Department Head for Family Medicine and Medicine (2 Positions)

Access Full Positing Posting

The School of Medicine at York University invites highly qualified applicants for two (2) Clinical Assistant, Clinical Associate orClinical Full Professor positions to commence November 1, 2026. The successful candidates will be appointed as Department Head in either Family Medicine or Medicine with an initial 5-year term, with the possibility of renewal. The roles are expected to require 2-3 days per week, with flexible scheduling intended to complement active clinical practice. These are open clinical faculty appointments in the Clinical Professorial Stream, as described in the University’s Clinical Faculty Appointments Policy. The successful candidates will have an appointment in their home department - Family Medicine or Medicine - in the School of Medicinebut may have a joint appointment across two Departments (i.e., Family Medicine, Medicine, Paediatrics, Psychiatry, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Surgery, Community & Population Health & Health Systems Transformation, Anesthesia, Medical Imaging, or Pathology, Diagnostics and Laboratory Medicine). Reporting to the Dean, School of Medicine, and working closely with the Vice-Dean, Integrated Community-based Learning Network (ICLN) & Health Systems, the Department Head is the senior University academic leader for the Department across York’s ICLN. The Department Head provides overall academic leadership and direction fortheir department, ensuring alignment with the School’s mission to educate clinically excellent, person-centred physicians who deliver high-quality, community-based primary and generalist care. The Head is accountable for the Department’s academic strategy, faculty appointments and development, contributions to undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing medical education, research and scholarship, community engagement, and stewardship of University and other delegated academic resources. Through its ICLN, the School is advancing a distributed model of medical education that connects learners to diverse clinical settings, reinforcing its commitment to community engagement from the outset. The School operates through a decentralized, multi-site model encompassing affiliated hospitals, community-based clinical practices, Indigenous Primary Care Organizations, and other ICLN partners, while aligning academic priorities, educational standards, and accreditation requirements and promoting high-quality, equitable, and inclusive academic programs across distributed clinical sites. The Department Head is responsible for building a coherent departmentacross these sites, developing a shared academic identity, strategy, standards and culture for the department across the network while recognizing the governance, clinical accountability, institutional priorities and distinctive contributions of each participating hospital and community practice. The Head will work in a matrix relationship with hospital Chiefs and Physicians-in-Chief, site academic leads, primary care leaders, Program Directors, division and section leads, and other School leaders to align local clinical environments with the Department’s academic mission. The appointment does not confer authority as a hospital Chief or clinical service leader; responsibility for clinical operations, credentialing, privileging, clinical performance, quality and safety, and local clinical resources remains with the relevant hospital or practice organization.

The Head will establish effective departmental governance that provides meaningful representation from each hospital and the developing primary care network, supports consistent academic standardsand equitable access to opportunities across sites, and enables local leaders to implement shared departmental priorities in ways that are responsive to their communities and organizations. The Department Heads lead the recruitment, appointment, development, mentorship, and ongoing support of clinical faculty, ensuring processes are equitable, transparent, and compliant with university policy, professional standards, and regulatory expectations. They foster inclusive research cultures and advance departmental scholarship in clinical practice, medical education, health systems, and community-engaged research, while overseeing departmental resources, academic resources, governance processes, and partnerships that support sustainable education, research, and clinical missions across the ICLN. The Department Head will also support strategic collaborations beyond existing affiliated and ICLN partner organizations where these relationships advance education, learner experiences, research and scholarship, innovation, and health-system improvement in alignment with the School’s academic mission, accreditation standards, and community-based model. The Department Heads champion equity, diversity, inclusion, Indigenous engagement, and decolonization across departmental activities, including faculty recruitment, curriculum development, research, clinical practice, and community partnerships. Working collaboratively with the Associate Dean, Indigenous Health, Indigenous Primary Care Organizations, Indigenous Health Circles, and community partners, the Department Heads support the integration of Indigenous perspectives, knowledge, and practices into departmental education, research, and clinical practice, while helping to identify and address systemic barriers to participation and advancement. The roles also support implementation of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action related to health education, faculty development, and Indigenous health leadership.

Candidate Qualifications:

Degree:

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) or equivalent medical degree, with eligibility for licensure to practice medicine in Ontario.

Specialty Certification:

• Certification in the discipline of the program, in good standing, by the appropriate national certifying body, as applicable:
• College of Family Physicians of Canada (CFPC) for Family Medicine; or
• Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (RCPSC) in Internal Medicine or recognized medical subspecialty, or an equivalent qualification acceptable for licensure and academic appointment in Ontario.
• Hold appropriate Canadian Medical Protective Association (CMPA) coverage.
• Maintain an active appointment to the medical staff of a York-affiliated hospital, primary care practice, or other health care organization.

Scholarship:

• A coherent and well-articulated program of scholarly activity related to clinical practice, medical education, health systems, or capacity-building.
• A record of contributions to the advancement of knowledge through research, quality improvement, or evidence-based practice in the department's discipline.
• Evidence of impact through peer-reviewed publications, conference presentations, research grants, or other forms of scholarly dissemination.
• Engagement with professional communities and academic networks, demonstrating commitment to advancing the discipline and medical education.

Teaching:

• A record of contributions to medical education program design, implementation, and evaluation across undergraduate, postgraduate, and/or continuing professional development.
• Demonstrated excellence in teaching and supervising medical learners, such as through teaching awards, positive evaluations, or recognition by learners and peers.
• Commitment to fostering inclusive, learner-centred educational environments that support diverse learners and promote equity and cultural safety.

Additional:

• Minimum of five (5) years of progressive leadership experience in academic medicine or health system administration, with increasing responsibility for academic, clinical, and/or operational oversight.
• Demonstrated success in strategic planning, change leadership, and organizational development, including aligning educational programs with institutional priorities and health system needs.
• Demonstrated financial literacy and resource stewardship, including experience with budget planning, financial oversight, and responsible allocation of academic and clinical resources.
• Knowledge of Ontario’s clinical funding models (e.g., AFPs, APPs, and Physician Services Agreements).
• Knowledge of Canadian medical education accreditation and regulatory frameworks, including CACMS standards for MD programs and RCPSC/CFPC requirements for postgraduate training.
• Experience with distributed or community-based medical education is preferred, reflecting decentralized teaching models and community engagement.
• Demonstrated ability in negotiation, conflict resolution, and consensus building, with experience managing complex interpersonal and organizational issues.
• Experience in faculty recruitment, performance management, and academicclinical appointment, reappointment and promotion processes, with a solid understanding of academic career pathways and university governance.
• The successful candidates will be collaborative, inclusive, and strategic leaders with the ability to build strong relationships across academic, clinical, community, and health system environments. They will demonstrate sound judgment, organizational acumen, professionalism, and a commitment to fostering excellence, innovation, equity, diversity, inclusion, and Indigenous engagement across all aspects of departmental leadership.

Access Full Positing Posting