Learning Specialist, College of Medicine - Tucson

The position of Learning Specialist will assess and teach cognitive/affective skills to students pursuing a medical degree. In this position, the Learning Specialist will assist and empower students to achieve academic success and social adjustment through a variety of activities including academic coaching, student learning centers, academic preparation and success coursework, tutoring, life skills support, and other services.

The Learning Specialist will support students within the policies and practices of the college and offices of Student Affairs and Curricular Affairs. Serving as a liaison, the Learning Specialist will interact with Assistant and Associate Deans, medical student mentors, faculty, program coordinators, and block directors as part of a system of support. The goal is to ensure the academic and professional success of students enrolled at the College of Medicine-Tucson, including assisting students to prepare and successfully pass the United States Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE) Step 1 and Step 2.

Outstanding UA benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance plans; life insurance and disability programs; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; UA/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; retirement plans; access to UA recreation and cultural activities; and more!

The University of Arizona has been recognized for our innovative work-life programs. For more information about working at the University of Arizona and relocations services, please click here.

• Ensure preparation, development and implementation of strategies, systems, processes, learning experiences and networks that support achievement of the academic and career outcomes for the overall student experience of MD year 1 & 2 students for Step 1 exam. This includes: maintaining a working knowledge of the learning sciences literature, including remediation strategies both generally in higher education and specific to medical education, and liaises with other learning specialist leads nationally to ensure the best practice are implemented locally.
• Provide instruction that will occur in student appointments, in seminars, and workshops.
• Assess, innovate and implement strategies to improve student support services across the medical curriculum and monitor the academic progress of approximately 480 medical students in collaboration with other Learning Specialists.
• Manage academic intervention and advising for a case load of professional students, including tracking academic progress; initiating student contact; interpreting assessment instruments, including but not limited to The Learning and Study Strategies Inventory (LASSI), Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) personality inventory, Error Analysis; and advising students on how to enhance learning and performance.
• Identify learning needs related to attention management, different abilities and communicate effectively to support and guide students to appropriate resources.
• Develop, implement, and maintain electronic and on-line Learning Center services needed to enhance student success.
• Thoughtfully integrate evidence-based approaches to supporting students from diverse backgrounds to academic success.
• Connect with all students, making themselves available for meetings with staff, students, house deans and faculty, and having the ability to build and maintain positive working relationships, within individual work groups and across departments.
• Perform data entry and management of student data to support identification and advising of at-risk students.
• Assist in preparation of operational reports and analyses to identify progress, adverse trends, and recommendations for consecutive Learning Center approaches.
• Assist students in successfully integrating into the institution's environment; thriving personally and academically.
• Empower students to achieve academic success and social adjustment through a variety of activities including academic coaching, student learning centers, academic preparation and success coursework, tutoring, life skills support, and other services.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Technologically astute; excellent database and word processing skills.
• Ability to work flexible hours to support all activities of the office.
• Demonstrated ability to work with diverse population of students.
• Demonstrated ability to work with gifted population and special education needs.
• Successful candidates should be approachable, accessible, and create a supportive and inclusive environment for all students.

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent advanced learning attained through professional level experience required.
• Minimum of five (5) years of relevant work experience, or equivalent combination of education and work experience required.

• Master's degree in higher education, science education, educational psychology, social work, student affairs, special education, basic sciences or related field.
• Experience with learning skill development, diagnostic and prescriptive advising.
• Experience working in post-secondary education setting preferably with advance graduate and professional students.
• Experience working within a medical school or highly matrix environment.