Academic Progress and Case Specialist

University of Washington Medical Center•Seattle, WA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

POSITION PURPOSE The Academic Progress and Case Specialist serves as the program administrator responsible for the overall management, policy alignment, and continuous improvement of the School of Medicine’s (SoM) Student Progress Committee (SPC). This role provides leadership in the development, implementation, and evaluation of critical governance processes related to medical student academic progress, conduct, and appeals. The SPC provides oversight of student academic performance and/or conduct and is essential to ensure compliance with the Liaison Committee for Medical Education (LCME) requirements and university policies. Using independent judgement and decision-making, this position interprets and applies complex policy, utilizes specialized knowledge of SoM and University policy and LCME guidelines to recommend and refine policies, methods, and procedures for tracking and notifying students of student progress issues and providing opportunity for due process. This role also serves as a policy and resource advisor for students, faculty, and staff in policies and procedures for student affairs. The Academic Progress and Case Specialist directs and administers programmatic operations of the SPC, manages cross-unit collaborations, oversees case documentation and communications, and ensures sensitive, high-volume review processes meet both strategic and regulatory priorities. This role requires analytical problem-solving, strategic communication, and the ability to identify trends and propose systemic solutions to uphold academic and professional standards across the medical education program. POSITION COMPLEXITIES This position operates at the intersection of student support and institutional policy enforcement and provides program-level oversight for a high-stakes governance body. The role involves managing a high volume of cases with varying levels of urgency, complexity, and sensitivity while maintaining strategic alignment with accreditation and compliance standards. The role requires balancing responsibilities to two distinct audiences: faculty-led committees who rely on accurate, timely, and policy-aligned logistics, and students who need clear, compassionate communication as they navigate stressful and/or unfamiliar processes. The Academic Progress and Case Specialist must interpret and apply intricate academic and conduct policies, analyze process effectiveness, ensure procedural fairness, and exercise sound judgment in triaging issues, escalating concerns, and maintaining strict confidentiality. Because the role frequently involves sensitive or precedent-setting matters, it require a leadership approach to operational planning, stakeholder coordination, and continuous improvement of governance policy while working across multiple departments and managing shifting priorities. IMPACT TO THE UNIVERSITY This position directly supports the School of Medicine’s commitment to academic integrity, student support, and fair and transparent decision-making. By ensuring timely and accurate processing of academic and conduct cases, the Academic Progress and Case Specialist maintains trust in institutional systems, supports student retention, and protects the legal and reputational interests of the school and the university.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in any field and at least two years of administrative experience in higher education, student affairs, academic programs, legal support, or a related setting; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Demonstrated ability to manage complex processes with a high degree of accuracy, confidentiality, and sensitivity.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft professional correspondence and summarize decisions or policy guidance clearly and concisely.
Proven organizational and time management skills, including the ability to manage multiple concurrent deadlines and track high volumes of detailed case information.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerQuery), document management tools (SQL, PowerAutomate, SharePoint Lists), shared drives, and virtual meeting platforms (e.g., Zoom, Teams).
Ability to interpret and apply institutional policies, follow structured processes, and exercise sound judgment in escalating issues appropriately.
Experience working with confidential student or personnel information and maintaining discretion in high-stakes or legally sensitive environments.
Demonstrated commitment to professionalism, neutrality, and procedural fairness in work involving students, faculty, or other stakeholders.
Personal qualities that include discretion, integrity, attention to detail, and the ability to remain calm, diplomatic, and responsive in high-pressure or emotionally sensitive situations.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting academic progress, professionalism, or student conduct review processes in a medical, professional, or graduate school environment.
Familiarity with FERPA, Title IX, and other compliance frameworks relevant to student records and institutional decision-making.
Experience with policy writing, process documentation, or procedural training for staff or faculty.
Prior experience preparing reports or case summaries for executive-level audiences.
Experience maintaining websites or coordinating document publication in public-facing platforms.
Comfort working with a wide range of stakeholders including students, faculty, academic leadership, and compliance offices.

Responsibilities

Provide program-level management and planning for SPC operations, ensuring committee processes align with current policy, accreditation standards, and emerging best practices.
Manage monthly SPC meeting to include Pre-SPC meeting coordination, partnering with SPC Chair, Assistant and Associate Deans of Student Affairs and Proactive Advisor to identify students on agenda, creation of meeting agenda following discussion at Pre-SPC meeting.
Locate, gather and collate relevant data from multiple sources and formats into documentation for committee review.
Prepare and distribute case packets, prepare structured agendas and briefing materials in advance of meetings.
Interpret policies and procedures, advising committee chairs on precedent, procedural options, and potential implications of decisions.
Create draft decision documents in accordance with School of Medicine policy.
Manage communications for SPC between the Committee and the medical students to ensure all necessary documentation is prepared for each meeting and followed through on.
Attend committee meetings to provide real-time meeting support, including technical support, minute-taking, document sharing, and procedural reminders as needed.
Manage and maintain committee rosters, track faculty appointments, term limits, and quorum requirements.
Coordinate onboarding and procedural training for new committee members in collaboration with committee chairs.
Evaluate resolution processes for efficiency and equity, proposing improvements and aligning documentation with evolving regulatory requirements.
Draft outcome letters and coordinate their review and distribution by the relevant committee chair and/or dean to students and relevant stakeholders.
Communicate case outcomes to appropriate School of Medicine offices and ensure alignment with school and university protocols.
Maintain detailed case files in centralized and secure locations.
Ensure record-keeping practices comply with FERPA and university standards.
Serve as the primary program contact and policy advisor for students engaged in academic progress, conduct, or appeal processes.
As subject matter expert, provide accurate, policy-informed guidance to students regarding submission requirements, deadlines, and procedural steps.
Triage and route cases, determining whether progress related, conduct related or policy related.
Receive and track student-submitted documents; verify completion and flag missing or non-compliant materials.
Follow up on deficiencies as appropriate.
Communicate committee decisions and conditions to students in a clear, professional, and timely manner, ensuring appropriate tone for potentially sensitive matters.
Track and monitor student adherence to committee-imposed requirements (e.g., professionalism remediation, academic progress plans, or follow-up assessments), and alert appropriate staff and leadership of missed deadlines, milestones or unresolved requirements.
Analyze case details for policy compliance and recommend procedural adjustments where warranted.
Maintain accurate logs and databases related to student cases, decision timelines, and outcomes.
Prepare analytical reports and case trend analyses for review by higher-level governance committees, ensuring clarity, neutrality, and completeness
Support institutional self-study, accreditation reporting, and periodic policy reviews by assembling historical data and procedural documentation.
Propose solutions to complex, precedent-setting, or legally sensitive cases to relevant leadership to inform policy revision or resource allocation.
Maintain and regularly update documentation including policy manuals, checklists, workflow diagrams, and template communications used in student academic and conduct processes.
Lead the periodic review and revision of policies related to academic standing, professionalism, and student conduct to ensure alignment with accreditation standards, regulatory changes, and School of Medicine priorities.
Identify systemic risks related to academic progress and propose mitigations, including new workflows, policy language, or training.
Manage the digital presence of policies and procedural guidance, ensuring that internal and public-facing websites reflect current information and are accessible and well-organized.
Maintain a working knowledge of relevant school academic and conduct policies, university regulations, and national medical education standards.
Monitor case patterns or process gaps that could present legal, licensure, or accreditation risk and escalate concerns to committee leadership or the dean’s office as appropriate.
Uphold confidentiality, neutrality, and professionalism in all communications, meetings, and documentation; ensure adherence to FERPA and institutional standards for handling sensitive or high-stakes information.
Support School of Medicine events by assisting with day-of event execution as needed (e.g. orientation, white coat ceremony, match ceremony, graduation, etc).
Serve as an exam proctor as needed, ensuring appropriate test administration conditions and compliance with exam policies.
Perform other duties as assigned to support the medical student program.