Role-Specific: Clinical Skills | Case-Based Learning | Family Medicine | FLEX | OSCE | Portfolio

FLEX

WANT TO TEACH?

Learn the benefits of teaching FLEX. Recruitment reopens in Spring (April) 2025, sign up links will be updated below.

NEW TO TEACHING?

Review the FLEX Orientation and Foundations of Scholarship (FoS) Orientation modules.

What are the opportunities to be a FLEX Advisor?

Flexible Enhanced Learning (FLEX) consists of a longitudinal series of courses in Years 1, 2 and 4 that allow students to explore individual scholarly interests and enhanced learning opportunities in the broad context of medical training.

FLEX activities occur on dedicated afternoons (“Half-Days”) and/or dedicated full weeks (“Block Time”) where students are engaged full-time in FLEX activities, with no other curriculum scheduled.

FLEX is organised in such a way that faculty can be involved in more than one FLEX course at the same time.

Year 1

MEDD 419

Foundations of Scholarship

The Foundations of Scholarship (FoS) component consists of modules, small group sessions, and optional Q&A with the content expert and workshops.

Students will have different abilities and expertise coming into FoS. The aim is to provide them with a foundational understanding of rigorous scholarship.

When?

  • September to February (Monday afternoons)

FLEX Half Days

Students will have dedicated afternoons to develop their project plans with prospective Activity Supervisor(s), including identifying the need for ethics approval(s), scope of the literature review (required for all activities) and a needs assessment (if necessary).

When?

  • March to mid-April

FLEX Block Time

Following project approval, students are fully engaged in their FLEX activities with no other curriculum running.

Students end the year by completing a Summative Portfolio Folder where they submit documents detailing what they have learned.

When?

  • Late April to early June
Learn more: Year 1 FLEX Advisor Role (VFMP)

Year 2

MEDD 429

Half Days & 3-Week Block

Comprised solely of FLEX time with the bulk of it allocated to students being fully engaged in their activities. There are minimal scheduled interactions between FLEX Advisors and students. Advisors mostly support students via email, phone or Zoom, as required. 

When?

  • Term 1: September to December (Total hours: 9)
  • Term 2: January to May (Total hours: 20)
Learn more: Year 2 FLEX Advisor Role (VFMP)

Year 4

MEDD 449

4-Week Block

Comprised of a full-time FLEX block with minimal scheduled interactions between FLEX Advisors and students. Advisors mostly support students via email, phone or Zoom, as required.

When?

  • September to February (Total hours: 28)
Learn more: Year 4 FLEX Advisor Role (VFMP)

FAQ

Do I need a UBC Faculty Appointment to teach?

Yes, you need an active UBC faculty or post-doctoral fellow appointment for the specified teaching period (or be eligible to obtain a UBC faculty teaching appointment).

What do you look for in a FLEX Advisor?

  • Relevant experience with scholarship and scholarly work
  • Experience as an educator
  • A commitment to community engagement in medical education
  • Effective interpersonal skills and an ability to work well with others
  • Experience facilitating small groups
  • High standards of ethical and professional behaviour
  • Knowledge of MD undergraduate education
  • Access to a computer with camera/mic and a good internet connection

For returning applicants, positions in FLEX can be renewed on an annual basis.

What are the responsibilities of a FLEX Advisor?

Overall

  • Provide longitudinal mentorship and formative feedback to an assigned group of 8 students in the FLEX course.
  • Act as a scholarly guide and resource for self-directed learning.
  • Communicate any student issues with FLEX Site Directors.

Faculty Development

  • New FLEX Advisors will be paired with a mentor for support through 1:1 meetings, peer observations, and other tools.
  • Attend mandatory FLEX Advisor Orientation(s) and scheduled virtual meetings.
  • Complete ongoing faculty development activities, including modules, and seek support from FLEX Site Directors as needed.
  • Provide ongoing feedback to FLEX course directorship about successes and areas needing improvement for continuous quality improvement.

Student Support

  • Small Group Sessions: Monitor student attendance, report absences, and facilitate peer mentorship within small groups. Communicate important deadlines and deliverables during scheduled sessions.
  • Check In: Meet with students during defined check-in periods to monitor progress and communicate deadlines, providing feedback on their reflective practice skills. Summarize discussions for actionable feedback.
  • Project Plans/Activities: Support students in identifying learning goals, developing project plans, and selecting appropriate activities. Approve and verify registration for activities, ensuring research ethics review if needed.

Assessment

Note: You will be assessing different students than those in your own Advising Group.

  • Monitor student task completion by deadlines and report any non-completion to FLEX Site Directors.
  • Evaluate student work in their FLEX Summative Portfolio Folder using provided assessment criteria.
  • Complete and submit mandatory assessment forms and grading by the stated deadline.

Assessment of teachers by learners: As in all other parts of the MD undergraduate program, FLEX Advisors are assessed by students and receive feedback on their performance. Advisors who receive assessments of concern may be invited to meet with the appropriate Course or Site Directors, recommended to attend faculty development, and/or may not be invited to be an advisor in the future.

What does remuneration look like?

For those eligible to be paid, teaching in FLEX is compensated at 1.5 units per hour.

The extra 0.5 units per hour is meant to compensate for events/tasks such as attending meetings, doing preparation and administrative work, corresponding with students, completing WBAs, etc. This follows the UBC Faculty of Medicine Clinical Faculty Compensation Terms for Teaching in the MD Undergraduate and Postgraduate programs.

How does FLEX overlap with the existing curriculum?

What are the topics covered in Foundations of Scholarship (FoS)?

Topics include:

  • Scholarship and Learning Goals
  • Intro to Study Designs & Quantitative Research
  • Statistical Literacy for Physicians
  • Quantitative Observational Studies
  • Critical Appraisal of the Literature
  • EBM (Diagnosis and Screening; RCTs, Systematic Reviews)
  • Qualitative Research Design
  • Patient-Oriented and Participatory Research
  • Program Evaluation and CQI
  • Principles of Project and Research Design
  • Research Ethics and Responsible Conduct of Research
  • Knowledge Translation

Who are my FLEX contacts?

WHAT STUDENTS ARE SAYING

“I was able to build on learning goals which I would not have been able to do without FLEX. Good opportunities to round out my medical education!”

“FLEX helped me find my career path. I would not have matched to my residency of choice without it.”