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  • Job
  • University of Melbourne
28 May 2020

Subject Development Coordinator: Cancer Prevention and Control

This ground-breaking opportunity requires an enthusiastic and suitably qualified Subject Development Coordinator to take overall responsibility for the design, implementation and delivery of the Cancer Prevention and Control subject in the Master of Cancer Sciences course.

The Master of Cancer Sciences is Australia’s first cancer specific, multidisciplinary, flexible, wholly online program; and one of only two such programs in the world. This course is being developed in partnership between the Victorian Comprehensive Cancer Centre and the University of Melbourne.

The Subject Development Coordinator will oversee curriculum development of the content, learning activities, assessments and evaluation, including:

  • Planning
  • Proof of concept (prototype)
  • Design and pre-production
  • Production
  • Quality assurance

The Subject Development Coordinator will liaise closely with the Course Convenors to ensure that the subject meets the over-arching course objectives and provides a seamless, integrated experience as part of the master’s suite.

Cancer Prevention and Control

The Cancer Prevention subject aims to outline the concepts, methods and applications underpinning cancer prevention at a population level. It will explore the concepts of primary, secondary (screening and early intervention) and tertiary prevention strategies to improve cancer outcomes. Case based discussion will demonstrate the epidemiological and applied behavioural research involved in reducing the risk of incidence of cancer and recurrence.

Learning outcomes

  • Demonstrate knowledge of the biological and environmental factors associated with cancer risk or that serve as biomarkers for risk assessment and early detection.
  • Critically evaluate interventions intended to reduce cancer incidence, morbidity, mortality and improve patient outcomes.
  • Reflect on the influence of societal and political influences on cancer screening and prevention programs

Potential topics

  • Cancer screening
  • Prophylaxis – including vaccinations
  • Precision prevention
  • Risk profiling
  • Family history
  • Lifestyle factors – Dietary, sedentary, smoking
  • Special cases – Sun exposure, smoking, Reducing household radon
  • Comorbidities
  • Avoidance/amelioration of instigatory factors (infectious, chronic disease) – vaccination

Position context

The Master of Cancer Sciences is the flagship educational program of the VCCC and its ten partner organisations. It is a two-year part time online course offered jointly by the VCCC and the UoM and commenced in 2019. Its target audience is scientists and clinicians such as surgeons, radiologists, oncologists, haematologists, general practitioners, nurses, allied health and clinical trials staff currently working within or interested in breaking into the field of cancer care.

The philosophy of the Master of Cancer Sciences is to provide a contemporary, flexible, evidence-based program to health professionals to improve the outcomes and quality of lives of patients with cancer. Subjects will be developed in the foundations of cancer, cancer research, cancer prevention and control, cancer diagnostics, cancer therapeutics, supportive and palliative care, drug discovery and development, cancer across a lifespan and a research project capstone; alongside a number of subjects selected from existing relevant graduate programs.

Key relationships

The Subject Development Coordinator will be contracted by the VCCC and will work in close conjunction with numerous members of the VCCC and University of Melbourne team to design and develop the subject.

Selection criteria

Essential

  • A degree in medicine, nursing, allied health or the sciences
  • Demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching
  • Well-developed experience in curriculum design and preparing and delivering educational resources
  • Demonstrated excellence in verbal and written communication
  • Demonstrated strong organisational, time management and problem-solving skills
  • Strong interpersonal skills, with an ability to build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders (internal and external) and work collaboratively to achieve outcomes
  • Ethical scholar who values diversity and works effectively with individual differences

Desirable

  • A Master’s degree in a relevant field
  • Experience teaching / developing courses in an online environment
  • A higher degree in medical education
  • A demonstrated interest in medical education research
  • Clinical practice in a relevant area

Special requirements

  • The Subject Development Coordinator may be required to maintain an appropriate teaching load as a faculty member within the Cancer Prevention and Control subject.

How to apply

Download a copy of the position description.

Please send your application and CV no later than COB Wednesday 17 June to:

Dr Sathana Dushyanthen
VCCC Graduate Programs Lead, Master of Cancer Sciences
E [email protected]

Contact for enquiries

Dr David Kok
Course Convenor
T +61 3 8559 5000
E [email protected]

Please do not send your application to this contact

 

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