Wellness Advocate

The UAB Medicine Office of Wellness is seeking a compassionate and collaborative Advisor for Transitions, Life, and Achievement Support (ATLAS) to join our team. This full-time case management position plays a vital role in supporting the well-being of the UAB Medicine community through providing comprehensive, individualized support to postdocs, residents, fellows, and junior faculty throughout their postgraduate training and early faculty years.

The ATLAS fosters personal wellbeing, provides advice and assistance for personal and professional needs, and connects learners and new faculty to vital resources. The ATLAS provides supportive follow-up to help ensure connections are working well, addresses new or evolving needs, and assists with transitions between campus and community services. Additionally, ATLAS collaborates with postgraduate (residency, fellow, and postdoctoral) program and institutional leaders and other stakeholders to identify and implement strategies to improve personal and occupational wellbeing. This role is an integral member of the Wellness Support Services team within the UAB Medicine Office of Wellness and participates in regular team activities, including monthly meetings and broader wellness initiatives.

To support the well-being of the UAB community by providing comprehensive assistance to postdocs, residents, fellows, and junior faculty throughout postgraduate training and early faculty years as a part of the Advisor for Transitions, Life, and Achievement Support (ATLAS) team. To foster personal wellbeing by offering guidance for personal and professional needs and connecting learners and new faculty to essential campus and community resources. To provide ongoing follow-up that ensures effective resource connections, addresses evolving needs, and facilitates smooth transitions between services. To collaborate with postgraduate program leaders, institutional stakeholders, and the Office of Wellness team to develop and implement strategies that enhance personal and occupational wellbeing while actively participating in team initiatives and activities.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Personal Outreach, Check-ins, and Support: a.

Publicize ATLAS resources through orientation sessions and on-boarding materials, flyers/posters with QR code, and Office of Wellness and learner-facing websites (GME) b. Reach out individually via text or phone call plus email to each new postgraduate during their first 2-3 months. Purpose of these interactions: i. Introduce role of ATLAS and create opening for future communication ii. Assess adjustment and wellbeing iii. Provide resources and assistance as needed c. In time, will also proactively contact new faculty hires d. For trainees, serve as the primary contact for crisis intervention, such as personal tragedies or group-impacting crises and maintain close contact with program directors to stay informed of needs as they arise. The ATLAS will reach out to affected learners, assess their needs, and provide or connect them to mental health services, counseling, or other supportive resources. e. Offer follow-up touchpoints as needed throughout, particularly during periods of high stress or transitions. f. Provide support for career transitions (e.g., job application processes, negotiation skills, and life planning for post-training careers).

• Resource Navigation: a. Act as the go-to expert for those needing assistance with services such as medical care, mental health, housing, food, financial wellbeing, and social services, both on campus and in the community. b. Develop and disseminate materials, presentations, and other resources that provide information and education on internal and external resources (e.g., healthcare, childcare, housing services, financial assistance, etc.). c. Provide resource guides, practical advice, and structured workshops as requested/needed on common life tasks (e.g., managing finances, time management, basic legal advice, finding and maintaining housing, healthcare navigation, etc.), ensuring learners can focus on their academic and professional development.
• Mental Health Wellbeing Support: a. Collaborate with Office of Wellness and Employee Assistance and Counseling Center (EACC) to ensure learners and faculty are aware of and have access to coaching, counseling, and therapy services. b. Offer compassionate guidance and provide referrals when needed, helping in development of resilience, stress management strategies, and work-life integration skills.
• Postgraduate Program Consultation Follow-Up: a. As part of a consultation team (including a physician/program director, a psychologist, and the ATLAS), respond to training programs that report low wellbeing or cultural scores on ACGME or local surveys or about whom concerns arise. b. Attend meetings with postgraduates to assess their concerns and work collaboratively with program leadership to develop recommendations and improvement plans. c. Responsible for ongoing follow-up with program leadership, tracking progress, and identifying any additional support or interventions needed over time. d. Collaborate with Office of Wellness leadership to continue expanding and refining the postgraduate wellbeing consultation service line.
• Training Program Development Reporting: a. Develop summary reports, identifying trends and actionable insights based on both check-ins and consultation work with postgraduate programs. b. Assist in creating new initiatives and improvements to 1) better support learner wellbeing and 2) enhance the culture of training programs. c. Provide data-driven feedback to leadership, contributing to new initiatives and improvements aimed at enhancing the overall resident experience.
• Learner Advocacy Campus Support: a. Serve as an advocate for learner wellbeing, working with leadership to identify areas for policy improvements that better support learners within UAB Medicine. b. Actively contribute to efforts aimed at improving the overall learner experience, collaborating with various departments to enhance access to resources and address systemic issues.
• Perform other duties

Salary Range: $60,835 - $98,855

Bachelor's degree in a related field and five (5) years of related experience required. Work experience may NOT substitute for education requirement. Currently licensed as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) by the Alabama State Board of Social Work Examiners, or a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) by the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling (ABEC), or a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) by the Alabama Board of Examiners in Marriage and Family Therapy required.

Preferred:

• Strong interpersonal and communication skills
• Ability to handle sensitive situations with empathy and confidentiality
• Organizational skills to manage a large volume of contacts and follow-ups
• Ability to build and maintain trust with postgraduate learners (residents, fellows, and postdoctoral fellows) and junior faculty within UAB Medicine
• Cultural competency and cultural humility to recognize and work with people with diverse cultural backgrounds
• Knowledge of campus and community resources (or ability to quickly learn and apply this knowledge)

UAB is an Equal Employment/Equal Educational Opportunity Institution dedicated to providing equal opportunities and equal access to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, sex (including pregnancy), genetic information, age, disability, and veteran's status. As required by Title IX, UAB prohibits sex discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates. Individuals may report concerns or questions to UAB's Assistant Vice President and Senior Title IX Coordinator. The Title IX notice of nondiscrimination is located at uab.edu/titleix.