Chief Physician Assistant Surgical
About The Position
The Department of Cardiovascular Thoracic Surgery at Montefiore-Einstein is seeking a highly experienced Chief Physician Assistant to provide clinical leadership and administrative oversight of the Thoracic Surgery PA team. The high-volume, academically driven program performs nearly 800 operations annually and focuses on minimally invasive and robotic techniques and comprehensive thoracic surgical oncology. The service cares for a diverse patient population and emphasizes patient-centered care, collaboration, technical excellence, continuous improvement, innovation, clinical research, and multidisciplinary care. The Chief Physician Assistant will help guide and support the PA team, strengthen clinical operations, and contribute to the development of a high-functioning thoracic surgery service. The role is responsible for maintaining high standards of patient care, optimizing operational performance, and supporting Physician Assistants’ professional development. The position combines leadership and administration, clinical oversight, education and program development, compliance and quality, and direct clinical responsibilities. Clinical duties include assessing patients, performing and interpreting procedures, assisting with thoracic surgery, providing perioperative care, developing treatment plans with supervising physicians, performing credentialed advanced procedures, and responding to emergencies.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Physician Assistant Studies from an accredited program.
- Current certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA).
- Active New York State Physician Assistant license or eligibility for licensure.
- Minimum of 4–6 years of clinical experience.
- Current BLS and ACLS certifications.
- Strong leadership, clinical judgment, and communication skills.
Nice To Haves
- Thoracic or surgical clinical experience is strongly preferred.
- Prior leadership or supervisory experience is preferred.
Responsibilities
- Provide overall leadership and supervision of Physician Assistants within Thoracic Surgery.
- Manage staffing, scheduling, and daily operations to ensure continuous clinical coverage.
- Lead recruitment, onboarding, training, and retention of PA staff.
- Conduct performance evaluations and support professional development.
- Assist with payroll, budgeting, and resource management.
- Serve as a liaison among PAs, physicians, nursing, and administrative leadership.
- Ensure high-quality, patient-centered care across clinical settings.
- Collaborate with attending physicians and interdisciplinary teams to coordinate care.
- Monitor clinical performance, patient outcomes, and satisfaction metrics.
- Support development and implementation of clinical protocols and pathways.
- Develop and maintain PA orientation, training, and competency programs.
- Mentor PAs and support ongoing education and clinical skill development.
- Participate in departmental initiatives, research activities, and quality improvement efforts.
- Ensure compliance with institutional policies and regulatory requirements, including JCAHO and NYS DOH requirements.
- Support audit readiness and accreditation standards.
- Oversee documentation standards and reporting requirements.
- Perform comprehensive patient assessments, including histories and physical exams.
- Order, perform, and interpret diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
- Assist in thoracic surgical procedures and provide perioperative care.
- Develop and implement treatment plans in collaboration with supervising physicians.
- Perform advanced procedures as credentialed, including line placement and chest tube insertion.
- Respond to emergencies and perform life-saving interventions as needed.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
