Description

Ascension Saint Thomas and the University of Tennessee Health Science Center College of Medicine are actively seeking an experienced leader, who is committed to academic excellence, to serve as the Program Director for the University of Tennessee HSC College of Medicine - Nashville General Surgery Residency Program.  This program is located at Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee.

Position Structure:

• 0.5 FTE Program Director administrative time
• 0.5 Clinical FTE tailored to the candidate's specialty interests 

The Program Director will provide leadership, organization, and oversight for the residency program, ensuring compliance with ACGME standards and the delivery of high-quality education. 

Program Director Responsibilities:

Educational Administration and Oversight of the Program

• Implement an educational curriculum as defined in the ACGME Program Requirements for your specialty, including creating competency-based goals and objectives for each educational experience, and  reviewing/revising of the educational curriculum at least every three (3) years
• Utilize dependable measures to assess residents’ competence in the six (6) ACGME Core Competencies – patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice (See ACGME Milestones by Specialty)
• Oversee a Clinical Competency Committee (CCC) to review all resident evaluations at least semi-annually; determine each resident’s progress on achievement of specialty-specific Milestones; and meet prior to the residents’ semi-annual evaluation meetings and advise the program director regarding each resident's progress
• Ensure that at the end of each six-month period of training, the program director or his/her designee meets with and reviews with each resident their semi-annual evaluation of performance, including progress along the specialty-specific Milestones.
• Assist residents in developing individualized learning plans (ILPs) to capitalize on their strengths and identify areas for growth; and develop plans for residents failing to progress
• Facilitate residents’ participation in the educational and scholarly activities of the program, and assurance that they assume responsibility for teaching and supervising other residents and students
• Ensure the faculty cohort (core and non-core), meet the minimum scholarly activity requirements as set forth by the Surgery Review Committee
• Demonstrate ongoing scholarly activity in compliance with the requirements of the Surgery Review Committee
• Oversee a Program Evaluation Committee (PEC) to review the program’s self-determined goals and progress toward meeting them; to guide ongoing program improvement, including development of new goals, based upon outcomes; and, review of the current operating environment to identify strengths, challenges, opportunities, and threats as related to the program’s mission and aims.
• Ensure at least annual review of the educational effectiveness of the program via the annual program evaluation (APE) and Action Plan
• Ensure faculty members receive written, anonymous, and confidential evaluation by the residents at least annually
• Create, implement, and review annually program-specific policies consistent with University of Tennessee HSC GME policies
• Manage clinical scheduling of residents including, but not limited to:
  • Structuring call schedules to provide readily available supervision to residents on duty, and that appropriate backup is available when patient care responsibilities are difficult or prolonged
  • Structuring clinical and educational work hours and call periods to focus on the educational needs of the resident, and to comply with requirements as set by the institution, ACGME, and the Surgery Review Committee
  • Assurance that residents are provided the opportunity to attend medical, mental health, and dental care appointments, including those scheduled during their working hours
• Monitor residents’ clinical and educational work hours and address all work hour violations and logging non-compliance
• Lead and oversee resident recruitment, ensuring that non-eligible applicants are not ranked/matched into the program
• Provide a final evaluation (final summative evaluation) for each resident who completes the program.
• Provide verification of resident’s education upon their request

Participate in the institutional governance of GME programs

• Develop and implement strategies to align with GME’s mission to recruit and retain physicians to practice in the State of Tennessee after training
  Maintain current knowledge of and compliance with University of Tennessee Health Science Center, ACGME, AAMC ERAS, ECFMG, NRMP, and GME Policies and Procedures
• Maintain compliance with ACGME protected administrative time requirements for Program Directors
• Maintain current knowledge of and compliance with the ACGME Program Requirements for Surgery, as well as any other related policies and procedures
• Participate in subcommittees, task forces, internal review and special panels as requested
• Maintain accurate and complete program files in compliance with institutional record retention procedures and ACGME requirements
• Ensure that at least 70% of residents and core faculty complete the annual ACGME Resident and Faculty survey
• Prepare program letters of agreement (PLAs) with all clinical rotations that provide required educational experiences and/or equal one-month or more in duration
• Oversee and organize the activities of the educational program for all participating sites within funding allotments
• Cooperate promptly with GME Office and GMEC requests for various reports and documents
• Develop action plans annually for correction of areas of noncompliance as identified by the annual ACGME Resident and Faculty survey results, Internal Review Panel, Special Review Panel, GMEC, Review Committee, and/or other mechanism
• Complete the annual AAMC Resident Readiness Survey for PGY-1 residents

Program Director Professionalism

• Maintain professional boundaries and serve as a role model  to all residents, fellows, and students, ensuring that personal relationships do not interfere with your ability to provide unbiased support and guidance
• Serve as a confidential advisor and advocate for each resident enrolled in the program by advocating for resident and program needs
• Provide a learning and working environment in which residents can raise concerns, report mistreatment, and provide feedback in a confidential manner as appropriate, without fear of intimidation or retaliation
• Work cooperatively, and communicate professionally and effectively with residents, Program Coordinators, DIO, GME staff, hospital partners, medical students, peers, ancillary staff, and all other areas of the University of Tennessee HSC and Ascension Saint Thomas
• Pursue appropriate faculty development as a program director in his or her specialty/subspeciality by attending meetings directly relevant to the educational and administrative aspects of the specialty/subspeciality
• Attendance at all required GME and program meetings
• Maintain an active Tennessee medical license and board-certification in the specialty in which you serve as program director
• Partner with the Program Coordinator to ensure effective program operations and leadership
• Monitor program’s budget and oversee expenditures

Minimum Qualifications

• Board certified in General Surgery or specialty qualifications that are acceptable to the ACGME Surgery Review Committee
• Meet all ACGME requirements for General Surgery Program Directors
• Have at least 3 years of experience in an educational or administrative role (Program Director or Associate Program Director experience preferred)
• Candidates must have, or be qualified to secure,
  • a Tennessee Medical License
  • an appointment to the Medical Staff of Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital
  • a faculty appointment with the University of Tennessee College of Medicine