Program Director, Hospice & Palliative Medicine Fellowship - GME Alliance

The Creighton University Arizona Health Education Alliance is actively seeking an experienced leader to serve as the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Program Director.

The Program Director of the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship is directly accountable to the Internal Medicine Department Chair with the Dignity Health Medical Group and the Associate Dean, Graduate Medical Education based in Phoenix, AZ. The Program Director will be provided with the required 20% protected, non-clinical time dedicated to administration of the program with two fellows per year.

We strive to train fellows who share our intellectual, social, and spiritual values. We will continue to provide excellent medical care to patients, within an environment of intellectual rigor to foster delivery of best practices to the individual and the community. The program is part of the Phoenix Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship Consortium which gives our fellows access to the trainees and faculty at all the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowships in the Phoenix area.  All members come together weekly for didactics, journal club, board review and fellow support.  In addition, our fellows can train with multidisciplinary care teams from nationally recognized institutions including the Barrow Neurological Institute, Norton Thoracic Institute, Hospice of the Valley, and Phoenix Children’s Hospital.

Essential Responsibilities include:

·     Administer and maintain an educational environment conducive to educating the fellows in each of the ACGME core competency areas.

·     Oversee and ensure the quality of didactic and clinical education.

·     Monitor fellow supervision at all participating sites.

·     Prepare and submit all information required and requested by ACGME, including but not limited to annual program updates to WebADS, and ensure information submitted is accurate and complete. Collaborate with DIO and GMEC on accreditation related matters as needed.

·     Ensure compliance with sponsoring institution and participating site policies and procedures.

·     Regularly assess and promote fellow well-being while fostering an environment in which diversity, equity and inclusion are at the forefront of fellows’ clinical and academic experiences.

·     Lead and participate in key areas for the program including recruitment, Program Evaluation Committee and serve as non-voting member of the Clinical Competency Committee.  Develop opportunities for bidirectional communication with fellow and faculty.

·     Work with fellows and faculty to create systems such as schedules and programs that maximize learning while minimizing disruption of clinical workflow.

·     Oversee and facilitate remediation processes as needed.

·     Provide each fellow with documented semiannual evaluation of performance with feedback. Develop processes for program faculty evaluation and continued participation of program faculty based on evaluation.

In 2017, Creighton University, St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center, Valleywise Health, District Medical Group, and Dignity Health Medical Group entered a strategic partnership to strengthen and expand the Graduate Medical Education programs offered by each institution. The move brought together the administration of the residency and fellowship programs previously managed by each member under the Arizona Health Education Alliance, with Creighton University serving as the sponsoring entity.

St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center and Valleywise Health are the primary clinical sites. We are dedicated to training future generations of doctors who will lead the nation in providing outstanding hospital-based, ambulatory, and subspecialty care. Our mission is designed to train hospice and palliative medicine physicians who will care for a diverse patient population with a wide range of diseases spanning multiple stages, providing up to date evidence-based medicine. Partnerships with nationally recognized Barrow Neurological Institute, Norton Thoracic Institute, Phoenix Children’s Hospital and Hospice of the Valley, provide our fellows with a well-rounded, diverse educational experience that prepares them for attending life in academic Hospice and Palliative Medicine.

Minimum Requirements:

·     MD or DO Degree and Hospice and Palliative Medicine Board Certification

·     Record of involvement in education and scholarly activities, which includes mentoring fellows, serving as a clinical supervisor in an inpatient or outpatient setting, developing curricula and/or participating in didactic activities.

·     Served a minimum of two years in clinical practice of hospice and palliative medicine.

·     Must have or be eligible for Arizona State medical licensure

·     Ability to achieve full and unrestricted hospital privileges at Dignity Health Arizona hospitals and Valleywise Health

·     Strong interpersonal communication skills

·     Ability to travel as needed between clinical training sites