About the Job

Established in 2008, the Department of Emergency Medicine at AKU is the regional leader in establishing excellence in clinical services and academic programmes. The Department of Emergency Medicine manages two Emergency Departments - a 60 beds facility located in the main campus on the Stadium Road in Karachi and includes Triage & Fast Track Area, stand-alone adult and paediatric emergency units, a Chest Pain unit, a Clinical Decision Unit, resuscitation rooms, isolation rooms, and a ophthalmologic emergency examination room at the Main Campus on Stadium Road in Karachi. In addition to this facility, the department oversees a 15-bedded stand-alone emergency unit located at Clifton Medical Services, approximately 15 kilometres from the main campus. The department is responsible for providing care to approximately 70,000 patients each year. As a tertiary care referral hospital, the Department of Emergency Medicine high-acuity patients in need of specialized medical, surgical, or trauma interventions, with 40% of these patients requiring hospital admission.

Reporting to the Dean Medical College and Chief Executive Officer, Health Services Pakistan, the Chair will provide visionary leadership of the department and oversee the departmental strategic planning to improve the quality of the clinical, educational, and research programs. Such planning should be considered within the overall vision of the University, the Medical College, and the Aga Khan University Hospital in Karachi.

Specific Responsibilities:

Clinical Service

• Ensure the delivery of high quality and evidence based emergency care ;
• Support the CEO and academic leadership to ensure the annual business plans and budgets are developed according to the divisional objectives and application of quality management methods within the division, including practice guidelines and audits;
• Support the development of new academic services and initiatives that contribute to the financial sustainability of the hospital;
• Establish effective risk management principles and a patient satisfaction feedback evaluation system;
• Foster good relations with community of physicians and other organizations in the community;
• Attend the Joint Staff Committee, Credentials Committee and other hospital committees as appropriate.

Administration and Advocacy

• Lead the development and enhancement of departmental clinical, educational, and research activities, in accordance with the visions and plans of the University, the Medical College and the Aga Khan University Hospital;
• Responsible for all aspects of departmental administration, including space, finances, support and mentoring of faculty and trainees, clinical activities, and other activities;
• Serve as a role model for the department by demonstrating institutional citizenship through participation in governance and in committee activities of the department, the medical college, the hospital, the University, and the profession at large;
• Develop long range strategic plans and directions which support the mission of the faculty and the University;
• Ensure all University and Faculty policies are followed within the department and that all the members of the department are familiar with those policies;
• Represent departmental interests and build strong partnerships and collaborations at all levels, including government, affiliated teaching hospitals, research institutes and centres, granting agencies, regulatory colleges, professional associations;
• Responsible for annual departmental budget proposal for consideration by the University. Ascertain the financial needs of the department, seek fiscal support and be responsible for the preparation of the annual budget and the expenditure of budgeted funds made available to the department;
• Be a leading advocate for the department in University and Faculty affairs. The Chair will be expected to regularly attend the Medical College Faculty Council meetings and/or other meetings where participation is requested. This is also important in fostering the development of departmental faculty members in such university committees.

Educational Strategy and Support

• Provide leadership in relation to curriculum planning, development, and innovation at the undergraduate, postgraduate and continuing education levels;
• Development of academic and clinical plans for the faculty and present the plans to the Dean after consultation with the Chief of Staff of the hospital and ensure delivery of the same;
• Responsible for the educational quality of the University affiliated students for which the department is home;
• In conjunction with the relevant Associate Deans, establish, maintain and set standards for the training of residents, interns, fellows and other learners.

Human Resource Planning

• Responsible for the performance of faculty and staff in the principal areas of academic endeavours and the status of each of the hospital units that is under the jurisdiction of the department;
• Responsible for maintaining the quality of the faculty and staff by protecting their interests and rights as individuals and as professional scholars and educators and for supporting their professional development;
• Responsible for annual performance evaluation of all faculty and staff and responsible for managing all faculty appointments, re-appointments, promotions and exits according to Aga Khan University’s Policies and Procedures;
• Serve as role model for and as overseer of matters related to career progression, equity and the assurance of a safe and respectful work environment;
• Participate in collaboration with the Human Resources, in the discipline, suspension or and/or termination of jointly appointed physicians as per the procedures contained in the by-laws of the teaching hospital and the University regulations;
• Supervise the non-academic staff, ensuring that career development guidance is available to them and maintaining overall departmental responsibility for Human Resources management.

Research

• Encourage a curiosity-driven research environment with the goals of knowledge creation, knowledge transfer, capacity building and the training, mentorship and career progression of graduate students, postgraduate students, postgraduate fellows and young investigators;
• Foster research development by recruiting researchers within the resources available and to encourage and support current faculty members and students to participate in basic, clinical and evaluative-epidemiological studies;
• Expected to continue with his/her academic pursuits by engaging in research and other scholarly activities, attendance and presentations at relevant conferences and scientific meetings, and publishing in appropriate journals;
• Oversee the safe and efficient conduct of research by faculty members within the department;
• Ensure research undertaken by faculty members meet the ethical and professional standards set by the department and the University.

Desired Qualifications and Leadership:

• MBBS/MD degree ideally with relevant postgraduate training / certification (e.g., FCPS, FRCS, or American Board equivalent) in Emergency Medicine
• Current academic rank, preferably Associate Professor or Professor with substantial experience of clinical operations and leadership
• Recognized academic Emergency Medicine accomplishments with at least seven years of direct experience of managing patient flows and access;
• Exceptional leadership skills and judgment with the proven ability to foster a spirit of unity and collaboration, while learning from the perspectives of others;
• A highly productive work ethic, with experience in research funding and publications, teaching, training and clinical service delivery. Evidence of engaging teams and balancing multiple organizational priorities will be considered;