CUPE Local 3902 (Unit 3) Job Posting
Sessional Lecturer Position
Posting Date: September 22, 2026
Program: Master of Science Quality Improvement and Patient Safety
Sessional Dates of Appointment: Winter 2027, January- April
Existing Vacancy: Yes
Course Title: HAD3030H Concepts and Strategies in Patient Safety
Course Description:
Efforts to improve patient safety have thus far fallen into two different but, not mutually exclusive categories: 1) a “safety science approach”, drawing on lessons from other high risk industries to develop systems for reporting and learning from safety problems, recognizing the degree to which human errors are often facilitated by latent system problems, attention to human factors design principles affecting everything from equipment use to shift schedules and clinical environments, as well as the importance of teamwork, communication strategies, and organizational culture. 2) “evidence-based medicine approach”: as with much clinical research, this approach targets common problems (in this case, harms caused by medical care as opposed to diseases), looks for interventions to prevent such complications (e.g., prophylaxis for venous thromboembolism, bundles for preventing central-line associated infections, bar-coding to prevent medication administration errors), assesses the evidence supporting these interventions and the degree to which effective implementation strategies also exist.Beginning with a brief history of patient safety in healthcare, including high profile cases and seminal studies that launched the widespread interest in patient safety, the course will cover key concepts and examples from both of the approaches to studying and reducing patient safety problems. The course will use examples of commonly discussed patient safety practices to convey the state of the evidence supporting the practices as well as key underlying concepts. For instance, the discussion of order sets and computerized decision support will include a review of what is known about their current effectiveness, but also include human factors concepts related to optimal order set design. Similarly, the discussion of checklists will include not just the evidence supporting their benefit (e.g., in peri-operative settings) but also the importance of attending to teamwork and communication issues that support successful implementation.
Objectives:
To critically appraise common patient safety practices
• To compare and contrast frameworks in patient safety
• To apply assess approaches to addressing complex patient safety challenges
• To describe key elements of organizations that support safer care
• To analyse quantitative and qualitative measurement and monitoring strategies in patient safety
• To identify strategies to gather patient perspectives to expand their role in supporting effective
outcomes of care
This course will utilize some of the principles learned in the Quality Improvement Methods course to
illustrate patient safety issues (e.g., Analysis of Statistical Process Control charts)
Course Details:
Class schedule: Modular sessions
Delivery mode: In-person
Estimated enrolment: 30
Estimated TA support: None
Qualifications:
• A graduate degree with experience in quality improvement in health care, preferably in the areas of patient safety, risk, QI methods, implementation, and evaluation;
• A robust understanding of the application and role of quality improvement in the Canadian healthcare system;
• Past teaching experience related to quality improvement and patient safety, at the graduate level;
• Prior experience in curriculum development and adult teaching-learning methods;
• Comfortable with electronic teaching tools such as Learning Management Systems (e.g., Quercus),
PowerPoint, as well as on-line collaboration tools (Blogs, Wikkis, Discussion Boards, Webinars, or
Video-conferencing).
Duties:
• Co-Course instructor for a professional graduate course using competency-based learning and assessment methods.
• Must be accessible to students outside of classroom hours.
• Available evenings and weekends.
Course Description Details https://ihpme.utoronto.ca/course/had3030h/
Salary:
$9,997.47 - Sessional Lecturer I
$10,699.21 - Sessional Lecturer I - Long Term
$10,699.21 - Sessional Lecturer II
$10,953.96 - Sessional Lecturer II - Long Term
$10,953.96 - Sessional Lecturer III
$11,228.90 - Sessional Lecturer III - Long Term
Please note that should rates stipulated in the collective agreement vary from rates stated in this posting, the rates stated in the collective agreement shall prevail.
Application: Please send your CV and cover letter, outlining additional value you will bring to teaching the course via e-mail to ihpme.cupe.unit3@utoronto.ca .
Closing Date: October 13, 2026
This job is posted in accordance with the CUPE 3902 Unit 3 Collective Agreement.
It is understood that some announcements of vacancies are tentative, pending final course determinations and enrolment. Should rates stipulated in the collective agreement vary from rates stated in this posting, the rates stated in the collective agreement shall prevail.
Preference in hiring is given to qualified individuals advanced to the rank of Sessional Lecturer II or Sessional Lecturer III in accordance with Article 14:12 of the CUPE 3902 Unit 3 collective agreement.
Please note: Undergraduate or graduate students and postdoctoral fellows of the University of Toronto are covered by the CUPE 3902 Unit 1 collective agreement rather than the Unit 3 collective agreement, and should not apply for positions posted under the Unit 3 collective agreement.