Rachel Glennie: 2020 Program Administrator Award for Excellence recipient
Rachel Glennie is regarded as among the most valuable members of the University of Ottawa’s Internal Medicine program. She is a living and breathing demonstration of the CanMEDS ATA Roles of manager, administrative expert, scholar, collaborator, leader and consummate professional.
A flawless manager
In a program with 90-plus trainees, where CBD curriculum has been phased in over many months, the impact of COVID-19 has required meticulous attention. Rachel has managed and coordinated all this with extraordinary success, partly due to her superior skills as a communicator. Rachel is able to explain the complexities of one45, the university’s policies and procedures, PGME policy and many more perplexing issues and processes with ease. She is also a strong proponent of effective program-wide communication, as has set up a secure site for all program leads and trainees to keep in close contact. This eliminates a great deal of duplication and excess chatter.
A technical expert
Rachel’s technical skills speak to her talents as an outstanding administrator. She has shepherded the program from a paper-based data-management system to an electronic one that saves 300 hours of administrative time per year – and the associated costs. As one example, the program’s CaRMs process now evaluates more than 1,100 applicants and 260 interviewees with much greater ease.
Rachel’s technical sophistication is complemented by her commitment to scholarship. She is currently researching a number of projects on behalf of residents, including a resident tool box. This online system will provide critical information, processes and learning items for every trainee stage, and each career transition.
A collaborative leader
None of Rachel’s other work would be possible if she were not an exemplary collaborator and leader. She works effortlessly with trainees, MDs, PAs, technicians and many others. Trainees come to her with professional and personal challenges, all of which she navigates expertly, while maintaining appropriate boundaries. She is resilient even under the greatest pressure, which means everyone in the program can depend on her.
In short, Rachel is a professional who believes in building solid systems. Combined with her remarkable attitude and positive outlook, she inspires all those who come in contact with her.
Rachel was recognized and celebrated during the virtual Program Administrators Conference on September 23.
