Physician Assistant (PA) - Organ Acquisition

Physician Assistant Opportunity

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center: Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt's mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.

Hepatobiliary Surgery & Liver Transplant

We are seeking a dedicated and skilled Physician Assistant (PA) to join our organ recovery team. The PA will play a critical role in the surgical recovery of organs for transplantation, collaborating with transplant surgeons, donor hospitals, and the recovery team to ensure high-quality procurement procedures.

The Division of Hepatobiliary Surgery and Liver Transplantation participates in a comprehensive medical-surgical-radiologic hepatobiliary referral service, emphasizing diagnosis and medical management of liver and bile duct diseases with a variety of treatment strategies, including liver resection, RF ablation, alcohol injection, chemoembolization, portosystemic shunting, TIPS, laparoscopic procedures, and biliary bypass, as well as liver transplantation.

The liver transplantation program is part of the Vanderbilt Transplant Center, which represents a major commitment to the expanding and important field of transplantation. The heart, lung, bone marrow, kidney, and pancreas transplantation programs closely interact with one another. The division also participates in a comprehensive diagnostic and treatment program in hepatobiliary disease, offered by the Vanderbilt Clinic. This multidisciplinary group evaluates patients to establish a diagnosis, assess the severity of the disease and develop a treatment plan.

Preferred Qualifications

• At least 5 years of experience as a Physician Assistant
• Strong preference for PA's with experience in organ procurement, cardiac surgery, or abdominal surgery

Key Responsibilities

• Perform or assist in surgical organ recovery procedures under the supervision of transplant surgeons.
• Provide comprehensive clinical assessments and manage donor physiology pre-recovery.
• Document and report findings to transplant centers and organ procurement organizations.
• Ensure accurate and timely completion of required donor medical records and recovery documentation.
• Maintain and prepare surgical equipment and supplies needed for organ recovery.
• Communicate with internal and external stakeholders including donor families, hospital staff, and transplant centers.
• Participate in on-call rotations, including nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Ensure compliance with all regulatory and safety protocols (UNOS, AOPO, CMS, etc.).

Professional Practice
Demonstrates Professional Practice behaviors including: preceptor/mentoring, education and instruction of students, nursing staff, nurses, graduate and novice Physician Assistants. Seeks opportunities for active engagement in research and the analysis of evidenced based practice. Actively participates in Grand Rounds, APN council meetings, faculty and unit meetings, M&M presentations. Maintains CEUs, and membership in a professional organization.

• Current licensure as a Physician Assistant (PA-C) in the state of Tennessee.
• NCCPA certification required.
• Minimum of 2 years of surgical or critical care experience strongly preferred.
• Experience in organ procurement or transplant surgery is highly desirable.
• ACLS and BLS certification required.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced, high-stress environment with a flexible schedule.

Our Nursing Philosophy: We believe highly skilled and specialized nursing care is essential to Vanderbilt University Medical Center's mission of quality in patient care, education and research. We believe nursing is an applied art and science focused on helping people, families and communities reach excellent health and well-being.

As a Vanderbilt University Medical Center employee, you make a difference to our patients and their families by bringing compassion and care to those in need of hope and healing. Please see our current employee benefits offered:

• Affordable High Quality Health Plan Options
• Dental and/or vision plan
• 403 (b) retirement plan
• Paid Time off (flex PTO)
• Tuition Reimbursement and adoption assistance (maximums applied)
• Short-Long term disability
• Subsidized backup childcare
• And many more... Ask us about our current inpatient nursing supplemental Pay Program!

Achieve the Remarkable: Learn more about VUMC Nursing here .

Core Accountabilities:

Organizational Impact: Executes job responsibilities with the understanding of how output would affect and impact other areas related to own job area/team with occasional guidance. Problem Solving/ Complexity of work: Analyzes moderately complex problems using technical experience and judgment. Breadth of Knowledge: Has expanded knowledge gained through experience within a professional area. Team Interaction: Provides informal guidance and support to team members.

Core Capabilities :

Supporting Colleagues:- Develops Self and Others: Invests time, energy, and enthusiasm in developing self/others to help improve performance e and gain knowledge in new areas.- Builds and Maintains Relationships: Maintains regular contact with key colleagues and stakeholders using formal and informal opportunities to expand and strengthen relationships.- Communicates Effectively: Recognizes group interactions and modifies one's own communication style to suit different situations and audiences. Delivering Excellent Services:- Serves Others with Compassion: Seeks to understand current and future needs of relevant stakeholders and customizes services to better address them.- Solves Complex Problems: Approaches problems from different angles; Identifies new possibilities to interpret opportunities and develop concrete solutions.- Offers Meaningful Advice and Support: Provides ongoing support and coaching in a constructive manner to increase employees' effectiveness. Ensuring High Quality: - Performs Excellent Work: Engages regularly in formal and informal dialogue about quality; directly addresses quality issues promptly.- Ensures Continuous Improvement: Applies various learning experiences by looking beyond symptoms to uncover underlying causes of problems and identifies ways to resolve them. - Fulfills Safety and Regulatory Requirements: Understands all aspects of providing a safe environment and performs routine safety checks to prevent safety hazards from occurring. Managing Resources Effectively: - Demonstrates Accountability: Demonstrates a sense of ownership, focusing on and driving critical issues to closure.- Stewards Organizational Resources: Applies understanding of the departmental work to effectively manage resources for a department/area.- Makes Data Driven Decisions: Demonstrates strong understanding of the information or data to identify and elevate opportunities. Fostering Innovation:- Generates New Ideas: Proactively identifies new ideas/opportunities from multiple sources or methods to improve processes beyond conventional approaches.- Applies Technology: Demonstrates an enthusiasm for learning new technologies, tools, and procedures to address short-term challenges.- Adapts to Change: Views difficult situations and/or problems as opportunities for improvement; actively embraces change instead of emphasizing negative elements.

Position Qualifications:

Responsibilities:

Certifications:

LIC-Physician's Assistant Certified - Tennessee

Work Experience:

Relevant Work Experience

Experience Level:

Less than 1 year

Education:

Master's

This role offers the opportunity to make a meaningful impact within Vanderbilt Health, supported by a comprehensive benefits package which may include health, disability, retirement and/or wellness offerings to enhance your well-being and professional growth.

Vanderbilt Health is committed to fostering an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and is committed to the principles of equal opportunity. EOE/Vets/Disabled.

Vanderbilt University Medical Center