Research Director of Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Job Description Summary

The Research Director for Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) will provide visionary leadership and strategic oversight of the division’s research mission. The Director will be responsible for advancing a robust, high-impact research program focused on pediatric emergency care, potentially including (but not limited to) clinical, health services, translational, or population health research. The position will include dedicated time for the Director’s own research but more importantly, research mentorship for the Division – most notably, fellows, but also junior faculty. The position includes clinical practice responsibilities in the Pediatric Emergency Department as delineated below. The Director will work closely with division, departmental, and institutional leadership, including PEM fellowship leadership, to build research infrastructure. The ability to collaborate with other divisions in the Department will be essential.

Entity

Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC - Univ)

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type​

Faculty

Cost Center

CC001017 COM PEDS Emergency Medicine CC

Pay Rate Type

Salary

Pay Grade

University-00

Pay Range

0.00 - 0.00 - 0.000

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Work Shift

Job Description

Job Title: Research Director of Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Department: Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Reports To: Division Chief, Pediatric Emergency Medicine

Position Summary

The Research Director for Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) will provide visionary leadership and strategic oversight of the division’s research mission. The Director will be responsible for advancing a robust, high-impact research program focused on pediatric emergency care, potentially including (but not limited to) clinical, health services, translational, or population health research. The position will include dedicated time for the Director’s own research but more importantly, research mentorship for the Division – most notably, fellows, but also junior faculty. The position includes clinical practice responsibilities in the Pediatric Emergency Department as delineated below. The Director will work closely with division, departmental, and institutional leadership, including PEM fellowship leadership, to build research infrastructure. The ability to collaborate with other divisions in the Department will be essential.

Key Responsibilities

Research Leadership and Program Development:

Define and execute the strategic research agenda for the Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine.

Lead efforts to secure internal and external research funding, not only for the Director’s own projects, but for those of fellows and co-faculty in PEM.

Work closely with PEM fellowship leadership to ensure fellows are not only on track to meet training requirements in research, but to ensure that their work is disseminated (i.e., publication or national conferences).

Build a divisional research infrastructure, including research assistants who, at times, can recruit potential subjects in the emergency department.

Foster interdisciplinary research collaborations in pediatric emergency care.

Mentorship and Faculty Development:

Mentor fellows, junior faculty, residents, and students in research design, grant writing, and career development.

Lead initiatives to develop physician-scientist career pathways and promote academic advancement.

Organize regular research seminars or works-in-progress sessions, especially those under the auspices of the PEM fellowship Scholarly Oversight Committees (SOC) for each of the fellows. (*While oversight of the general SOC process is a responsibility, membership to each fellow’s SOC is not a requirement).

Clinical Research and Integration:

Promote research that improves emergency care delivery and outcomes for acutely ill and injured children.

Work closely with the pediatric emergency department's clinical operations and quality improvement teams (namely, Medical Director) to identify research opportunities and assist with data efforts around clinical projects.

Work alongside quality improvement experts to leverage data from PEM clinical initiatives to ensure dissemination and/or publication.

Administrative and Institutional Engagement:

Contribute to strategic planning, budgeting, and staffing for research initiatives within the division.

Represent the Division on departmental and institutional research committees.

Scholarly Activity:

Maintain an active, independent research program with a sustained record of peer-reviewed publications and grant funding.

Present research findings at local and national and scientific meetings.

Contribute to academic teaching and curriculum development focused on research methodology and evidence-based medicine. While this is most important for the fellowship, pedagogical opportunities within the Pediatrics and Emergency Medicine residencies, as well as the medical school, should be available if desired.

MUSC Minimum Requirements:

M.D. or M.D. Equivalent

Qualifications

MD, DO, or MD/PhD with board certification in Pediatric Emergency Medicine.

Eligibility for medical licensure in South Carolina.

Demonstrated success in securing extramural research funding.

Established record of scholarly publications and academic productivity in pediatric emergency care.

Prior experience in research leadership, mentorship, and program development.

Academic credentials for appointment at the Associate Professor or Professor level.

Preferred Attributes

Expertise in areas such as clinical trials, health disparities, health services research, or implementation science.

Track record of successful grant funding, especially for projects involving trainees.

Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative leadership style.

Clinical Responsibility

The Research Director will be hired with the expectation of working clinical hours equivalent to 0.5 FTE, which currently represents 650 hours annually. Shifts are approximately 9 hours, with evening and weekend shifts shared equitably among the group.

Research Responsibility

With the understanding that building a research infrastructure takes time, the Research Director will be compensated for his/her comprehensive research efforts (as delineated above) for a minimum of 24 months, but no more than 30 months, from his/her start date. This compensation will equate to 0.5 FTE, or 50% of his/her professional efforts.

Research Expectation/KPIs

The following criteria will be used to evaluate the effectiveness of the Director in achieving the research mission of the Division, and to allocate any funding (if available) for continued research efforts beyond the above 24-30 month period:

• The scholarly work of each graduating fellow should be either shared at a national meeting or published in a peer-reviewed journal. Accomplishing both is exceptional.
• Research mentorship of ³1 junior faculty member resulting in dissemination of findings at a national meeting or acceptance for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
• Collaboration with either Division leadership or other divisions on a clinical project resulting in dissemination of findings at a national meeting or acceptance for publication in a peer-reviewed journal.
• Procurement of funding for the Director’s own research efforts. Direct involvement of trainees and/or collaborators within our outside the Division is a plus.

Research Effort Funding beyond Initial Time Period

The Department/Division makes no guarantee for in-kind research funding for the Research Director beyond the initial time period delineated above. It will therefore be incumbent on the Research Director to not only meet the above KPIs, but to procure funding sources for him/herself to fund research efforts beyond this time. If funding exceeds the 50% threshold, these funds may be considered to further “buy down” clinical time.

The Medical University of South Carolina Children’s Hospital, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine is seeking a board certified Pediatric Emergency Medicine (PEM) physician to serve as Research Director for the division. This faculty member will join a dynamic faculty and vibrant fellowship program and should be able to increase the academic profile and of the division as a whole. Prior experience in leading clinical research teams (including trainees) in PEM is a must, with a track record of funding preferred.

We provide state of the art, family-centered, multidisciplinary care to children who present with acute illnesses or injuries to the Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital Emergency Department. Clinical responsibilities will include patient care, teaching, and involvement with clinical improvement efforts.

• Candidates must be board-eligible or -certified.
• Successful applicants should hold or be eligible for a South Carolina Medical License.

MUSC is the premier medical center and academic teaching hospital in South Carolina and the only quaternary referral center for children in the state. We are located in Charleston, a beautiful and historic but cosmopolitan city on the Atlantic Coast. MUSC and the Department of Pediatrics both have an impressive record of recent growth. The MUSC Shawn Jenkins Children’s Hospital opened in February 2020. This 250-bed, state-of-the-art building has transformed how care is delivered to children in South Carolina.

The city of Charleston has been ranked the best city in America by multiple publications and travel sites. The Charleston community is family-friendly with excellent neighborhoods and schools, access to numerous cultural and outdoor activities, and easy transportation.

Additional Job Description

Physical Requirements: (Note: The following descriptions are applicable to this section: Continuous - 6-8 hours per shift; Frequent - 2-6 hours per shift; Infrequent - 0-2 hours per shift) Ability to perform job functions in an upright position. (Frequent) Ability to perform job functions in a seated position. (Frequent) Ability to perform job functions while walking/mobile. (Frequent) Ability to work indoors. (Continuous) Ability to work outdoors in all weather and temperature extremes. (Infrequent) Ability to work in confined/cramped spaces. (Infrequent) Ability to perform job functions from kneeling positions. (Infrequent) Ability to squat and perform job functions. (Infrequent) Ability to perform 'pinching' operations. (Infrequent) Ability to fully use both hands/arms. (Frequent) Ability to perform repetitive motions with hands/wrists/elbows and shoulders. (Frequent) Ability to reach in all directions. (Frequent) Possess good finger dexterity. (Continuous) Ability to maintain tactile sensory functions. (Continuous) Ability to lift and carry 15 lbs., unassisted. (Infrequent) Ability to lift objects, up to 15 lbs., from floor level to height of 36 inches, unassisted. (Infrequent) Ability to lower objects, up to 15 lbs., from height of 36 inches to floor level, unassisted. (Infrequent) Ability to push/pull objects, up to 15 lbs., unassisted. (Infrequent) Ability to maintain 20/40 vision, corrected, in one eye or with both eyes. (Continuous) Ability to see and recognize objects close at hand. (Frequent) Ability to see and recognize objects at a distance. (Frequent) Ability to determine distance/relationship between objects; depth perception. (Continuous) Good peripheral vision capabilities. (Continuous) Ability to maintain hearing acuity, with correction. (Continuous) Ability to perform gross motor functions with frequent fine motor movements. (Frequent)

If you like working with energetic enthusiastic individuals, you will enjoy your career with us!

The Medical University of South Carolina is an Equal Opportunity Employer. MUSC does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion or belief, age, sex, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, protected veteran status, family or parental status, or any other status protected by state laws and/or federal regulations. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment based upon applicable qualifications, merit and business need.

Medical University of South Carolina participates in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For further information about the E-Verify program, please click here: http://www.uscis.gov/e-verify/employees