Senior Paediatrician

STARTING DATE: as soon as possible

PROJECT: Children Surgical Hospital, Entebbe

REQUIRED LANGUAGES: English

TYPE OF CONTRACT: Fixed-term contract – paid (6 months)

NECESSARY REQUIREMENTS: Specialisation in Paediatrics; 5 years’ relevant hospital experience.

This role requires complete and autonomous capacity in the diagnosis and clinical management of paediatric patients, including clinical emergencies and patients suffering from malnutrition.

BACKGROUND AND ORGANISATION OF WORK

The International Paediatrician will work as part of a team of international specialists – experts or in training – organising and carrying out the training of the local medical and health care staff in his/her area of responsibility, in collaboration with an international paediatric nurse and the Medical Coordinator of the project. On occasion, a resident physician (Paediatrics) will be present to support clinical activity or research. The international Paediatrician is responsible to the Medical Coordinator, who is in charge of the management and organisation of the project.

The main areas of work are:

• OUT PATIENTS DEPARTMENT: 2-3 treatment rooms, also equipped for the management of medical emergencies;
• PAEDIATRIC WARD: the paediatric ward has between 8 and 25 beds, depending on the project.

The international Paediatrician participates in the daily ward round together with the local staff. He/she will be present in the clinic 5-6 days a week, collaborate with the nursing personnel responsible for triage on the morning shift, or supervise the work of the national staff in the treatment rooms. He/she will also be on-call 24/7 for emergencies on the ward or in Outpatients Department (OPD); the latter does not apply to Mayo (see below).
The international Paediatrician collaborates with the organisation of the national doctors’ rota to guarantee medical care coverage 24/7 on the ward.

DUTIES AND REPONSIBILITIES

All EMERGENCY international personnel is expected to know and follow the hospital admissions criteria, guidelines, protocols, and the diagnosis and treatment standards in use in the Centre, and to ensure the correct compilation of clinical records and statistics in both computer and paper formats.

The main duties and responsibilities of the international Paediatrician specialist are:

• diagnosis and management of the main paediatric illnesses, especially infectious diseases;
• management of malnourished paediatric patients, who are often very young (0-3 years);
• management of paediatric emergencies;
• to offer on-the-job and formal teaching to the national doctors;
• mentoring of resident physicians (where present);
• assisting in clinical research and record keeping as required by the scientific programmes of the specialist sector of the Medical Division of EMERGENCY.

Clinical activity and decisions regarding patient treatment must always be discussed and shared with the national doctors and nurses, the international paediatric nurse and the Medical Coordinator of the project.

MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING OF LOCAL PERSONNEL

Clinical activities and patient care are always carried out alongside and in collaboration with local personnel, who thus benefit from training in the field. There is also provision for more specific teaching activities, managed by the international specialists, in accordance with the clinical protocols in use and as agreed with the Medical Coordinator.

CASELOAD AND EQUIPMENT

The admissions criteria and therefore the caseload vary according to the project. The technological level of the equipment present in the Centres is suited to the clinical and managerial protocols in use, and the level of professional autonomy of the national staff, with the aim of achieving – and sustaining – high standards of care.
The basic reference tool is the EMERGENCY book of Paediatric Guide Lines, updated in September 2016.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

• Medical Degree and current professional registration on the medical register of your Country of residence;
• specialisation in Paediatrics;
• at least 5 years’ relevant hospital experience, particularly in paediatric wards;
• a Master’s Degree or a specialization in tropical medicine would be an advantage.

REQUIRED AVAILABILITY

6 months’ overseas stay including a period of leave to be taken at the end of the mission in agreement with the coordinator. Shorter missions may only be considered for specific needs as defined by the organisation.