Visiting Assistant Professor in Medical History/History of Science

The Department of History at the University of Wisconsin-Madison invites applications for a Visiting Assistant Professor (VAP) of Medical History/History of Science with expected start date of August 17, 2026. The appointment is for a fixed term of one year (with possibility of renewal for one additional year), with a teaching responsibility of 3 undergraduate courses per semester: a large introductory lecture and two sections of a seminar or mid-sized lecture.

We encourage candidates to propose engaging undergraduate lecture courses based on their teaching interests as well as undergraduate research seminars in which undergraduates can use resources available at the Ebling Library, the History of Science Special Collections at UW Library, the Wisconsin Historical Society, and other local institutions.

The VAP will engage in the History Department's vibrant intellectual community and that of the university at large. The VAP will not be expected to teach in the summer.

• Specific courses will be determined according to the curricular needs of the department; the successful candidate may teach some or all of the courses listed below (the current list may be subject to change):

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  • History of Science 212: Bodies, Diseases, and Healers: An Introduction to the History of Medicine

  • History of Science 211: The Historian's Craft: Science, Medicine, and Technology

  • History of Science 350: Special Topics in the History of Science

  • History of Science 404: A History of Disease

  • History of Science 555: Undergraduate Seminar in the History of Science

  
  

• Supervision of TAs

Department:

College of Letters and Science, History Department

Compensation:

The expected salary range for this position is $60,000-$75,000 for highly experienced candidates. Actual pay within this range will depend on experience and qualifications.

This is a 9-month appointment.

Required Qualifications:

• Experience as the lead instructor in at least one course, preferably with a minimum of 50 students

• The successful candidate will have a teaching and research background in Medical History, will be prepared to teach introductory surveys and methods seminars, and will be prepared to supervise teaching assistants (1-3) in the large lecture courses.

Education:

PhD in History/History of Science/Medicine conferred by August 15, 2026 required.

How to Apply:

Qualified applicants should submit:

• Cover letter (no more than 2 pages)

• Curriculum Vitae

• A sample syllabus for an introductory medical history course

• Teaching statement laying out your approach to teaching and providing concrete examples of how you have translated your approach into assignments/class activities. The applicant should include a description of how they have learned from a moment at which teaching did not go as planned (2 pages)

• Summary of teaching evaluations from a course for which you were the lead instructor (preferably a large survey, if available); other evidence of teaching excellence is welcome

Two letters of recommendation that discuss the quality of the applicant's teaching will be requested for candidates who are shortlisted for a Zoom interview. (NB: If the applicant is ABD, the letter from the main advisor should directly address whether the PhD will be conferred by August 15, 2026).

Click the "Apply" button to start the application process. Note: there is only one attachment field. Please upload all attachments here.

Contact Information:

Applicants are welcome and encouraged to contact Leslie Abadie, Academic Department Administrator, at abadie@wisc.edu, for more information about the position.

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

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