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Chair, Emergency Medicine

Entity

Aga Khan University

Location

Karachi, Pakistan

Introduction

Founded in 1983, the Aga Khan University (AKU) was Pakistan’s first private university and quickly established itself as a leading health sciences centre in the region. Since then, it has expanded into disciplines including education, media and communications, Muslim civilisations and more recently arts and sciences. From 2000 onwards, the University broadened its geographic presence to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Afghanistan, and the United Kingdom. In recent years, it has been ranked among the leading universities in Asia and Africa, and in some subjects, the world.

AKU was established as an agency of the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), which focuses on health, education, culture, rural development, institution-building, and the promotion of economic development. It is dedicated to improving living conditions and opportunities for the poor, regardless of their faith, origin, or gender. In alignment with the mandate of the AKDN, the mission of AKU is to improve quality of life in the developing world and beyond, through world-class teaching, research, and health-care delivery. The University empowers women and the disadvantaged, builds support for pluralism, and collaborates with local partners and world-renowned organizations to achieve shared goals (www.akdn.org/aku).

Aga Khan University (AKU), chartered in 1983 as Pakistan's first private international university, is committed to the provision of education, research and health care of international standard, relevant to Pakistan and the region. The affiliated Aga Khan University Health System (AKUH) with over 900 beds at stadium road campus and four off campus hospitals are well equipped for investigative services and provides state-of-the-art clinical facilities.

The Aga Khan University Hospital in addition to its four off-campus secondary care hospitals, outreach medical centers, and over 300 clinical laboratories in Pakistan. The system also includes over 35 pharmacies across 130 cities in Pakistan. AKUH extends its care beyond hospital walls with Home Healthcare Services and home delivery of medicines. Generous welfare and zakat programs are available to assist patients in financial need.

The Aga Khan University Medical College in Karachi seeks to provide high quality education to produce outstanding healthcare professionals who are not only contributing members of society but go on to become the next generation of leaders in their field of choice. Its programmes, curriculum and assessments are tailored to international standards with the aim of developing excellent clinical competencies in community settings and hospitals, with the objectives of producing health professional leaders through its unique training and research programmes, of supporting best practice in the delivery of health services, and of contributing to the broader community through strategic partnerships regionally and globally. 

The Department of Emergency Medicine, Pakistan
Established in 2008, the Department of Emergency Medicine at AKU is the regional leader in establishing excellence in clinical services and academic programmes. It aims to provide high quality and timely care to patients requiring emergency treatment; to offer outstanding educational opportunities for medical, nursing and allied health personnel; and to further emergency medicine related knowledge through the pursuit of leading service, research, education and innovation. 

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.

The Emergency Medicine Residency Programme at AKU has been distinguished as the first and the largest CPSP-accredited residency programme in Pakistan. The department has expanded its academic programs by introducing the Paediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) Fellowship and incorporating a mandatory Emergency Medicine rotation into the MBBS undergraduate curriculum.

It upholds the highest standards of research, academic excellence and operational efficiency, ensuring seamless access to 24/7 emergency care for a wide range of medical and surgical emergencies. The department is highly collaborative, with below unique strategic points of engagement:

  1. Centre of Excellence for Trauma and Emergencies (CETE): Established in 2021, CETE has earned the prestigious Fogarty NIH AKU-TIRTP Grant facilitating the training of multiple PhD scholars;

  2. Academic Medical Center (AMC): Positioned within the Trauma and Emergency vertical, the department is actively fostering the growth and development of AMC as it continues to thrive.
Advancing emergency healthcare through research and innovation in Pakistan is an ambitious goal that requires collaboration and synergy. Over the years, the department has successfully forged vital partnerships with academic and healthcare institutions, both locally and internationally. Additionally, it has cultivated interdisciplinary research collaborations within AKU, working closely with departments such as Community Health Sciences, Family Medicine, Paediatrics, Medicine and Surgery.

Responsibilities

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.

The Chair will also coordinate Departmental activities with CETE at AKU, the first of its kind in the region. The Chair will enhance Departmental involvement in the academic activities of the Center, and forge new partnerships to increase the overall impact of the Department outside AKU.

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. 

Requirements

This position offers an opportunity to lead a prestigious department known for excellence in patient care, research, and education. The ideal candidate will be an innovative, collaborative, and inclusive clinician leader who champions all departmental missions and empowers faculty, staff, and learners to drive progress and maintain national prominence. 

The ideal candidate would have the following qualifications, experience and skills:

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;
  • Ability to articulate a clear research vision for the entire department, to provide mentorship in foundational research and grant acquisition, and with a proven track record of leading successful research programs. They should remain well-informed about emerging trends in research funding and development and be prepared to leverage these opportunities effectively;
  • Demonstrates strong team-building skills and the ability to provide effective leadership within a collaborative, horizontally structured organisation;
Clinical:
  • Familiarity with and interest in applying current and emerging models of emergency clinical care;
  • A record of anticipating and creatively responding to challenges in the emergency medicine field; motivation to shape the future of emergency care;
  • A proven track record of developing and enhancing robust clinical programs, managing complex initiatives that prioritise accessibility, exceptional quality and outstanding patient satisfaction. Will demonstrate strong team-building skills and the ability to provide effective leadership within a collaborative, horizontally structured organisation;
Operations and Financial Management:
  • 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;
  • Outstanding organisational and administrative abilities, with an in-depth understanding of internal processes in a university or healthcare system including ability to identify areas for improvement in terms of efficiency and effectiveness;
  • Deep understanding of the complex financial pressures facing academic medical centres and health care delivery organizations, ideally with direct experience managing patient flows and access;
  • A record of strong financial, budgeting, and resource management skills. Experience with philanthropic efforts will be advantageous;
HR Management:
  • Demonstrated experience in recruiting, mentoring, and retaining top faculty, fellows, and residents;
  • Proven commitment to promoting equity and respect in the workplace with a respectful, inclusive, compassionate and supportive management style;
Academic and Research Support:
  • Exemplary scholarly excellence and ability to provide guidance and support to other academic leaders;
  • A proven record of successfully securing research funding, publishing, teaching, training, and delivering clinical services. Ideal candidates will demonstrate the ability to engage teams effectively and skilfully manage multiple organisational priorities;

To Apply

Interested candidates are requested to submit their applications at human.resources@aku.edu, with the position title in the subject line. Your application should comprise:

  • A covering letter expressing your interest and suitability for the role;
  • An up-to-date Curriculum Vitae;
  • Names and contact details of three referees (referees will only be approached at the final stage of the search and selection process, and only with your express permission).

Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

AKU is an equal opportunity employer committed to safeguarding and maintaining appropriate standards for promoting respectful relationships with and among all faculty, staff, trainees, volunteers, beneficiaries, wider communities, and other stakeholders with whom it works with including children and vulnerable adults. It expects all employees, trainees, and partners to share this commitment.

Comprehensive employment reference checks for the finalists will be conducted.

Applications should be submitted latest by January 26, 2025