Lead Physician Assistant Surgical - Orthopedics

What we do here changes the world. UTHealth Houston is Texas’ resource for healthcare education, innovation, scientific discovery, and excellence in patient care. That’s where you come in.

Individualized orthopedic care and customized treatment and training programs are delivered by experienced sports medicine-trained orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, nutritionists, exercise physiologists, biomechanists, strength & conditioning coaches and athletic trainers. This experienced team, including orthopedic doctors, offers a comprehensive suite of services to help athletes perform at their highest level:

• Orthopedic injury prevention and evaluation
• Orthopedic surgery, including minimally invasive options
• Post-injury rehabilitation and physical therapy
• Sports concussion management
• Strength & conditioning training
• Performance testing

Sports Nutrition

In addition, advanced diagnostic imaging services and an ambulatory surgery center are conveniently located adjacent to the Institute to ensure a seamless treatment process.

Once you join us you won't want to leave. It’s because we reward our team for the excellent service they provide. Our total rewards package includes the benefits you’d expect from a top healthcare organization (benefits, insurance, etc.), plus:

• 100%25 paid medical premiums for our full-time employees
• Generous time off (holidays, preventative leave day, both vacation and sick time – all of which equates to around 37-38 days per year)
• The longer you stay, the more vacation you’ll accrue!
• Longevity Pay (Monthly payments after two years of service)
• Build your future with our awesome retirement/pension plan!

We take care of our employees! As a world-renowned institution, our employees’ wellbeing is important to us. We offer work/life services such as...

• Free financial and legal counseling
• Free mental health counseling services
• Gym membership discounts and access to wellness programs
• Other employee discounts including entertainment, car rentals, cell phones, etc.
• Resources for child and elder care
• Plus many more!

Position Summary

Provides advanced medical care to patients in a surgical setting, in one or more specialized surgical areas under the direction of a surgeon, and educational or administrative services to the department.

Position Key Accountabilities

Administers advanced, complex, and standardized patient care procedures in a surgical and/or clinical setting that requires advanced experience and specialized training in surgery that would otherwise be performed by an surgeon/physician, but which does not constitute the practice of medicine.

Manages the collection of patient histories, medical record documentation, performs physical examinations, orders and interprets pre-operative and post-operative imaging or laboratory data, and provides episodic/pre-operative/post-operative care as delegated by the supervising physician.

Duties may include training, monitoring, or assessing departmental advanced care providers for purposes of hiring, onboarding, remedial consultation, promotion, and quality improvement initiatives.

Duties may include participation in the orientation and education of departmental visiting students, residents, and fellows to include presentations, observation, research, and providing feedback to the host faculty or director of education.

Duties may include administrative tasks related to the departmental missions of education, research, and patient care to include committee work, attending or hosting meetings, and any other tasks assigned by the department.

• Prepares and cares for supplies and equipment.
• Responds to emergency situations.
• Manages Human Resources activities of department in regards to: recruiting and selection, hiring and termination, training, professional development, mentoring, counseling, performance evaluations, and salary planning.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Certification/Skills

Advanced proficiency in the use of medical and surgical instruments and equipment required by work.

Manages Human Resources activities of department in regards to: recruiting and selection, hiring and termination, training, professional development, mentoring, counseling, performance evaluations, and salary planning.

Work may involve handling biohazardous, chemical, and radiological materials, as well as operating associated equipment. Required safety training and appropriate engineering and administrative controls including the use of personal protective equipment must be followed.

Physician Assistant - Certified (PA-C) by National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) required

• Basic Life Support (BLS) by American Heart Association (AHA) required or
• Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) by American Heart Association (AHA) required
• Clinical specialty certification determined by the department required

Minimum Education

Master's Degree as Physician Assistant required Bachelor's Degree as Physician Assistant with at least two years of professional experience in the role is acceptable based on terminal degree requirements at the time of graduation required Doctorate Degree preferred

Minimum Experience

5 years of surgery experience required

Physical Requirements

Exerts up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 20 pounds frequently and/or up to 10 pounds constantly to move objects.

Security Sensitive

This position is a security-sensitive position pursuant to Texas Education Code §51.215 and Texas Government Code §411.094.

To the extent that a position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Texas Business and Commerce Code §117.001(2), the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired for and to continue to be employed in that position.

Personnel in such positions, and similarly situated state contractors, will be routinely reviewed to determine whether things such as criminal history or continuous connections to the government or political apparatus of a foreign adversary might prevent the applicant, employee, or contractor from being able to maintain the security or integrity of the infrastructure. A foreign adversary is a nation listed in 15 C.F.R. §791.4.

Residency Requirement

Employees must permanently reside and work in the State of Texas.