Section Chief of Ophthalmology

Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health • Lebanon, NH

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About The Position

The Department of Surgery at Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC), located in beautiful northern New England, is searching for a dynamic physician to become the new Section Chief of Ophthalmology. The new Section Chief will lead Ophthalmology’s clinical, educational, and research operations.

The Section Chief of Ophthalmology should be a highly skilled ophthalmologist with prior experience overseeing a busy clinical service line as well as a demonstrated track record of success in teaching, mentorship, and research. The new Section Chief may have subspecialty training in any domain of ophthalmology, though sub-specialization in the field of glaucoma is a plus. Certification by the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) is required, as is current medical licensure (or the ability to be licensed) in New Hampshire and Vermont. This role includes a mix of clinical, administrative, research, and educational activities, the ratios of which will vary based on the candidate’s background.

The Section Chief of Ophthalmology is the physician member of the Section leadership team. In partnership with the Practice Manager, this team is responsible for the overall direction, operation, and management of the Section in accordance with its operational, educational and research missions, which are in turn aligned with the missions of the Department of Surgery, Dartmouth Health, and the Geisel School of Medicine. As a leadership team, they create a work environment of mutual respect and safety, based on commitment to a shared purpose.

The Section of Ophthalmology at DHMC includes 13 faculty members, 48 technicians, and one optometrist. All subspecialities of ophthalmology are well-represented in the Section, including 3 retinal surgeons, 2 glaucoma specialists, 2 pediatric ophthalmologists, one neuro-ophthalmologist, one oculoplastics specialist, two cornea specialists, and one anterior segment specialist. The Section sees approximately 33,000 outpatient appointments per year and performs more than 2,100 operations per year. The DHMC residency program in ophthalmology was founded in 2020 and is approved to match one resident per year. The section also hosts a training program for ophthalmic technicians and has successfully trained 30 technicians over the past 10 years. This latter program has served as a nice pipeline for well-trained technicians to stay on as staff members within the section. The ophthalmology faculty are active in clinical research and in the conduct of clinical trials and are supported by both departmental and institutional research infrastructures. All faculty have academic appointments at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and it is expected that the Section Chief will support and mentor their faculty in their quest for academic promotion.

The Section Chief serves as a physician role model of appropriate, expert, compassionate, and high-value clinical care, of effective teaching of learners at all levels, and of respectful and inclusive relationships with interprofessional colleagues within the Section and throughout the Organization. The Section Chief is appointed by, reports to, and serves at the discretion of the Department Chair.

This is an exciting leadership opportunity for an ophthalmologist with particular expertise in clinical operations, as there is a significant dearth of eye specialists in the Upper Valley, resulting in long wait times for both clinic appointments and surgical care. In addition to improving access to the highest-quality eye care in northern New England, the new Section Chief will also have the opportunity to grow the research portfolio of the section and to shepherd the two robust training programs within the section, one for residents and the other for technicians. We seek a dynamic and inclusive leader for our engaged providers and support staff as they continue to optimize the quality and efficiency of eye care for the patients of northern New England and beyond.

Dartmouth Health is highly dedicated to fostering a diverse and inclusive group of faculty, staff, and trainees to meet the vast needs of our community and patient populations. We are especially interested in applicants who are able to work effectively with, and care for, individuals from all backgrounds, including but not limited to: racial and ethnic minorities, women, individuals who identify with LGBTQ+ communities, veterans, individuals with disabilities, and/or individuals from lower income backgrounds. We invite applicants to state in their cover letter how their professional and/or life experiences prepare them to advance Dartmouth Health’s commitments to diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Dartmouth Health is New Hampshire’s largest, and only, academic health system. Dartmouth Health serves a population of 1.9 million patients across northern New England and provides access to more than 1,800 providers. Anchored by the academic Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, NH, the system includes the NCI-designated Dartmouth Cancer Center, the Dartmouth Health Children’s hospital, 5 member hospitals, 30 ambulatory clinics across the region, a Visiting Nurse Association, and the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative and Hospice Care.

The Dartmouth Health system stretches over New Hampshire and Vermont and offers the quintessential New England experience. This beautiful area combines history, industry, and business and has been ranked consistently as one of the best places in the US to live and work.

Dartmouth Health and Geisel are headquartered in the historical Upper Connecticut River Valley, consisting of the 37 towns straddling the river between Vermont and New Hampshire. The “Upper Valley” boasts cultural opportunities through venues including the Hopkins Center for the Arts and the Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College, as well as the Lebanon Opera House and Northern Stage in White River Junction, VT. The region is noted for its abundance of recreational activities. With destinations like Boston, New York, Montreal, the seacoast and ski country available within short driving distances, it is easy to understand why this region has ranked consistently as one of the best places in the US to live and work.

Requirements

• Highly skilled ophthalmologist
• Demonstrated track record of success in teaching, mentorship, and research.
• Certification by the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO) is required
• Current medical licensure (or the ability to be licensed) in New Hampshire and Vermont.
• Meet the academic requirements for appointment at the rank of Associate Professor or full Professor at the Geisel School of Medicine
• Eligible for licensure in the States of New Hampshire and Vermont.

Nice To Haves

• Sub-specialization in the field of glaucoma

Responsibilities

• Lead Ophthalmology’s clinical, educational, and research operations.
• Oversee a busy clinical service line
• Teaching
• Mentorship
• Research
• Responsible for the overall direction, operation, and management of the Section in accordance with its operational, educational and research missions, which are in turn aligned with the missions of the Department of Surgery, Dartmouth Health, and the Geisel School of Medicine.
• Create a work environment of mutual respect and safety, based on commitment to a shared purpose.
• Support and mentor their faculty in their quest for academic promotion.
• Serve as a physician role model of appropriate, expert, compassionate, and high-value clinical care, of effective teaching of learners at all levels, and of respectful and inclusive relationships with interprofessional colleagues within the Section and throughout the Organization.

Benefits

• An established and growing patient base
• A collegial work environment with all medical and other specialists and subspecialists
• Strong ties to our medical school (3 miles away) and our affiliated VA Medical Center (6 miles away)
• A national reputation for quality at our Hospital, Medical School, and affiliated Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice
• Research opportunities in collaboration with The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and the Thayer School of Engineering.
• Competitive compensation and benefits packages
• Dedicated CME time and funds
• Funds available to the section chief to develop his or her section

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: No Education Listed