Medical Assisting Adjunct Faculty Instructor

About National Louis University and Accelerate U

National Louis University (NLU), founded in 1886, is a private, non-profit university based in Chicago, IL serving nearly 10,000 students across five colleges. In November 2020, the University launched Accelerate U, a new division at the university offering rapid pathways to high-demand skills, post-secondary degrees, and an upwardly-mobile job and career. The Accelerate U team works with employers and non-profit operators to build affordable academic and training pathways that 1) lead to an industry-recognized credential/certificate, 2) bridge to an in-demand, upwardly-mobile job, 3) include coaching and wraparound supports, and 4) grant participants Pell-eligible college credit that can build to a bachelor's degree.

Our first training credential - a Medical Assistant Certification - is 24 weeks long followed by a 160-hour externship with one of our employer hospital or health clinic partners. Learners earn a Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) credential from National Healthcareer Association (NHA) credential along with 30 college credits that can be applied towards a bachelor's degree. Program participants work with their instructors and a coach throughout the experience and interview with Accelerate U's healthcare employer partners for a full-time job immediately following program completion.

This work has never been more important, especially in light of the effects of COVID-19. Our track record of innovation and community service; our deep commitment to equity and access (especially for first-generation learners of color); and our considerable experience with online teaching and flexible programming position us well nationally to lead in this transformational work.

This is the right role for you if:

You are committed to equity, access, and building economic mobility.

You understand that economic disparity and income inequality are destabilizing forces for a true democracy. You know the power of a great education - one that catapults a learner into new, choice-filled opportunities. You also know that too many talented, high-potential people get left out, overlooked, or skipped over when it comes to opportunities. You want to break down those barriers, destroy those misconceptions, and prepare and connect extraordinarily talented people with the opportunities they deserve.

You are driven to succeed.

You are passionate about serving all Accelerate U participants including first-generation learners and others motivated by the challenge of becoming a medical assistant. You want to take everything you know about being a medical assistant and translate it, through the Accelerate U curriculum, to others. You're agile, creative, flexible and engaging in how you teach - ready to figure out the exact right way to reach each learner. You believe all Accelerate U learners can be successful and that your job is to transform their motivation into the skills and mindset of a great medical assistant.

You are a great teacher.

You love every part of teaching medical assisting: the technical stuff, of course, but also the professional skills, mindsets, habits that are essential for success in a hospital or health clinic. You're excited to teach across different mediums - synchronously over Zoom, asynchronously on our learning management system, one-on-one with individual learners or small groups, etc. You're eager for feedback and always trying to get better. You're excited to collaborate with others such as professional coaches, peer instructors, and the Accelerate U team.

You want to create a community - a sense of belonging - for every learner.

You understand learners are not passive enrollees in our program, but active drivers of their own learning, and that learners in our program support the learning of one another: exploring content together, encouraging one another, and holding each other accountable on their way to full-time work. (You may even work along-side program alumni who have returned to be coaches or instructors.) As an instructor, you will create a space for learners to build "social capital" among their colleagues so that they head into work with a meaningful, professional network.

Establish Relationships and a Safe Learning Environment

• Dedicate time to getting to know your students and how they best learn

• Make your expectations clear regarding student behavior by consistently sharing and enforcing expectations in synchronous sessions

• Use inclusive and supportive language that honors your students' identities and assumes the best in their actions

• Deliver Excellent and Engaging Synchronous Sessions

• Deliver two, 2-hour Zoom-based synchronous (live) classes a week with your students to develop clinical skills and build on/reiterate recent learning in the program.

• Empower students to develop competency by sharing a passion and expertise for the medical assistant profession and its competencies and skills.

• Leverage a variety of active learning activities that ensure learners are doing something beyond listening (i.e. skill practice, discussions, role plays, simulations, games)

• Build in strategies to check for the understanding of all learners in your class (i.e. share out, zoom chat, polls, google doc note takers)

• Demonstrate Fluent Use of Your Teaching Tools

• Utilize technology-based teaching platforms including Zoom, a web-conferencing technology; and Desire to Learn (D2L), the University's Learning Management System

• Support learners in navigating D2L and the course textbook

• Communicate and Provide Feedback Frequently

• Grade students work every week to ensure students maintain a clear understanding of their academic progress.

• Log in to D2L and respond to your NLU email every business day

• Post announcements twice a week clarifying learners' expectations, sharing lecture recordings, and providing encouragement/updates

• Provide written feedback on all assignment submissions highlighting strengths and specific details on how to improve

• Implement and Orchestrate Differentiated Supports

• Review your class progress and grades data weekly to identify students who are in need of additional support, and reach out to those students to ensure they are aware of their status and the supports available to them

• Engage in weekly 1-on-1s with students' career coach, providing updated course grades and attendance information for each student, and collaborating to make a plan of support for every student who is falling behind

• Communicate high expectations and high confidence in students and their ability to complete the program and become great medical assistants

• Commit to continuous improvement of self and colleagues (i.e., professional development):

• Engage in weekly adjunct faculty meetings with Accelerate U staff and other instructors to build your skills as an online instructor and prepare for upcoming program milestones

• Share feedback with the Accelerate U staff on opportunities for improving the design of the Medical Assisting program

A "Week in the Life" of an Accelerate U Adjunct Faculty Instructor

Our vision is to find experienced instructors who are able to teach while focusing on other responsibilities including working in the healthcare field, building new/other skills and experiences in healthcare or pursuing their own education.

Adjunct Faculty Instructors will:

Teach two, 2-hour weekly live classes (over Zoom) a week to build on the learning program participants will have done asynchronously that week.

In the early part of the program (and for as long as necessary), you'll meet with each of your students (~25 learners) one-on-one to get to know them, check in on their progress, answer questions, and make sure they are clear on the work ahead.

You'll spend time grading materials, reviewing learner work products, and providing feedback through D2L and other software tools.

You'll communicate regularly throughout the week with learners over email and other software and communication tools. You'll be able to lay out expectations with learners regarding when you're available for immediate support

You'll meet with the Accelerate U team(i.e. other instructors, staff) once a week to delve into the curriculum, address learner needs/issues, and plan for program activities.

You'll meet with the Career Coach supporting your group of students once a week to review student progress and identify differentiated supports to ensure each student can be successful.

You'll spend time providing ongoing support, trouble-shooting issues, preparing and planning for future modules.

We are looking for individuals with the following experience:

• At least three (3) years' work experience in Allied Health; medical assisting preferred.

• At least two (2) years of teaching experience with knowledge of course development, instruction, evaluation, and academic advising. Online teaching experience preferred.

• Medical Assistant certification through a certifying body recognized by the National Certification Corporation with a minimum of an Associate Degree OR at least seven (7) years of experience in an Allied Health field; Bachelor's Degree in related healthcare field preferred;

• Experience with digital tools for teaching, teaching in either online or blended/hybrid formats, and teaching to students of diverse backgrounds and abilities strongly preferred

• CPR certified at the level of Health Care Provider through the American Heart Association and be able to competently administer CPR

NLU Inclusion Statement:

National Louis University is deeply committed to serving its community, advancing access and equity, and ensuring that all individuals are welcomed and valued. We are dedicated to fostering a culture where diversity, equity, and inclusion remain at the core of who we are. These are more than just words to us: they are truly a way of life for the NLU community. We recognize that differences in abilities, age, ethnicity, gender (identity and expression), race, religion, sexual orientation, socio-economic status, and background bring richness to our work environment. We affirm diverse perspectives, innovative contributions, and authentic presentations of self from every member within the NLU community. We believe inclusion is grounded in the actions we intentionally take each day. Our goal is to inspire and empower NLU employees and community members to cultivate an environment where we collectively focus on uplifting and advancing our institutional culture.