Assistant/Associate Professor, Oncology – Pediatrics, McGovern Medical School

McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston , a leading academic health center, invites applications for a full-time, non-tenured faculty position in Pediatric Oncology at the Assistant or Associate Professor level in the Department of Pediatrics . The selected candidate will contribute to the department’s mission to educate health science professionals, discover and translate advances in the biomedical and social sciences, and model the best practices in clinical care and public health, focusing on expanding the Department’s program in pediatric oncology, in collaboration with the MD Anderson Cancer Center’s (MDACC) pediatric oncology division. 

The McGovern Medical School is located in the Texas Medical Center (TMC), Houston, Texas. The primary clinical site for the oncology program is the Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital, (CMHH) a 332-bed Children’s and Women’s quaternary care facility with a Level I Pediatric Trauma and Surgery Center and Level IV Maternal and Neonatal Intensive Care designation. Both the CMHH and TMC offer an unparalleled clinical and academic environment for the care of the children of Greater Houston, one of the fastest-growing cities in the nation.

Position: Key Accountabilities

In this role, the pediatric oncology faculty will:

·       Oversee the Pediatric Oncology program at Children’s Memorial Hermann Hospital (CMHH), including direct patient care as part of a team of pediatric oncologists from MDACC. This UTHealth Houston faculty member will be primarily based at CMHH with a secondary appointment at MDACC. The faculty member will work as part of a team of tightly aligned team of pediatric oncologists at MD Anderson to allow for mentorship and research opportunities.

·       Supervise and educate medical students, residents, and fellows in clinic and hospital settings in the care of pediatric oncology patients.

·       Develop and sustain an environment in the patient care units that supports excellence and innovation in clinical practice and patient care through assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating programs and standards that support positive patient care outcomes to include excellent risk-adjusted outcomes.

·       Serve as role model in professional behavior and leadership skills, problem-solving ability, and interpersonal skills.

·       Delegate authority and accountability to clinical & nursing staff for clinical practice and patient care decisions that are consistent with professional standards, regulatory agencies, and organizational policies and procedures.

·       Identify needs of the oncology patients and their families; recommend and/or develop new programs and services to meet those needs; ensure that age-specific equipment, supplies, and educational resources are available for assigned units/services.

·       Organize and manage specific follow-up and survivorship care for survivors of pediatric cancer, managing the chronic comorbidities that result from their disease and treatment, as well as providing surveillance for long-term effects.

·       Collaborate with UTHealth Houston and hospital administration and physicians to identify future opportunities and define the direction of department services; continue to develop, implement, and refine plans to achieve identified goals, including OR efficiency, productivity, and patient throughput targets across the care continuum.

·       Maintain an ongoing departmental Quality Improvement Plan and process consistent with the organizational Quality Management Plan; continue to develop, implement, and refine unit-specific standards, policies, and procedures that guide and support the provision of care and services; continuously assess and improve assigned departments’ performance while enhancing service.

·       With assistance from the Department, Hospital, and MDACC faculty, develop a proposal for Children’s Oncology Group designation for CMHH and lead the development and implementation of appropriate clinical trials infrastructure for eligible patients. 

·       Review appropriate financial reports and make appropriate modifications in UTHealth Houston and MHH to reduce costs associated with supplies, staffing, and service agreements and/or identify sound alternatives for purchasing equipment and supplies.

·       Participate in and/or chair committees, work groups, and meetings as appropriate.

·       Assure interdisciplinary performance improvement programs are active, maintained, and ongoing. Follow up to ensure that complaints have been satisfactorily managed. Collaborate to maintain a focus on providing excellent clinic care.

Qualifications:

The selected candidate for the position must have a Texas Medical License or be eligible for a Texas Faculty Temporary License. Qualified applicants must demonstrate a commitment to excellence, discovery, and service, have the potential to be outstanding in their field of expertise, and share an interest in fulfilling the common goals of McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston.

Applicants are required to possess fellowship training in and be board certified/board eligible in pediatric hematology/oncology and demonstrate excellent communication and interpersonal skills with strong potential for a leadership role within the department. Preferred candidates will have a minimum of 2-5 years of clinical experience or years post-residency and experience with the conduct of clinical trials.