Education at OHSU

Education at OHSU

About the Educators' Collaborative

Guiding principles

Our Vision

The Educators' Collaborative endeavors to be a place of belonging for all OHSU educators to engage in theoretical discussion and research-based inquiry to develop ideas and practices in health science education. The EC envisions a future as a nationally recognized, cross-disciplinary academic collaborative, integral to the continued improvement of learner outcomes across the institution.  

Our Mission

The EC advances and elevates OHSU's education mission by facilitating collaboration, showcasing innovations, and promoting professional development. 

To accomplish our mission, the EC is guided by the following tenets:

  • Education is a critical mission for Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU).
  • Engaged, committed, and skilled teachers enhance the experience and outcomes of our learners. 
  • Education encompasses direct teaching, curriculum and session design, learner assessment, program evaluation, mentorship and advising, as well as scholarship and innovation.
  • Given the opportunity and resources, every individual can refine their skills as an educator. 
  • Similar to clinicians and researchers, educators need a well-defined home base or community, which the EC will provide. The EC will function as a community of practice: a group of people with shared interests, skills, and concerns, who come together to fulfill both individual and group goals.
  • The activities and priorities of the EC will be determined by its members and facilitated by its advisory group team. 
  • Members of the EC will enhance their own skills, and also those of participating non-members by both acquiring and sharing knowledge and resources. 
  • The EC will work in partnership with other programs and groups with similar goals and interests. 

Leadership structure

The structure of the advisory group provides leadership opportunities for Educators’ Collaborative (EC) members.

Except for the three Chair positions (one year), the SEE Chair-Elect (one year), and the Communications Secretary (no term limit), each appointment will be for a 2-year term, with appointments staggered so the advisory group does not turn over completely every two years.

Chair positions will be for one year. The Chair-Elect will be selected or elected from within the advisory group. Additionally, the SEE Chair, the SEE Chair-Elect, and the Communications Secretary will be appointed by the advisory group.

All other positions on the advisory group will be elected by and from the EC membership. Nominations for advisory group positions will be solicited and reviewed by a Nominations Committee, chaired by the Membership Chair (self-nominations are encourage). That group will create a panel of nominations, mindful of involvement of the many academic units included, and of the diversity of the membership we serve and hope to create, and EC members will vote on the panel. In some cases, the AG may choose to allow co-chairs to be elected to a position.

While there is no year limit to the number of years an EC member can serve on advisory group, a member cannot hold any of the specific positions for more than one term.

Advisory group

Responsibilities of the advisory group

  • Ensure that EC activities are both in line with guiding principles and serving member needs.
  • Provide oversight of membership development and diversity.
  • Develop and facilitate overall EC activity plan.
  • Attend monthly hour-long meetings run by current chair with agenda sent out prior to the meeting by the chair based on suggestions from advisory group members.

Positions on the advisory group

Selections for each role will happen in June at the end of an academic year, for a term beginning September 1.

See below for the responsibilities and requirements for each position.

Responsibilities
  • Formalize the agenda for and run the monthly meetings of the advisory group.
  • Hold primary responsibility for overseeing that overall EC activities are moving forward and future directions being developed.
  • Serve as EC point person for liaison with other organizations or stakeholders wishing to coordinate with or interact with the EC.
  • Submit budget requests to Dean’s office.
  • Support and advance leadership development of other AG members.
Requirements
  • Have previously served as “chair-elect.”

Term length: One year

Current chair: Jessica Walter

Responsibilities
  • Primary responsibility will be to assist current chair in their duties.
  • Special focus on growth of future EC directions and projects.
  • Will serve as a helping hand to any of the other leadership roles as needed.
Requirements
  • Have previously served on the EC Advisory Group for at least 1 year in another role. This position is allowed to hold another AG position concurrently.

Term length: One year

Current chair-elect: None

Responsibilities
  • Organizes and oversees Education Grand rounds including final topic selection, inviting presenters and working with administrative support to arrange logistics.
  • Provide advice, and mentorship for other members of the EC advisory group, in particular Chair and Chair-elect.
  • Serve as chair in the current chair’s absence.
Requirements
  • Have served as the chair in the prior year.

Term length: One year

Current past-chair: Sylvia Nelsen

Responsibilities
  • Primary role will be coordinating general work of the group by taking notes during monthly meetings, sending out meeting minutes/to-dos, managing EC funds, and helping to keep AG Teams channels up-to-date.

Term length: Two years

Current Secretary/Treasurer: Heather Hawk

Responsibilities
  • Primary role will be helping to recruit new members, tracking recruitment patterns and co-managing membership database with assigned administrative staff.
  • Chair the nominations committee for yearly election of new advisory group members.

Term length: Two years

Current Membership/Recruitment Secretary: Robin Stiller

Responsibilities
  • Communicate regularly with Provost’s Office to ensure alignment between the EC Digest and ASCEND  
  • Collect information for the monthly EC Digest/email newsletter about upcoming professional development opportunities (within and beyond OHSU) that would be of interest and available (at no- or low-cost) to EC members. 
    • Composes and sends out monthly EC Digest (~1st of each month)
  • Update EC member contact list as needed (e.g., after receiving bounce back emails).
  • Coordinate with Membership/Recruitment to send monthly EC welcome message to new EC members that have joined in prior 4 weeks.
  • Keep information on EC web page current (e.g., upcoming event dates and topics, past event recordings).
  • Create and distribute promotional materials for EC events (e.g., flyers).
Requirements
  • Is ideally someone with a centrally-located position at OHSU, who has connections with entities across the institution.
  • Is able to serve for an indefinite period of time, as this position is not an elected position and does not have a term limit.

Term length: N/A

Current Communications Secretary: Devon Ritter

Responsibilities
  • Serve as the point person and director for the yearly symposium, enlisting the help of other members as needed.
  • Set agendas and schedule regular meetings with the SEE planning committee.
Requirements
  • Have served as SEE Chair-Elect in prior year.

Term length: One year

Current SEE Chair: Pam Meyers

Responsibilities
  • Assist SEE chair in planning, administering, and facilitating the SEE.
  • Special focus on future growth and development of SEE.

Term length: One year

Current SEE Chair-Elect: None

Responsibilities
  • Provide representation to, and voice for, otherwise un/under represented schools, departments, or divisions at OHSU.
  • Serve as a helping hand to any of the other leadership roles as needed. 

Term length: Two years

Current Members at Large: Annae Nichelson and Mel Tennyson

Responsibilities
  • Represent student, resident, fellow or postdoc constituencies and provide the trainee perspective at the advisory group meetings.
Requirements
  • Current student, resident, fellow or postdoc.

Term length: Two years

Current Learner at Large: Erynn Beeson

Responsibilities
  • Act to support more junior members in their leadership roles and help members navigate the educational landscape of the institution.
Requirements
  • Prior advisory group member whose presence on the leadership team is deemed invaluable to the group’s institutional memory, effectiveness and happiness.

Current Ex Officio member(s): None