Program Coordinator - Moving Medicine Forward Pod Initiative
Why we need a Program Coordinator to help Move Medicine Forward
For those who are interested in applying for this position, please watch the video: “Moving Medicine Forward is a Full-Time Job.” While we initially created this video to show our supporters the importance of hiring a full-time coordinator, it will give you an idea of what we are looking for from the program coordinator position. After watching the video, you can read over the job description below and apply for this position. Applications must be received by January 26, 2022. Submit Cover Letter, Resume and References: info@plantpurecommunities.org
Apply now ►
About PlantPure Communities and Moving Medicine Forward
After 3 years of successfully working together, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit PlantPure Communities and Michael Klaper, M.D., will expand our collaboration on Moving Medicine Forward (MMF) into the areas of plant-based networking and small group support. Together — with your help — we can change the way our medical system treats patients, transforming it from a system of disease-care to one of true health-care.
Read more about PlantPure Communities here. Read more about Moving Medicine Forward here.
About the Position
Applications must be received by January 26, 2022.
Submit Cover Letter, Resume and References: info@plantpurecommunities.org
Position: Program Coordinator
Supervisor: Dr. Michael Klaper, MMF Program Director / Caroline Dyar, PPC Executive Director
Hours: 40 hours/week (full time)
Location: U.S.-based remote / telework
Pay Rate: $50,000 annual salary (with leave benefits)
Potential Start Date: February 2022
Submit Cover Letter, Resume and References: info@plantpurecommunities.org
Overview
The 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization PlantPure Communities (PPC) seeks a motivated Program Coordinator to work with Dr. Klaper and the Moving Medicine Forward Team to help promote awareness of plant-based nutrition’s role in clinical settings and to help incorporate nutrition into medical education programs at medical schools across the country. The Program Coordinator will liaison with nutritionally-interested medical students, faculty and allied health professionals to help develop, implement and evaluate programs that highlight plant-based nutrition’s unique role in helping reverse disease and restore health. The Program Coordinator will also support the communities associated with the PPC Pod Network to foster wider understanding and acceptance of plant-based nutrition at the local level.
Ideal candidates will have excellent communication skills, be familiar with providing ongoing community outreach and program management support, and feel comfortable working with a 100% remote team primarily using Gmail, Google Workspace, and Zoom video conferencing to collaborate.
Responsibilities
- Work with Dr. Klaper and team to develop creative methods and strategies for facilitating the integration of nutrition into medical school curricula.
- Provide program management support
- Work with local Pod leaders who can coordinate and assist at events (post-Covid) at medical schools, e.g., plant-based pot-lucks & guest speakers, film showings, journal clubs, etc. Online versions of such events will also likely be presented.
- Prioritize tasks, streamline processes, and identify and resolve problems
- Coordinate logistical arrangements for Dr. Klaper’s speaking engagements
- Organize, promote, and host virtual events, and maintain communication with attendees
- Represent and promote MMF at various events (primarily virtual/online)
- Build and maintain collaborative relationships with medical students, medical professionals, college students, professors, administrators, and local community groups (Pods)
- Interview prospective group leaders
- Develop supportive resources for students and community groups to help engage students, faculty, and other collaborators.
- Contribute to the development of infographics, graphic designs, and promotional materials
- Assist in identifying funding resources and in developing funding strategies
- Write content for grants, reports, newsletters, promotional and other material related to the Initiative
- Report on the progress of current assignments via project management tools, as well as through communication with your direct reports
Required Qualifications
- A bachelor’s degree and two years of program management experience, or an equivalent combination of experience, education, and training
- Based in the U.S.
- Familiarity with structure of western medical systems – know the roles of attending physicians, residents, fellows, nurses, interns, medical students, pharmacists, dietitians, hospital administrators, state or regional medical boards, National Board of Medical Examiners, private practice vs. academic medicine, etc. Experience in interacting with the preceding health professionals is essential.
- Excellent communication skills and desire to learn new programs and skills
- Knowledge of the whole food, plant-based diet and the ability to articulate the benefits of the lifestyle
- Expert-level proficiency with Google Workspace products, specifically Docs and Sheets
- Familiarity with Zoom and consistent access to a quiet workspace with adequate lighting and a visually pleasing background for meetings and events
Preferred Experience / Skills
- Leadership experience in a student group at a college or university
- Knowledge of how to effectively work with campus student organizations, or a background in grassroots organizing
- Experience using Salesforce for project and task management
- Experience creating written and video content for social media channels
- Fluency in Spanish
[embeddoc url=”https://plantpurecommunities.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/01/2022-Program-Coord.pdf” download=”all”]
Why We Need a Program Coordinator
We believe that awareness of the ability of whole food, plant-based nutrition to reverse disease and promote health on the deepest level is key to any effective healing program. Dr. Klaper’s introductory presentation, “What I Wish I Learned in Medical School About Nutrition,” is especially effective in opening the minds of many young healers to the power of nutrition to heal. Dr. Klaper currently gives this presentation, using Zoom and other online platforms, to medical audiences worldwide several times per month and receives consistently positive comments afterward.
However, even if one lecture can open a young medical mind, if the flames of interest are not fanned and fed, they soon go out. There is a burgeoning literature and a growing store of clinical experience among healing professionals worldwide documenting the effectiveness of plant-based healing programs – yet the subject is largely ignored in contemporary medical school teaching.
When physicians remain ignorant of nutrition’s healing powers, they deprive their patients of the most powerful and practical tool people can use to regain their health; it also deprives the practitioner of one of the most profound satisfactions in their practice career: witnessing their patient overcome disease and regain their health.
This is an embarrassment for the profession and a tragedy for patients. Improving this situation is the mission of the Moving Medicine Forward Initiative and a shared goal of PlantPure Communities.
Fortunately, there are nutritionally-interested students in each of the nation’s 155 medical schools. Most have seen films like Forks Over Knives, What the Health, Eating You Alive, and Cowspiracy. Many such students are already members of the Lifestyle Medicine Interest Group (LMIG) affiliated with the American College of Lifestyle Medicine. One or more of these students needs to be contacted and encouraged by the MMF/PPC Program Coordinator to help create an online event at their school. Dr. Klaper can give his introductory presentation to the primary care students and faculty and record it for later viewing. (The more people who view the talk, the better!)
Then, to keep the interest in clinical plant-based nutrition alive, the Program Coordinator will dialogue with each student liaison and encourage monthly activities, with one or more LMIGs simultaneously participating in various online events. Such events could include guest lecturers (plant-based physicians, dietitians, etc.), Q&As with Dr. Klaper, clinical case discussions, film viewings, plant-based journal clubs where published studies and articles concerning plant-based nutrition are presented and analyzed, and other formats.
It would be thrilling to have a journal club discussion with dozens – even hundreds – of national and international students participating, all talking about the clinical applications of plant-based nutrition until it becomes commonplace. That is one-way science – and the world – gets changed.
There are 155 medical schools in North America, averaging several hundred students per class. Together they will matriculate 30,000 first-year medical students in 2022. As students enter medical practice, each treating many thousands of patients during their careers, potentially, millions of their collective patients can benefit from the plant-based message. This is a large, but not impossible, undertaking – but there are far too many medical schools and students for Dr. Klaper to reach on his own.
We look forward to working with our Program Coordinator to reach medical students with this life-saving message.