Professor, Internal Medicine-General Medicine

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch seeks a Division Chief of General Internal Medicine to lead a dynamic, expansionist role overseeing both ambulatory primary care and inpatient hospital medicine across UTMB's growing multi-campus health system. This is a strategic growth position focused on deploying high-quality academic hospital medicine services across all UTMB campuses, developing comprehensive perioperative medicine programs (both inpatient and outpatient), and driving measurable improvements in access metrics and inpatient quality including length of stay and complication rates.

This position reports to Dr. Salim Hayek, Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine. The Division Chief will lead a division with robust outpatient (internal medicine primary care) and inpatient components (hospitalists and surgical co-management services), working closely with hospital leadership, surgical departments, and interdisciplinary colleagues to expand clinical services, enhance quality outcomes, and advance the tripartite mission of patient care, education, and investigation.

INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT

UTMB is a $3.5 billion academic health center established in 1891 as Texas's first medical school, comprising Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Health Professions, Public and Population Health, and a Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. With $168 million in sponsored research awards, UTMB ranks 52nd nationally in NIH funding among medical schools and stands in the top 2 percent of institutions receiving NIH support.

The institution operates four hospital campuses (Galveston, Clear Lake, League City, Angleton-Danbury) with over 1,000 beds and more than 90 clinics serving a population exceeding 1.8 million across Southeast Texas. UTMB is the only academic health science center south of Houston and serves as the Level I Trauma Center for a nine-county region. Clinical strengths include quaternary care capabilities, comprehensive burn care through partnership with Shriners Hospital for Children, transplant services, and specialty medical care for a substantial portion of Texas's incarcerated population through the TDCJ Hospital partnership. The main Galveston campus includes Jennie Sealy Hospital (310 patient rooms with 60 dedicated ICU beds, completed 2016) and John Sealy Hospital, along with the verified burn center and the 172-bed Texas Department of Criminal Justice Hospital.

UTMB houses the Galveston National Laboratory, one of two BSL-4 biocontainment facilities on a U.S. university campus, and the Sealy Center for Vaccine Development. Research strengths include nationally recognized programs in microbiology and immunology, infectious diseases, anesthesiology critical care, and translational sciences. The institution recently established the Moody Brain Health Institute with a $25 million philanthropic commitment. UTMB is a member of the Houston-based Texas Medical Center and benefits from philanthropic support exceeding $50 million annually, including substantial backing from the Sealy & Smith Foundation.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

The Department of Internal Medicine is the largest department within UTMB’s John Sealy School of Medicine, encompassing multiple divisions including Allergy and Immunology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, General Medicine, Geriatrics, Infectious Disease, Medical Oncology and Hematology, Nephrology, Palliative Care, Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, and Rheumatology. The department operates a categorical Internal Medicine residency program with approximately 32 positions per cycle, as well as a distinctive combined Aerospace/Internal Medicine residency in partnership with NASA— the only program of its kind in the United States.

Under the leadership of Dr. Salim Hayek, the Department of Internal Medicine fosters a culture of excellence grounded in six core principles: radical transparency, recognition of exceptional contributions, shared accountability for elevating care, support for practicing at the top of one’s scope, investment in academic success, and collaboration across all divisions. Faculty thrive in a data-driven, innovative environment that integrates precision medicine, research advancement, and clinical excellence. The Department is committed to transparency, measurable performance, and providing the mentorship, resources, and infrastructure necessary for each faculty member to build and sustain a successful academic career.

DIVISION STRENGTHS AND RESOURCES

The Division of General Internal Medicine serves as the Academic General Medicine practice for the UTMB Health System, with faculty providing comprehensive adult primary care, inpatient hospital medicine, surgical co-management, and medical education across the institution. The division has established strong clinical programs with significant growth opportunities:

• Academic Hospitalist Program - Faculty hospitalists provide attending-level care on teaching services with Internal Medicine residents and medical students across UTMB's hospital campuses. The hospitalist service operates on a two-week block system aligned with resident rotations, ensuring continuity of care and robust educational experiences. Faculty incorporate point-of-care ultrasound training and evidence-based medicine into daily teaching rounds. The program is positioned for strategic expansion across all UTMB campuses to meet growing clinical demand and enhance academic presence throughout the health system.

• Surgical Co-Management and Perioperative Medicine Services - The division provides medical co-management for surgical patients across multiple services, optimizing perioperative care and reducing complications. This represents a strategic growth area with opportunities to develop comprehensive perioperative medicine programs encompassing preoperative risk assessment clinics, inpatient co-management services, and postoperative transitional care. Expansion of these services will support UTMB's surgical programs and trauma center operations while advancing quality outcomes and length of stay metrics.

• Ambulatory Primary Care Clinics - The division operates academic primary care clinics across UTMB's multi-campus system, including the Primary Care Pavilion in Galveston and sites in League City and Clear Lake. Faculty provide comprehensive adult primary care with emphasis on chronic disease management, preventive medicine, and patient-centered care. These clinics serve as core teaching sites for medical students and residents while addressing access needs across Southeast Texas.

• Resident Education and Supervision - Division faculty serve as core educators for UTMB's categorical Internal Medicine residency program, providing direct clinical supervision on inpatient wards, ambulatory continuity clinics, and consultative services. Faculty-led teaching conferences, simulation sessions, and clinical skills workshops for residents and medical students.

• Quality Improvement and Outcomes Research - The division engages in quality improvement initiatives focused on reducing length of stay, minimizing complications, optimizing care transitions, and enhancing patient outcomes. Faculty participate in institutional efforts to advance patient safety, value-based care, and clinical process improvement through data-driven strategies and evidence-based interventions.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITITES

Clinical Leadership

• Lead strategic expansion of academic hospital medicine services across all UTMB campuses (Galveston, Clear Lake, League City, Angleton-Danbury), ensuring consistent delivery of high- quality inpatient care and robust educational experiences for residents and students at each site

• Develop comprehensive perioperative medicine services including preoperative risk assessment clinics, inpatient surgical co-management programs, and postoperative care coordination, working closely with surgical departments, anesthesiology, and hospital leadership to optimize surgical outcomes and patient flow

• Drive measurable improvements in inpatient quality metrics including length of stay, complication rates, readmission rates, and patient experience scores through implementation of evidence- based care pathways, care coordination initiatives, and multidisciplinary team approaches

• Improve access metrics for both ambulatory and inpatient services, developing strategies to enhance patient access to primary care, expedite hospital admissions, and optimize throughput while maintaining teaching mission and quality standards

• Recruit, mentor, and retain clinical faculty to support ambitious service line growth, ensure sustainable hospitalist and surgical co-management coverage across multiple campuses, and build a high-performing team aligned with division strategic priorities

• Maintain an active clinical practice in general internal medicine, either in the ambulatory or hospitalist setting, appropriate to academic rank and administrative responsibilities

Educational Leadership

• Oversee division contributions to the ACGME-accredited Internal Medicine residency program, ensuring high-quality clinical teaching experiences on inpatient and ambulatory rotations across all UTMB campuses as services expand

• Direct medical student education in internal medicine, coordinating clerkship experiences, clinical preceptorships, and mentorship programs for students pursuing careers in primary care, hospital medicine, or perioperative medicine

• Foster faculty development in clinical teaching, provide mentorship for junior faculty pursuing academic promotion, and support educational scholarship and curricular innovation in hospital medicine and perioperative care

Research and Scholarship

• Develop the division's research and scholarly activity portfolio with emphasis on health services research, perioperative outcomes, hospital medicine quality improvement, and care delivery innovation, identifying collaborative opportunities and pursuing extramural funding

• Leverage UTMB's research infrastructure and data analytics capabilities to advance investigation in areas such as perioperative risk stratification, length of stay reduction strategies, complication prevention, care transitions, and population health management

• Support quality improvement initiatives, clinical outcomes research, and scholarly activity among faculty, residents, and students, fostering a culture of continuous learning, data-driven decision making, and evidence-based practice

Administrative and Strategic Responsibilities

• Manage division budget and business plan for growth, optimize resource allocation across expanding clinical sites, and work with departmental leadership on revenue cycle performance, clinical productivity expectations, and payer contracting to support sustainable expansion

• Participate in departmental strategic planning, faculty recruitment, and institutional committees as assigned, representing the division's interests in hospital operations, quality improvement, and system-wide clinical service development

• Collaborate with hospital leadership, nursing, case management, surgery departments, anesthesiology, and allied health professionals to ensure coordinated, high-quality care delivery and effective implementation of perioperative medicine programs

• Foster relationships with regional referral networks, community physicians, and healthcare systems to enhance UTMB's role as the academic medical center for Southeast Texas and support population health initiatives

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Required Qualifications

• MD or DO degree from an accredited institution

• Board certification in Internal Medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine (or equivalent)

• Eligibility for medical licensure in Texas

• Academic rank of Associate Professor or Professor at an accredited medical school, or qualifications consistent with appointment at this level at UTMB

• Demonstrated leadership experience in hospital medicine program development, perioperative medicine, surgical co-management, or multi-site clinical operations

• Track record of effective collaboration with administrative, clinical, and academic colleagues in complex healthcare environments

Valued Experience

• Proven experience leading service line expansion or multi-campus hospital medicine programs in academic medical centers

• Expertise in perioperative medicine, surgical co-management, or development of preoperative assessment clinics with demonstrated impact on surgical outcomes and quality metrics

• Track record of achieving measurable improvements in hospital quality metrics such as length of stay, complication rates, readmission rates, or throughput efficiency

• Record of scholarly productivity in health services research, perioperative outcomes, hospital medicine quality improvement, or care delivery innovation, including peer-reviewed publications or extramural funding

• Leadership roles in residency education, including program director, associate program director, or significant teaching roles in graduate medical education

• Involvement in professional societies such as the Society of Hospital Medicine, Society for Perioperative Assessment and Quality Improvement, or other organizations relevant to hospital medicine and perioperative care

• Experience with value-based care models, clinical analytics, performance improvement methodologies, and innovation in care delivery systems

• Leadership development through participation in structured programs such as leadership academies, executive education, or formal management and communication workshops

COMPENSATION AND SUPPORT

Compensation for this position follows the Department of Internal Medicine Leader Compensation Plan and is benchmarked to the AAMC Faculty Salary Survey data aligned by academic rank. Total compensation includes a competitive base salary plus an at-risk leadership incentive tied to mutually agreed-upon annual performance goals across strategic priorities. A detailed Memorandum of Understanding will specify compensation structure, effort allocation, and performance expectations upon appointment.

The Division Chief will have access to divisional administrative support, participation in departmental strategic planning, and institutional resources for faculty development. Protected time for research or scholarly activity may be negotiated based on investigative portfolio and grant support. Startup funding for research may be available depending on the candidate's research program and institutional priorities.

UTMB offers a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, retirement contributions to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas or Optional Retirement Program, and professional development support.

LOCATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE

Galveston Island (population approximately 50,000) is located 30 miles south of Houston, the nation's fourth- largest city. The island offers Gulf Coast beaches, extensive water recreation opportunities, temperate climate, and historic charm. The region provides notably lower cost of living compared to major metropolitan markets while maintaining proximity to Houston's world-class amenities.

Houston provides comprehensive cultural and recreational resources including professional sports (Astros, Texans, Rockets), performing arts venues, the Museum District, diverse international dining, and extensive shopping. The region offers excellent outdoor recreation with beach access, fishing, and sailing, along with strong public and private school options. The Texas Medical Center's proximity facilitates academic collaboration and professional networking.

Major airports (Houston Hobby and George Bush Intercontinental) provide convenient access for national and international travel, supporting both professional engagement and personal connections.