Hourly Health Educator - School of Medicine, Neurology

Advertising Summary: Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) School of Medicine is a premier academic medical center located in the heart of Richmond. Accounting for almost half of VCU's sponsored research, the School of Medicine is internationally recognized for patient care and education. Virginia Commonwealth University is an equal opportunity employer.

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Unit: School Of Medicine MBU

Department: Neurology

Department Summary: The Department of Neurology has a talented, robust team of faculty members and staff members spanning nine divisions which includes representatives from every neurology subspecialty in adult and child neurology, plus award-winning educators, clinical and translational neuroscientists and master clinicians.

The Department of Neurology's vision is to provide the best patient-centered neurological care while fostering the career development, education and training of our team members. We endeavor to realize this vision by fulfilling the following three missions:

1. Improve the lives of children and adults with neurological disorders through compassionate, high-quality medical care and patient education.

2. Provide exceptional education to our students, residents, fellows and the wider community of medical professionals.

3. Advance the knowledge of neurological diseases by actively developing innovative treatments through basic, translational and clinical research.

Position Summary:

The Health Educator supports patient and caregiver wellness within the Parkinson's and Movement Disorders Center by developing, coordinating, and facilitating disease-specific support group programming for individuals and families affected by Lewy body dementia (LBD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), and related neurodegenerative disorders including corticobasal syndrome.

This role focuses on providing structured education, peer support, and caregiver engagement through regularly scheduled support groups conducted in both in-person and hybrid formats. The Health Educator creates a supportive forum for caregivers and patients to share experiences, discuss challenges, and receive guidance on disease-related topics, with the goal of improving quality of life and caregiver capacity.

Key responsibilities include organizing and facilitating monthly or bimonthly support group meetings; coordinating guest speakers and educational content relevant to neurodegenerative disease care; and ensuring effective communication and engagement with participants. The Health Educator manages all logistical aspects of the program, including scheduling, room reservations, hybrid platform setup, and distribution of meeting reminders and materials.

The Health Educator works collaboratively with clinical faculty and staff to align programming with patient and caregiver needs and may incorporate feedback from participants to refine and enhance support group offerings. This role operates with a high degree of independence in planning and execution while maintaining alignment with the clinical mission of the center.

Core Responsibilities:

• Facilitate monthly or bimonthly support groups for patients and caregivers affected by LBD, PSP, and related disorders
• Create a structured, supportive environment that encourages caregiver interaction, discussion, and shared problem-solving
• Coordinate and host guest speakers to provide education on disease management, caregiving strategies, and available resources
• Organize and manage all meeting logistics, including scheduling, room reservations, and hybrid (in-person/virtual) setup
• Communicate with participants through reminders, updates, and distribution of relevant educational materials
• Maintain consistent programming and ensure continuity of support group operations
• Collaborate with clinical team members to align content with patient and caregiver needs
• Incorporate participant feedback to improve program relevance and effectiveness

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in a health sciences field (e.g., nursing, social work, public health, psychology, or related discipline) or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
• Minimum of two (2) years of patient- or caregiver-facing experience, which may include clinical, community, or training experiences obtained during a health sciences degree program
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to engage patients and caregivers coping with chronic and neurodegenerative conditions
• Ability to independently organize and manage recurring programming, including scheduling, coordination of speakers, and communication with participants
• Basic proficiency with virtual meeting platforms (e.g., Zoom) and standard office software.
• Evidence of ability to provide leadership and problem-solving skills in analyzing health promotion needs of a university community
• Demonstrated ability to work in and foster an environment of respect, professionalism and civility with a population of faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds and experiences, or a commitment to do so as a staff member at VCU.

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in group facilitation, patient education, or caregiver support, with the ability to foster engagement and discussion in a structured setting
• Demonstrated knowledge of evidence informed health promotion programs/initiatives
• Demonstrated knowledge of environmental management strategies/socio ecological model

This position is open until filled.

Please note that if you are employed as a university employee working in any of the health system"s facilities, you will need to follow VCU Health System policies, which will include but will not be limited to, vaccination requirements.

Salary Range: $25.00 - $30.00

FLSA Exemption Status: Non-Exempt

Hours per Week: Up to 29 hours/week

Flexible Work Arrangement: Hybrid

Contact Information:

Contact Name: Kelly Barnes

Contact Email: Kelly.Barnes@vcuhealth.org