Health Policy Associate Jobs in Colorado (NOW HIRING)

University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus
Department: School of Medicine | Department of Family Medicine

Job Title: Associate Dean for Rural Health and Director of the Center for Rural Health - Open Rank- Associate, Professor

Position #00840597: - Requisition #38137:

Job Summary:

This posting represents the confluence of three closely related positions: 1) the Associate Dean for Rural Health in the School of Medicine (SOM), which is an endowed position-the Williams Family Foundation Endowed Chair for Rural Health; 2) the Director of the emerging Center for Rural Health, which will be housed in the Department of Family Medicine (DFM); and 3) the current incumbent leader of the SOM's and DFM's rural activities, who, among many other things, currently directs the SOM's Rural Program. The position to which we are recruiting expands and consolidates these and other rural programs and activities, some with incumbent directors.  Because of these related activities, in this Job Description we will refer to the person in this position simply as the Leader. This Leader will coordinate rural programs and efforts at the Anschutz Medical Campus (AMC), direct rural programs in the Department of Family Medicine (DFM) and coordinate these activities with our multiple external partners and stakeholders.

The Anschutz Medical Campus is one of four University of Colorado campuses located along the front range of the Rocky Mountains; to the east, one-third of the state is rural high plains; and sixty miles west lies the continental divide with the so-called western slope beyond, which also is largely rural. This is a rural state, and the University of Colorado has made the concerns of Colorado's rural citizens a priority since its inception: the president of the university and its regents make regular visits to rural communities; the schools on the Anschutz Medical Campus (dentistry, nursing, pharmacy, medicine, and public health) all have rural health programs that work closely together; the School of Medicine has a successful medical student Rural Program with a 20-year history; and the Department of Family Medicine (DFM) has a 60-year history of rural education, research, policy work, and engagement with rural clinicians, including two rural practice-based research networks and a policy center with a specific rural emphasis. We have excellent relations with other academic departments, the other CU health professional schools, various CU academic centers and institutes, and partner across multiple programs with external state and national organizations that have rural interests. These are established relationships that the Director will be expected to maintain and expand as new opportunities arise, under the auspices of an emerging Center for Rural Health. The Rural Program as it stands today has been under excellent leadership, is stable, has financial reserves, and faces many new or expanded opportunities for further growth and development.

TOTAL FTE COMMITMENT:   1.00

Examples of Work Performed

The duties and responsibilities of the position include, but are not limited to:

Education:

       Medical Student Education

o   At the level of the DFM, we have extensive medical student education responsibilities for all medical students, including directing rural clerkships, other rural clinical electives, the Family Medicine Interest Group, participating in the basic clinical skills curriculum, and so on. These have been in place for many years. At the level of the School of Medicine, which operates a year-long Longitudinal Integrated Curriculum (LIC) for second year students, the Rural Program leads and operates this curriculum at 18 rural sites. These programs have directors and staff that are under the direction of the Leader.

o   In addition, the school admits about 10% of each class to a Rural Program, previously called the Rural Track, for a four-year intensive experience in rural medicine. This program has been in existence for 20 years, and is currently led by the Leader, who is a key faculty member, participating in in-person on-campus teaching, teaching of off-campus students via Zoom, rural site visits, mentoring of students, participation in the admissions process, various school committees, and other administrative and budgetary responsibilities along with other Rural Program faculty and staff.

       The University of Colorado Family Medicine Residency Program had a 2-2-2 rural track in Fort Morgan, Colorado which has been closed because of financial difficulties at the hosting FQHC teaching clinic. We are working with the Colorado Association of Family Medicine Residencies to explore where we can start another rural training track.

       The Leader will lead the Colorado Rural Healthcare Workforce Initiative, which is a multi-institutional and multidisciplinary initiative involving 15 programs at 12 public institutions of higher education in Colorado, modeled after the School of Medicine's Rural Program. The Initiative was established and is funded by the Colorado Legislature and involves the MD, PA, Dental and Public Health schools at CU plus nursing and behavioral health programs across the state.  The Rural Program Office provides guidance, technical support and curriculum development to all 15 programs and is responsible for data collection, analysis and annual reporting to the Colorado legislature.

       The Leader works closely with DFM's Career Paths into Healthcare Program (CPHP) which is focused on workforce development leading to the many careers in the healthcare industry other than licensed healthcare providers, e.g. business and finance, technology-based, patient -facing, and ancillary support services. The CPHP is primarily focused on helping rural communities grow and develop local talent to addressing the needs of healthcare institutions serving rural communities.

       The Leader works closely with Colorado's Area Health Education Center in various capacities.

       Continuing Medicine Education to help build and sustain rural clinicians' capacity to provide high quality clinical care.

       Post graduate clinical and non-clinical education conducted in rural communities as opportunities arise.

       The DFM and SOM are especially interested in developing innovative education and training programs to address the healthcare workforce shortages faced by rural and frontier communities.

Research:

       Strategies and programs for rural healthcare workforce development are important concerns of the Center for Rural Health and the Department of Family Medicine. Collecting, analyzing and sharing best practices of the School of Medicine Rural Program and the Workforce Initiative within and beyond the University is part of this work. Accordingly, a number of publications and national presentations have emanated from this office.

       The DFM houses the Colorado Ambulatory Partnership for Health Innovation and Research Excellence (CAMPHIRE). CAMPHIRE is the coming together of DFMs six practice-based research networks, two of which are specifically rural: the High Plains Research Network, on the Eastern Plains, and PeachNet on the Western Slope. In addition, CAMPHIRE includes the DFM's Practice Innovation Program, which studies innovations, strategies and policies to improve the practice of primary care, and has a large rural footprint. CAMPHIRE represents an enormous resource for researching rural health and healthcare.

Policy and Advocacy:

       The Department of Family Medicine houses the Farley Health Policy Center with which the Rural Program and Center for Rural Health share concerns and work together on rural-focused health policy as opportunities arise.  The DFM Rural Program and center for rural health regularly make themselves available to the University's State and Federal legislative team when they have questions about rural issues.

Clinical Care, Community Health and Community Engagement:

       The DFM maintains a roster of about 200 rural clinicians distributed across the state. These clinicians participate in PBRN research work, Practice Improvement projects, and host medical students for clinical experiences.

       The DFM Rural Program maintains close contact with graduates after completion of medical school and then during and after residency graduation and assists with finding rural practice opportunities. We prioritize helping our graduates find rural practice locations in Colorado.  All DFM Rural Program graduates now practicing in rural locations are serving as clinical preceptors for current University of Colorado medical students.

       Rural physicians and administrators frequently seek advice from DFM Rural Program faculty on clinical and workforce issues.  The DFM, SOM and AMC have a strong interest in developing innovative ways to support rural communities and critical access hospitals with clinical care and specialty access.

       The Leader who assumes this position will have their own clinical activity based on training, experience and interests, preferably at a rural site. This will be negotiated during the hiring process.

       The DFM Rural Program has extensive relationships with state agencies and community organizations that have rural interests including the Colorado Rural Health Center (which is the State Office of Rural Health), the Colorado Hospital Association, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment and many, many others including smaller local and regional ones. These relationships bring opportunities for collaboration and are a high priority to maintain.

Philanthropic Development

The DFM Rural Program has been successful in attracting grants and philanthropic funding and must continue to do so. The Leader who assumes this position must engage with established philanthropic partners and benefactors and develop new ones to continue developing a robust philanthropic portfolio. The CU Foundation, Office of Advancement has been an essential partner in philanthropic success and counts on engagement from within the DFM Rural Program.

The Center for Rural Health is a work-in-progress designed to house, focus and coordinate the DFM rural efforts described above and serve as a coordinating hub for other rural-focused programs emanating from AMC. The Center is a priority of the Department of Family Medicine.  The physician leader who assumes this position will be key in advancing and shaping this effort.

Work Location:

Hybrid - this role is eligible for a hybrid schedule of 3 days per week on campus and as needed for in-person meetings.

Why Join Us:

Why work for the University?

We have AMAZING benefits and offer exceptional amounts of holiday, vacation and sick leave! The University of Colorado offers an excellent benefits package including:

• Medical: Multiple plan options
• Dental: Multiple plan options
• Additional Insurance: Disability, Life, Vision
• Retirement 401(a) Plan: Employer contributes 10% of your gross pay
• Paid Time Off: Accruals over the year
• Vacation Days: 22/year (maximum accrual 352 hours)
• Sick Days: 15/year (unlimited maximum accrual)
• Holiday Days: 10/year
• Tuition Benefit: Employees have access to this benefit on all CU campuses
• ECO Pass: Reduced rate RTD Bus and light rail service

There are many additional perks & programs with the CU Advantage.

How to Apply:

For full consideration, please submit the following document(s):

1.     A letter of interest describing relevant job experiences as they relate to listed job qualifications and interest in the position

2.     Curriculum vitae / Resume

3.     Five professional references including name, address, phone number (mobile number if appropriate), and email address

Applications are accepted electronically ONLY at www.cu.edu/cu-careers.

Questions should be directed to: Lydia Lyon, Lydia.lyon@cuanschutz.edu

Screening of Applications Begins:

Immediately and continues until position is filled. For best consideration, apply by April 1st, 2026.

Anticipated Pay Range:

The starting salary range (or hiring range) for this position has been established as HIRING RANGE:

Associate Professor: $240,000 to $280,000 

Professor: $250,000 to $310,000

The above salary range (or hiring range) represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting. This position is not eligible for overtime compensation unless it is non-exempt.

Your total compensation goes beyond the number on your paycheck. The University of Colorado provides generous leave, health plans and retirement contributions that add to your bottom line.

Total Compensation Calculator: http://www.cu.edu/node/153125

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement:

The University of Colorado (CU) is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment. We are committed to creating a workplace where all individuals are treated with respect and dignity, and we encourage individuals from all backgrounds to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

ADA Statement:

The University will provide reasonable accommodations to applicants with disabilities throughout the employment application process. To request an accommodation pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, please contact the Human Resources ADA Coordinator at hr.adacoordinator@ucdenver.edu.

Background Check Statement:

The University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus is dedicated to ensuring a safe and secure environment for our faculty, staff, students and visitors. To assist in achieving that goal, we conduct background investigations for all prospective employees.

Vaccination Statement:

CU Anschutz strongly encourages vaccination against the COVID-19 virus and other vaccine preventable diseases. If you work, visit, or volunteer in healthcare facilities or clinics operated by our affiliated hospital or clinical partners or by CU A...