Sr Physician Assistant, Surgery

Senior Physician Assistant

Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation's top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It's located in one of the world's safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County's second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide.

The position of Senior Physician Assistant in the Department of Surgery, Division of Emergency General Surgery, requires a highly competent and independent yet team-oriented individual who will be immersed in the management and coordination of all inpatient care for the Department of Surgery. Duties include assessing health needs, planning and evaluating care of all patients on the emergency general surgery service which will include patients in the surgical intensive care unit, step down unit, telemetry unit and medical surgical units. The Physician Assistant will work closely with residents, fellows and attending surgeons. The inpatient workload will include handoff at the out at beginning and end of shift, seeing inpatients, consults in the ED, and coordinating care among team members, including, social work, case management, therapy and other medical and surgical specialties.

Surgical consultations will include assessments, decisions on indications for surgery and preparation for surgery. The Physician Assistant will be responsible for care and organization of procedures (including scheduling operations, interventional procedures, etc) and follow-up, obtain consults as needed, admit and discharge patients (including admission orders, initial H&P, discharge summary, instructions, and medications) when appropriate. The Physician Assistant will be responsible for the reviewing critical labs/imaging, follow-up of results with patient and medical staff, obtaining comprehensive medical histories, performing initial and periodic physical examinations/assessments, and exploring patient's interpretation of health needs. The Physician Assistant will also have an independent clinic on Wednesday and Friday afternoons that will include postoperative patients, some follow-up patients and occasionally preoperative patients. The Physician Assistant will triage calls and issues through the clinic and call center for EGS patients, including EDD form, disability forms, etc.

The Physician Assistant will work closely with residents, fellows and attending surgeons and will facilitate patient throughput through the system and hospitalization. The Physician Assistant should demonstrate an advanced level of medical and surgical knowledge, clinical/technical competence, sound clinical judgment, professional communication skills, timely and compliant documentation, and is responsible for professional development and competency validation. Procedures may include but are not limited to removal of drains, drainage of abscesses, dressing changes, including wound vacuum dressings. Under the supervision of Chief of Emergency General Surgery, and guided by applicable policies, procedures, credentialing standards, and the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), the Physician Assistant participates in comprehensive inpatient trauma care and provides multidisciplinary coordination, education, monitoring, and communication with patients and families.

The Senior Physician Assistant (Sr. PA) practices both independently and collaboratively within the scope of licensure, the supervising physician Practice Agreement, and applicable medical staff credentialing guidelines. Scheduling, weekend assignments, holiday coverage, and service assignments may vary based on patient census, acuity, and operational needs, consistent with applicable institutional policies and the relevant Collective Bargaining Agreement.

Required: Practice agreements completed and on file in Department. Ability to obtain UCIMC Allied Health Professional Privileges prior to hire. HIPPA and other training completion as required by Medical Center Annual TB screening and any applicable test to meet JCAHO requirements. Demonstrates an understanding of and adheres to privacy, confidentiality, and security policies and procedures related to Protected Health Information (PHI) or other sensitive and personal information. Must possess the skill, knowledge, and ability essential to the successful performance of assigned duties. Must demonstrate customer service skills appropriate to the job. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships across the program and UCI Health System. Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships across the organization. Must demonstrate customer service skills appropriate to the job. Ability to exercise diplomacy and flexibility in interacting with physicians, nurses, other paramedical personnel, administrators, emergency and law enforcement officers. Skill to clearly communicate medical information to a broad variety of people, both in person and over the telephone. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Writing skills to prepare clear medical reports, laboratory data and progress notes. Ability to maintain a work pace appropriate to the workload. Ability to be trained in the use of specialized medical equipment and procedures. Must be a current, active, and unrestricted licensed Physician Assistant in the State of California. Active Board Certification from NCCPA (National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants) Active National Provider Identifier (NPI) number The PA must have a current DEA number from the US Drug Enforcement Administration Current BLS, ACLS, and PALS certification. Two or more years of experience to support setting and patient population. Wound care experience required Preferred: Knowledge of Windows and MS Office software applications (Excel, Word, Quest, Access, Power point and Outlook). Experience in Surgical Critical Care. Experience with acute care surgery Experience in working with surgical trainees. Able to function autonomously in clinic and on hospital inpatients Familiarity with UC policies and procedures.