an atmosphere of ambiguity as systems and processes are regularly revised for quality improvement purposes.

Organizational Status

This position reports to the Administrative Director. This position works closely with the patient pr ogram colleagues, program staff, clinical faculty, and clinical faculty leadership at the SMP . This position works collaboratively with provincial patient programs staff at the MDUP distributed sites, and MDUP clinical faculty leadership to support effective communication and delivery of provincial MDUP curriculum and assessment involving patient programs participants. This position liaises with representatives of Interior Health (IH), partner institutions and representatives of other external organizations as required.

Work Performed

Coordinates and implements Patient Program activity at the SMP

Volunteer Patient (VP) Program

• Proactively recruits new VPs from members from diverse backgrounds. Liaises with clinical faculty in identifying new prospective VPs with known findings.
• Interviews, selects, trains and evaluates individuals for the VP program.
• Works with the SMP Program Manager Years 1&2 and SMP program coordinators to schedule VP involvement in curriculum delivery and student remediation as directed by SMP Course Director(s). Books and confirms appointments in accordance with program schedules and requirements of each session.
• Answers queries VPs may raise concerning curriculum sessions and advises VPs on confidentiality and informed consent issues.

Standardized Patient (SP) Program

• Manages projects undertaken by the SP Program; including outlining requirements, responsibilities, and timelines.
• Collaborates with colleagues and faculty on the development and revision of teaching and assessment materials.
• Recruits and trains SPs to simulate medical conditions and/or communication challenges for the teaching and assessment of medical students.
• Works with the SMP program managers and SMP program coordinators to schedule SP involvement in curriculum delivery and student remediation as directed by SMP Course Director(s). Books and confirms appointments in accordance with schedule blocks and requirements of each session.
• Conducts research and prepares a teaching plan for educating SPs.
• Works with SMP program managers, program coordinators and faculty leadership on Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs): providing back-up support for all aspects of exam coordination as required.

Clinical Teaching Associates (CTAs)

• Leads the recruitment, training and scheduling of the male Clinical Teaching Associates (CTAs) for sensitive examinations.
• Supports the recruitment, training and scheduling of the female Clinical Teaching Associates (CTAs) for sensitive examinations as required.
• Books and confirms appointments in accordance with program schedules and requirements of each session.

Provides general patient program support

• Identifies opportunities and fosters engagement with community organizations to celebrate diversity, build on strengths found in differences and promote healthy, inclusive education, training and support through the Patient Programs’ activity.
• Maintains accurate and up-to-date records (including waivers and consent), file systems and processes ensuring all record keeping meets or exceeds UBC standards.
• Develops reports and databases to provide financial and administrative information.
• Ensures stipends and other financial documents are processed in accordance with guidelines, policies and procedures for all patient programs activity.
• Participates in local and provincial meetings with the Patient Program team, contributing to a forum for communication, regular updates, and collaboration to support standardized delivery, monitoring of performance and training needs, and proposing quality improvement initiatives for PP involvement in curriculum and assessment activity.
• Collaborates with the SMP Communications Manager to create and maintain a newsletter and web site relating to all aspects of the patient programs activity at the SMP.
• Creates and maintains Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) manual and Records Classification System for this position.
• Provides program support to colleagues during absences.
• Supports the development of new initiatives.
• Coordinates recruitment, recognition and retention efforts for patient programs participants.
• Performs other related duties as necessary in keeping with the qualifications and requirements of the job.

Consequence of Error/Judgement

This position will conduct interviews with prospective patient program participants, which will require the ability to ask questions with tact and discretion. They will have access to case material and SP, VP and CTA personal/medical information that is highly confidential and must be able to maintain confidentiality appropriately. Many of the projects undertaken by the incumbent are high stakes examinations requiring good judgment be exercised in dealing with anxious individuals in a stressful setting.

The position will require the ability to make decisions quickly and under stress when in an exam setting. Inappropriate judgment in these situations can result in appeals by candidates or the invalidation of exam results and could potentially have repercussions for the faculty, staff, students, general public and image of the Southern Medical Program and Faculty as a whole.

Supervision Received

This position reports to the Administrative Director. Autonomous in regular decision-making; unusual issues brought to the attention of the Administrative Director, Program Managers or Course Directors as appropriate for direction, advice and collaboration.

Supervision Given

Provides guidance to administrative support staff regarding Patient programs specific activity.

Education / Work Experience

Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. Minimum of two years experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

Performance Competencies and Criteria

• Experience as a Standardized Patient and familiarity with the OSCE process required or the equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated interpersonal and diplomacy skills, as well as demonstrated ability to develop effective working relationships with community members, staff, faculty and students;
• Enthusiasm to nurture an environment that celebrates diversity, builds on strengths found in differences and seeks to encourage growth in all members of the team;
• Enthusiasm to work with equity, diversity and inclusion based approaches to advance decolonization and Truth and Reconciliation initiatives;
• Experience promoting healthy, gender inclusive education, training and support;
• Demonstrated strong independent problem-solving and organizational skills, especially in the delivery of examinations, events and projects;
• Demonstrated ability to work independently, relate to and work with people at all levels; ability to function collegially within a close team-working environment;
• Ability to exercise high level of tact and discretion, sensitivity, empathy, project positive image and be diplomatic in stressful situations while maintaining confidentiality in dealing with patients, students and faculty;
• Demonstrated verbal and written communication skills;
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and to work under pressure to meet constant deadlines;
• Flexible, comfortable working in ambiguity, and high action orientation and invigorated by change;
• Intermediate to advanced user of MS Office Suite (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access), SharePoint and web browsers;
• Demonstrated knowledge of file and records classification systems and processes;
• Demonstrated understanding of University institutional initiatives, and administrative policies and procedures;
• Comfortable learning new technologies;
• Flexibility regarding work hours and ability to work after regular hours is required.

Expectations for all UBC employees

• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own
• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion