Critical Reading Instructor/Assistant Professor/Associate Professor

Job Details

Description

The Medical/Dental Education Preparatory Program (MEDPREP) is seeking a highly qualified faculty member to join our department with an emphasis on teaching critical reading skills. The successful candidate will assume a major educational role working with an interdisciplinary team of faculty to develop and deliver an integrated preparatory curriculum for students seeking entry into medical school. This is a full-time (100% FTE) 12-month appointment with an anticipated start date of July 1, 2026. The continuation of appointment is dependent on periodic reviews of performance.

Due to the newly established $100,000 fee for H-1B petitions requesting consular processing outside of the U.S., Southern Illinois University is unable to provide H-1B sponsorship at this time for any prospective applicant who is outside of the U.S. and requires consular processing. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience, while also considering internal equity.

Examples of Duties

The tenure-track/tenured Assistant/Associate Professor responsibilities are divided into teaching, service, and scholarly activities. Candidates applying for the position as an Instructor are not required to fulfill the scholarly activities requirements. The position responsibilities are further outlined below:

Teaching:

• Teach Critical Reading Skills, focused on the development of fundamental reading skills that lead to success on the Critical Analysis and Reasoning (CARS) subtest of the MCAT. Areas of teaching include reading comprehension, vocabulary development (both general and medical/scientific), and critical analysis.
• Teach the first-year seminar courses (which assist students with the process of applying to professional school).
• Participate in the assessment and evaluation of students and provide feedback and remedial assistance to ensure that students meet the established standards.
• Participate in, design, and facilitate active learning sessions such as problem-based learning or a second-year remediation course.
• Provide independent study to second year students as necessary.
• Lead a biweekly book/medical literature club.

Service:

• Serve on departmental committees as assigned by the director, with expectation to chair a major department committee.
• Establish and maintain scheduled office hours for student advising, mentorship, and tutoring.
• Demonstrate adaptability and the willingness to assist the program in fulfilling its mission and vision through teaching and academic administrative duties, and/or perform special duties as assigned by the director.

Scholarly Activities:

• Maintain a scholarly focus in field of study and/or medical education.
• Maintain active involvement in academic presentations (e.g., academic conferences).
• Pursue academic publications (e.g., academic journals, conference proceedings, scholarly books, etc.).
• Pursue application of scholarship that results in documented change (e.g., design of assessment systems/reports that require synthesis of expertise and exploration of data that advances the curriculum).

General Expectations:

• Demonstrate the highest standard of professionalism and ethical behavior in all aspects of personal and professional actions and performance.
• Demonstrate and role model an ongoing ability to work cooperatively and as a team with colleagues, supervisors and support staff.
• Provide excellent service to both internal and external customers through collaboration and partnerships, compassion and respect, integrity and accountability, diversity and inclusion, as well as continuous learning and improvement.

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications: Candidates should be sensitive to the needs of underrepresented populations. Demonstrate, by actions, commitment to the mission and behavioral standards of the School of Medicine.

• Candidates applying for the position as tenure-track Assistant/Associate Professor should have an earned Ph.D. degree or equivalent terminal degree in literacy/reading education, curriculum and instruction, educational psychology, or a related field. Additionally, candidates must provide evidence of experience teaching critical reading/analysis skills, evidence of ability or potential to conduct scholarly activity in their field and/or medical education, and ability to mentor students; excellent interpersonal/team/collaborative skills.
• Candidates applying for the position as non-tenure-track instructor must have, at minimum, a master’s degree in literacy/reading education, curriculum and instruction, educational psychology, or a related field. Additionally, candidates must provide evidence of experience teaching critical reading/analysis skills, and ability to mentor students; excellent interpersonal/team/collaborative skills.

Preferred Qualifications: Prefer candidates with a doctoral degree in literacy/reading education, curriculum and instruction, educational psychology, or a related field. Prefer teaching experience in critical reading/analysis and writing skills at the college level. Prefer demonstrated work experience with educationally and/or economically disadvantaged students. Prefer candidates with an equity-minded focus, responsiveness, sensitivity to, and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, and ethnic backgrounds, of students, including those with a physical or learning disability as it relates to differences in learning; and successfully foster and support an inclusive educational and employment environment.

Required Documents: Submit a letter of application, CV, and three references.

Contact: Thomas Shea, tshea@siumed.edu

Supplemental Information

MEDPREP was founded in 1972 as part of the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine, and in our over 50-year history has helped more than 1800 students from Illinois and across the United States gain entry to medical and dental health professions schools. We do this by employing an innovative curriculum that is designed to build student strength in areas that are key to success in medical and dental schools. The program is staffed by a select group of dedicated professionals with knowledge in key subject areas as well as knowledge about the medical and dental school process.