Chief, Division of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine

The Department of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center is conducting a national/international search for candidates to serve as Chief of the Division of Critical Care in the Department of Pediatrics. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to envision and realize the future growth of an already outstanding Pediatric Critical Care program, within the vibrant and growing UT Southwestern Medical Center, also routinely considered among the nation’s finest.

The mission of the UT Southwestern Pediatric Critical Care Division is to provide excellent, high value care to critically ill children while advancing the field through research and innovation, and educating future physicians in the care of critically ill children in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. The Division is large and continues to grow with 35 faculty members who drive forward clinical and scholarly programs in 1) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, 2) quality and patient safety, with engagement in national benchmarking collaboratives, 3) resuscitation optimization, 4) educational research, 5) neuromonitoring and neuroprotection, and many others.

Clinical care is delivered at two sites, on the main Children’s Health Dallas campus and at the PICU in Children’s Health Plano. The PICU at Children’s Health Dallas (main campus) is a 44-bed ICU with > 13,000 patient days in 2022.It includes a general medical-surgical pediatric ICU and a Trauma-ICU.On the Plano campus there is expansion in progress and the current 12-bed PICU will expand to a 24-bed PICU in the fall of 2024, followed by an expansion to 38 beds. This is an exciting time of growth across the enterprise with a planned expansion for the Dallas campus over the next several years. The Division has resources sufficient to meet present and future needs of critically ill children across the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, with a population of more than 6,500,000 and growing.

The Department of Pediatrics at UT Southwestern has a long and rich history that is interwoven with the roots of UT Southwestern Medical School and with the development and growth of Children’s Health, our primary clinical partner with leading inpatient care at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas and Plano and multispecialty outpatient centers in Dallas, Plano, Prosper and other health care units throughout the Dallas Metroplex. The Department is structured into 17 academic divisions, consisting of approximately 350 faculty members and several clinical multidisciplinary programs to cover the full spectrum of child health and disease. 

UT Southwestern, one of the nation’s premier academic medical centers, is located just a short drive from downtown Dallas. The campus integrates pioneering biomedical research with exceptional clinical care and education. The institution’s faculty number more than 2,700 and includes six who have been awarded Nobel Prizes since 1985, 24 members of the National Academy of Sciences, 16 members of the National Academy of Medicine, and 13 investigators in the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. UT Southwestern physicians provide medical care in about 80 specialties to more than 105,000 hospitalized patients, nearly 370,000 emergency room cases, and oversee approximately 3 million outpatient visits a year. Many are cared for in the three major hospitals on campus: Clements University Hospital, Parkland Memorial Hospital, and Children’s Medical Center Dallas.

The Role
UT Southwestern is seeking a national leader as the new Chief of the Division of Critical Care in the Department of Pediatrics. The position will report directly to the Chair, Dr. Jorge Bezerra, and will play a critical leadership role within the Department. The Chief will serve as a galvanizing and inspiring leader and will provide strategic, administrative, financial and operational leadership and direction for the Division, with responsibility for the research, education and clinical missions. This leader will build on a foundation of success while defining the future culture of the Division, leveraging the talents of a diverse group of faculty, staff, residents, fellows, and students as the Department of Pediatrics and it’s primary health system partner, Children’s Health, enter a period of unprecedented growth. The Chief will lead the Division in providing excellent, high value care to critically ill children while advancing the field through research and innovation, and educating future physicians. They will collaborate across the Department of Pediatrics, UT Southwestern and with key partners at Children’s Health.

The Chief will provide clinical leadership to enhance quality of care and support continued growth and expansion of clinical capabilities. The Division’s growth and evolution will be a critical element to achieving the Department of Pediatrics’ vision of transformation and advancement of subspecialized care and programs. Through collaboration across Divisions and with Children’s Health, the Chief will establish and promote best practices, improving high reliability of clinical services and high quality transitions of care through the health system. They will leverage data and analytics to measure outcomes and drive quality improvement. The Chief will ensure alignment of the clinical and academic missions of the Division, the Department of Pediatrics and Children’s Health. 

The Chief will elevate and promote the importance of the academic mission in the Division, building on the strong partnership between UT Southwestern and Children’s Health, which marries the University’s success in scientific discovery and innovation with the investments of Children’s Health in clinical practice and the care environment. The Chief will build a robust portfolio of research, while encouraging the importance of grant-funding, scholarly output and publications in high impact journals. This Chief will foster an outstanding teaching environment, while continuously improving and advancing the medical education curriculum and training programs available. 

Key to success in advancing the academic, research, and clinical missions, the Chief will have strong business acumen and be responsible for operations and financial performance for the Division. The Chief will prioritize recruiting, training, developing, and retaining world-class faculty to advance the Division and Department’s bold growth strategy. This leader will maintain a collaborative and transparent atmosphere, further develop existing programs, and identify potential opportunities for additional development. 

Through the continued advancement of research, education, and clinical care, the Chief will significantly elevate the national reputation of the Division of Critical Care during their tenure. To be successful, this Chief must take a concerted approach to partnering with key constituency groups in and outside the Department of Pediatrics effectively collaborating across Children’s Health to realize the shared mission of the medical school and the health system.

Location:  UT Southwestern Medical Center is located in Dallas, Texas. Relocation is required for this role.

Candidate Profile
The ideal candidate will be a nationally or internationally recognized physician or physician-scientist, board certified in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine, who has an outstanding track record as a clinician, researcher, administrator, and leader in academic medicine. UT Southwestern seeks candidates characterized by integrity, collegiality, wisdom, leadership skills and a broad knowledge of biomedical science. The Department is looking for a leader who has clear vision and the ability to further the Division by providing galvanizing leadership around shared goals and aspirations. 

Applicants will be considered for appointment in one of the UT Southwestern academic tracks at the Associate Professor or Professor level with or without tenure, commensurate with professional accomplishments and status in the field. Applicants must be eligible for licensure in the state of Texas and must be board certified in Pediatric Critical Care.

In terms of the performance and personal competencies required for the position, we would highlight the following:

Education and Experience

MD or MD/PhD (or equivalent) from an accredited medical school is required Board Certified by the American Board of Pediatrics in Pediatric Critical Care Medicine Must qualify for an unrestricted Texas medical license Current rank of Associate Professor or higher  Nationally recognized as a leader in the field of Pediatric Critical Care Medicine with an outstanding track record of accomplishment in clinical care, research, and education Demonstrated administrative and leadership experience in academic medicine, with an ability to build and expand upon a strong foundation A strong track record of scholarly achievement, including publications and external research funding Experience building and supporting clinical and research programs and promoting academic and clinical excellence Highly organized individual with strong leadership skills, administrative dexterity, and a demonstrated ability to create and lead within a complex, matrixed, evolving environment Strong business acumen with the ability to build collegial relationships, influence and negotiate within a highly matrixed, large and complex organization. Demonstrated track record of building trusted relationships outside of critical care medicine with key divisions, departments and institutional leaders Demonstrated success in faculty recruitment, mentoring and development across the spectrum of clinical faculty, clinician-scientists, basic science researchers and staff Outstanding communication skills and an ability to work collaboratively with hospital staff, hospital and system management, and community stakeholders are required. Exceptional skills in advocacy and influencing, with the capability to represent and advocate for the division, team, and resources across the academic, research and clinical enterprises Excellent communicator with an ability to attract and develop strong, diverse talent Experience advancing the education mission related to residency training and programs Demonstrated success building diverse and cohesive teams, fostering a sense of inclusion, community and collaboration Track record of promoting a culture of respect, positivity, and inclusivity Proven successful track record of mentorship Naturally connects and builds strong relationships with others, demonstrating strong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly Operationally minded; able to outline a clear road map for the execution of the division’s expansion Able to attract and recruit top talent, motivate, delegate effectively, and manage performance Dynamic, collaborative team builder; able to nurture growth, communication, and development of the teams around them Comfortable with ambiguity Experience in research, training, and clinical achievement, commensurate with appointment to the faculty at the rank of Associate Professor or Professor.

Setting Strategy

The ability to create and articulate an inspiring vision for the organization, not only for the areas they are directly responsible for, but the enterprise as a whole. The inclination to seek and analyze data from a variety of sources to support decisions and to align others with the organization’s overall strategy. An entrepreneurial and creative approach to developing new, innovative ideas that will stretch the organization and push the boundaries within the industry. The ability to effectively balance the desire/need for broad change with an understanding of how much change the organization is capable of handling, to create realistic goals and implementation plans that are achievable and successful.

Executing for Results

The ability to set clear and challenging goals while committing the organization to improved performance; tenacious and accountable in driving results. Comfortable with ambiguity and uncertainty; the ability to adapt nimbly and lead others through complex situations. A risk-taker who seeks data and input from others to foresee possible threats or unintended circumstances from decisions; someone who takes smart risks. A leader who is viewed by others as having a high degree of integrity and forethought in their approach to making decisions; the ability to act in a transparent and consistent manner while always taking into account what is best for the organization.

Leading Teams

The ability to attract and recruit top talent, motivate the team, delegate effectively, celebrate diversity within the team, and manage performance; widely viewed as a strong developer of others. The ability to persevere in the face of challenges, and exhibit a steadfast resolve and relentless commitment to higher standards, which commands respect from followers. A leader who is self-reflective and aware of their own limitations; leads by example and drives the organization’s performance with an attitude of continuous improvement by being open to feedback and self-improvement.

Relationships and Influence

Naturally connects and builds strong relationships with others, demonstrating strong emotional intelligence and an ability to communicate clearly and persuasively. An ability to inspire trust and followership in others through compelling influence, powerful charisma, passion in their beliefs, and active drive. Encourages others to share the spotlight and visibly celebrates and supports the success of the team. Creates a sense of purpose/meaning for the team that generates followership beyond their own personality and engages others to the greater purpose for the organization as a whole.

Nomination and Application Procedure

To receive full consideration, interested individuals should electronically submit a Curriculum Vitae and a letter of interest to Russell Reynolds Associates . The letter of interest is a two-page cover letter, primarily detailing your experience, qualification, and key achievements related to this position specification and briefly expressing your interest in this Chief role. All inquiries should be sent to . Applications will be reviewed immediately and accepted until the position is filled.

This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information.

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