Physician Assistant, Senior Minimally Invasive Bariatric and General Surgery

University of Pittsburgh Physicians is hiring a Full-Time Physician Assistant, Senior to join our Minimally Invasive Bariatric and General Surgery. Three years of prior Physician Assistant experience is required.

Hours: Primarily Monday-Friday daylight with occasional on-call or weekends if needed. 

Location: Primarily Magee-Womens Hospital. Travel to clinic sites in West Mifflin and Hampton

Position Specifics: Surgical practice with approximately 50% bariatric cases. Approximately 60% OR, 35% outpatient clinic, and 5% hospital rounding.

Department Details: Academic Department with over 30 staff.  General and Bariatric Surgery with additional Obesity Medicine services. Five surgeons, 3 Fellows and seven APP providers.  Bariatric Program is accredited as a Comprehensive Center with Adolescent Qualifications.  Opportunities to participate in research. 

See what being an Advanced Practice Provider can do for UPMC and what UPMC can do for Advanced Practice Providers – it’s more than just a job

What Can You Bring to UPMC?

• Contribute to UPMC’s mission of Life Changing Medicine

• Set the standards for the level and quality of care for the care delivery team

• Provide patient care activities for a group of patients and their families through the application of independent judgment, communication, and collaboration with all team members.

• Establish and maintain collaborative relationships with physicians, other health care providers, patients, and their families, to achieve desired patient outcomes throughout the continuum of care.

• Demonstrate a commitment to the community and to your health care profession

What Can UPMC Do for You?

• A career path that provides you with the right experience to be successful in the position you want to obtain now and, in the future

• Health and welfare benefits like medical, vision, dental, and life and disability, and an exceptional retirement program

• Work life balance to help manage other important aspects of your life such as: PTO, wellness programs, paid parental leave

• Competitive pay for the work that you do – base pay, merit, and premium pay

• Sign-on Bonus available if applicable

Purpose:
The Senior Professional Advanced Practice Provider (APP) is a Physician Assistant or Certified Registered Nurse Practitioners and a member of the care delivery team. The Senior Professional APP is responsible to set the standards for the level and quality of care. The Senior Professional APP has responsibility and accountability for the provision of care through supervision by and collaboration with a physician. The Senior Professional APP manages and provides patient care activities for a group of patients and their families through the application of independent judgment, communication and collaboration with all team members. The role of the Senior Professional APP encompasses leadership, partnership, collaboration and supervision. The Senior Professional APP establishes and maintains collaborative relationships with physicians, other health care providers, patients and their families, to achieve desired patient outcomes throughout the continuum of care. The Senior Professional APP demonstrates a commitment to the community and to their healthcare profession. The successful candidate will be placed according to years and months of experience for employment purposes.

Responsibilities:

• Applies principles of acceptable professional practice. Formulates a plan of care for patients that involves the patient as partner and considers the individual needs of the patient. Practices solid communication skills and is able to articulate and translate the patient's condition to other care providers and to negotiate and make recommendations for changes in patient care and clinical practices. Patient documentation is comprehensive and promotes communication between caregivers. Demonstrates critical thinking in all areas of professional practice. Incorporates acceptable standards of professional practice as well as business unit and health system's goals to improve patient safety, quality and satisfaction of the patient experience in daily work. Builds relationships with patients, families and colleagues.
• Builds and mends relationships among colleagues within the framework of a healthy workplace. Role models keen cultural awareness including preventing and addressing horizontal violence and impairment. Maintains a conscious balance between work and personal life through prioritization and delegation of responsibilities.
• Identifies opportunities for clinical quality as well as workplace improvement. Applies evidence-based practice as a regular aspect of professional practice. Serves on or leads teams that launch innovations in patient care or support a healthy workforce.
• Demonstrates a passion for developing others, enthusiastically and expertly precepts students and learners. Analyzes clinical and behavioral situations, identifying learning opportunities to improve patient care practices. Regularly seeks feedback on performance and applies continuous professional improvement. Supports continuous learning in the clinical area by sharing research, materials from professional organizations, presenting in the clinical setting, supporting journal clubs, etc.
• Is a role model of professional practice by serving as a recognized leader in one or more of the following areas: clinical expertise, teacher, specialized resource, and/or evidence-based practice. Consistently gives appropriate feedback to all members of the health care team and participates in the peer review process. Promotes change that enhances the quality of patient care and the clinical environment. Serves on teams and is a model of team participation as a part of daily practice. Demonstrates highly developed clinical assessment and analytical skills. Actively participates in hospital and system-wide committees and/or council.

• Demonstrate the knowledge and skills necessary to provide care and/or interact appropriately with the patients served as specified below

• Demonstrate knowledge of the principles of growth and development over the life span

• Possess the ability to assess data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the appropriate information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to their age-specific needs

• Provide the care needs as described in the department policy and procedures

Special Skills and Abilities Required

• Ability to establish and maintain positive, caring relationships with executives, managers, physicians, non-physician providers, ancillary and support staff, other departments, and patients/families

• Ability to work productively and effectively within a complex environment

• Handle multiple/changing priorities and specialized equipment

• Critical thinking, analytical and problem-solving abilities required as related to various aspects of patient care

• Good clinical judgment

• Critical thinking skills necessary to exercise and lead others in application of acceptable standards of practice

• Mobility and visual manual dexterity

• Physical stamina for frequent walking, standing, lifting, and positioning of patients

This position is dependent upon successful attainment and maintenance of hospital privileges, if applicable to the Business Unit practice.

Licensure, Education, Certifications, and Clearances

Physician Assistant, Senior:  

• Minimum 3 years of experience or completion of a post-graduate residency  
• A graduate of a physician assistant program accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the physician assistant (ARC-PA) is required 

• BS or MS candidate is preferred 

• Completion of National Certification  
• Experience as a physician assistant and/or experience in a clinical setting is preferred 

• Current state PA license certified by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) is required 

• Current CPR certification is required 

• Must achieve a Solid/Strong/Good performance rating or higher on annual performance evaluation for consideration and to maintain status annually 

• Completion of an OAPP approved professional contribution within one year of hire or promotion into the position.  

• Must have department chair approval for promotion 

• ACLS or ITLS or NALS or PALS or ACLS or other certifications listed must meet AHA standards that include both a didactic and skills demonstration component within 30 days of hire. 
• Act 33 Clearance will be required  

• Act 73 Clearance will be required 

• Act 34 Clearance required 

OAPP: If practicing in an outpatient or other non-inpatient setting, APPs can use one of the certifications above or use a business unit approved certification which is relevant, and value added to the practice setting. 

UPMC has a Center for Engagement and Inclusion that is charged with executing leading-edge and next-generation diversity strategies to advance the organization’s diversity management capability and its national presence as a diversity leader. This includes having Employee Resource Groups, such as PRIDE Health or UPMC ENABLED (Empowering Abilities and Leveraging Differences) Network, which support the implementation of our diversity strategy.

UPMC is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Disability/Veteran