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Posted : Tuesday, October 24, 2023 05:43 PM
Position Information
School/College School of Medicine
Title Heersink School of Medicine - Chair of Pathology
Assignment Category Full-Time
Rank Open Rank
Tenure Status Open Tenure
Payroll Status Faculty 12
Job Description
The Chair of Pathology will lead a thriving Department.
In recent years, faculty have grown the scale and scope of the clinical footprint where today, Pathology has a presence across the system and in the community.
UAB leadership has invested in research, and extramural funding is strong.
The Department is well run and on solid financial footing.
The next Chair of Pathology will join UAB at a pivotal moment in healthcare and biomedical discovery, both locally and nationally.
They will shape an overarching vision that spans the mission areas of research, patient care, education, and service.
The Chair is responsible for all aspects of the Department, including leading and developing faculty, financial and operational management, and nurturing a diverse and inclusive culture.
In addition, the Chair will represent the Department across the UAB enterprise, create opportunities for collaboration, and cultivate external donors and partners.
UAB seeks a far-sighted, inspirational leader who possesses strong management skills and a broad gauged view of the future of Pathology and diagnostic medicine.
They will bring a proven record of accomplishment in collaborative leadership, administrative experience, program development, research, educational excellence, successful faculty recruitment, and engagement across a health system.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS | Reports to | Anupam Agarwal, M.
D.
, Senior Vice President for Medicine and Dean, Heersink School of Medicine | Direct reports | Executive Vice Chair Vice Chair, Research Vice Chair, Faculty Development and Education Vice Chair, Quality and Patient Safety Vice Chair, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Division Directors (7) Department Faculty and Staff Residency and Fellowship Program Directors | Other key relationships | Dawn Bulgarella, MSHA, CPA, CEO, UAB Health System & UAB/Ascension St.
Vincent’s Alliance Tika Benveniste, Ph.
D.
, Sr.
Vice Dean for Research, Heersink School of Medicine Tony Jones, M.
D.
, Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs-School of Medicine Reid Jones, CEO UAB Medicine Megann Cain, Chief Development Officer, Heersink School of Medicine Other UAB Health System leadership Heersink School of Medicine (HSOM) Department Chairs Faculty, Staff, Students Patients and Families Alumni and Donors Community Leaders KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Map and execute the next phases of the Department’s growth.
Pathology is highly interconnected across UAB Medicine, and the vision should leverage the strengths of the Department, Medical School, and health system.
Define and lead the Department’s research strategy, emphasizing deliberate investment into research activities and priorities.
Support investigators within the Department in efforts to secure NIH and other grant funding to support research priorities.
Shape eminent clinical programs and champion technologies to enhance the care team.
Partner with the Department and health system leadership in building areas of clinical excellence, competing with external diagnostic entities, and further integrating related operations across the health system.
Bolster education and advanced training by ensuring adequate faculty support; innovate pre-clinical education.
Supervise the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of the Department-related budgets, encompassing all funding sources and ensuring compliance with grant, legislative, and institutional guidelines.
Recruit, hire, and retain outstanding faculty.
Build an atmosphere of collegiality, support, development, and diversity.
Ensure ethical medical and financial practices across the Department, supporting compliance activities as necessary.
Drive the university’s four strategic focus points in Health Equity, Brain Health, I-Forward (Inflammation, Immunotherapy), and Dtech (Destructive Technology including efforts in data access and management).
The Chair of Pathology will possess outstanding leadership and communication skills and exhibit a style that encourages collaboration and innovation.
They will have well-formed delegation skills and ease in handling all Department activities and mission areas.
A commitment to research and education is crucial as an innate orientation to consultation and reaching mutually beneficial outcomes.
The successful leader will exhibit a personal style that fosters and supports healthy risk-taking and embracing new technologies, scientific avenues, and educational modalities.
IDEAL EXPERIENCE Outstanding personal academic accomplishments in Pathology and the experience and national reputation necessary to build the prominence of the Department’s research, clinical, and educational missions.
Experience as a Division Head/Chief, Vice Chair, or Chair of Pathology A record developing academic leaders and mentoring junior faculty while identifying and recruiting diverse students, trainees, staff, and faculty.
Demonstrated ability to build and sustain collegial relationships with peers, faculty, departmental staff, hospital administration, students, other learners, and representatives of outside organizations and community stakeholders.
Commitment to and success in advancing institutional initiatives in diversity, inclusion, equity, and access to care.
Demonstrated financial and business acumen, with appropriate knowledge of the complex financial pressures facing academic medical centers and health care delivery organizations.
An M.
D.
or M.
D.
/Ph.
D.
degree(s) and Board Certification in Pathology and either licensed or eligible for medical licensure in Alabama.
CRITICAL LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES Program Development The successful candidate will possess a record of success in research and clinical program development and will be able to substantially grow clinical volume and enhance research success by: Recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty members with a commitment to excellence in an academic environment; Investing in faculty research programs; Actively building relationships to understand the needs for diagnostic medicine and growth opportunities; Actively seeking opportunities to develop cross-departmental programs and initiatives.
Leadership The successful candidate will demonstrate the requisite leadership and administrative skills to advance a successful Department of Pathology into a best-in-class academic unit by: Articulating a strong vision for building excellence in all areas of the Department; Enabling the team, supplying them with vision and resources, and creating an environment in which the team can work at their full potential; Utilizing communication skills and the ability to think and act strategically; and Displaying an understanding and appreciation for the opportunities and resources within UAB Medicine and beyond.
Leading Change Using data and insights to shape future direction, persuading through collaboration and shared interest, generating consensus, and persevering to sustain buy-in over time.
Aligning the Department’s direction and priorities with those of the School of Medicine and UAB Medicine.
Adjusting communication style to changing situations and to responding to stakeholder concerns (including culture, background, or style).
Continuing to hire strong research investigators to bolster the Pathology research mission and integrate with the strong investigator recruitment over the last several years; identify opportunities for novel research pathways.
Relationship Building The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to build relationships in an extremely complex and geographically distributed environment through: Developing collaborative and mutually beneficial relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders; Representing the Department to the community to develop services that improve health and move research forward; Modelling adaptability and skills for conflict resolution and management of adversity; and, Demonstrating strategic influence, leading organizational change, cultivating strategic relationships, and engaging and inspiring stakeholders.
The executive search firm Spencer Stuart has been retained to assist in this recruitment.
Flip Jaeger, and Shannon Yeatman of Spencer Stuart are the lead consultants on the search.
Inquiries, nominations, and applications are invited and should be submitted to search team member Sarah Ekstrom via sekstrom@spencerstuart.
com.
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled, although an indication of interest is encouraged by August 1, 2023, for full consideration.
NOMINATIONS AND APPLICATIONS https://uab.
peopleadmin.
com/postings/18903 Applicants will need to submit a CV, a 1- to 2-page letter of interest, and a diversity statement.
Within the letter of interest, candidates should include specifics regarding their interest in the position, relevant leadership experience, their high-level vision for this role, and a summary of past accomplishments (clinical, diversity, innovation, collaboration, etc.
).
Statements of diversity should outline your efforts/experience in promoting diversity and inclusive excellence.
For more information about our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion, visit.
https://www.
uab.
edu/medicine/home/about/diversity-inclusion.
Please direct any nominations and potential applicants to: Spencer Stuart search team member: Sarah Ekstrom via sekstrom@spencerstuart.
com To apply: https://uab.
peopleadmin.
com/postings/18903 For additional information about the position or to provide recommendations, please contact: Flip Jaeger (fjaeger@spencerstuart.
com) and/or Shannon Yeatman (syeatman@spencerstuart.
com) of Spencer Stuart The UAB Heersink School of Medicine is seeking a dynamic, passionate, and experienced leader with a proven track record across the spectrum of individual scholarship, collaborative clinical leadership, program development, educational excellence, successful faculty recruitment, and community engagement to serve as the next Chair for the Department of Pathology.
The Chair of the Department of Pathology will support the overarching vision by creating novel strategies to grow the Department and continue to enhance the three mission areas of patient care, research, and education.
The Chair will assess gaps within those mission areas and identify future opportunities and needs, serve as a member of senior leadership to establish research and education priorities and provide strategic leadership for all aspects of the Department, including the positive representation of the School and Department within the UAB enterprise, creating collaborative opportunities and bridges across the institution.
The Chair is responsible for aligning physicians within the department and acting as a visible champion of change initiatives to continue to improve performance.
The Department of Pathology The Department of Pathology at UAB places a strong emphasis on research, education, and patient care.
The department’s primary goal is to care for patients through accurate and efficient testing.
Through their extensive research and work in genomics and bioinformatics, they can more accurately pinpoint the source of disease and recommend effective treatment options customized for the patient.
UAB Pathology is recognized in the Birmingham community and beyond for providing accurate and timely diagnostic services in all anatomic, clinical, and research pathology facets.
Research is integral to the Department of Pathology at UAB.
The department’s extramural research funding totals over $20 million annually under the current Chairman and Rakesh Patel, Ph.
D.
Professor and Vice Chair for Research, the pathology program at UAB currently ranks 12th in NIH funding among all pathology departments in the U.
S.
The department strives to understand the molecular basis underlying diverse disease processes, identify new therapeutic targets, and develop new patient treatments.
Departmental research spans the range of fundamental disease mechanisms to the identification of biomarkers and the development of novel therapeutics.
Specifics around the research program focus can be found here.
Investigators are using innovative pre-clinical animal models of disease, analytical techniques, and bioinformatics and genomics.
Additionally, the UAB Department of Pathology offers a number of innovative training opportunities, including third- and fourth-year rotations for medical students, a graduate student program, a highly successful residency program, and fellowship opportunities in Forensic Pathology, Hematopathology, Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine, Surgical Pathology specialties, Cytopathology, Neuropathology, Dermatopathology, and Molecular Genetic Pathology.
Over the last decade, the department has experienced tremendous growth.
There are 84 full-time faculty members, possessing a broad range of clinical, research, teaching, and administrative expertise.
Additionally, 38 faculty from other departments hold secondary positions in the pathology department.
The department places great value in teamwork, integrity, quality, knowledge, academic freedom, ethics, creativity and innovation, responsibility, and productivity, and we’re committed to providing educational opportunities for researchers, scientists, and pathologists from around the world.
UAB researchers and pathologists are changing how patients are diagnosed and treated through precision medicine.
Our primary goal is to care for our patients through accurate and efficient testing.
Through our extensive research and work in genomics and bioinformatics, we can more accurately pinpoint the source of disease and recommend effective treatment options customized for the patient.
UAB Pathology is recognized in the Birmingham community and beyond for providing accurate and timely diagnostic services in all anatomic, clinical, and research pathology facets.
For additional details, please visit the LabSource website, which includes information for all sections of UAB Hospital Laboratories, including the Kirklin Clinic Laboratory, the Emergency Department Laboratory, Bedside Testing, and UAB Highlands Laboratory.
The University of Alabama Heersink School of Medicine The University of Alabama Heersink School of Medicine is a multi-campus medical school; UAB serves as the main campus, with three regional campuses: Huntsville (UAB-Huntsville campus), Montgomery (UAB-Montgomery campus), and Tuscaloosa (University of Alabama), as well as a residency program in Selma.
All students spend their first two years of medical school in Birmingham.
The School was established as the Medical College of Alabama in 1945 and renamed the University of Alabama School of Medicine in 1969.
In 2021, a transformational $95 million lead gift from longtime UAB supporter Marnix E.
Heersink, M.
D.
, named the school the UAB Marnix E.
Heersink School of Medicine.
The record gift is the single largest philanthropic commitment in university history and also helped establish and name the Marnix E.
Heersink Institute of Biomedical Innovation and the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health.
The gift will provide support with both endowed and outright funds for key initiatives of the School of Medicine.
Dr.
Heersink, a renowned eye surgeon, innovator, and entrepreneur, desires this gift to inspire and catalyze additional philanthropic contributions that support high-impact recruitments, programs, and research in the School of Medicine.
UAB will enhance this philanthropic support with a generous contribution of $5 million from Triton Health Systems, bringing the total support for the school to $100 million.
The School is currently comprised of nearly 800 students, more than 1,000 residents, and nearly 1,700 full-time faculty.
In 2022, UAB received over $715 million in research grants and extramural awards with $555 million to the Heersink School of Medicine.
The UAB Heersink School of Medicine is the home of The Kirklin Clinic, a multi-disciplinary medical home; University Hospital, one of the largest academic hospitals in the country; and our faculty serve the Children’s of Alabama hospital.
The 27 Departments within the School include: Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine; Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics; Biomedical Engineering (join dept.
with School of Engineering; Cell, Developmental & Integrative Biology; Dermatology; Emergency Medicine; Family & Community Medicine; Genetics; Medical Education; Medicine; Microbiology; Neurobiology; Neurology; Neurosurgery; Obstetrics & Gynecology; Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences; Orthopaedic Surgery; Otolaryngology (ENT); Pathology; Pediatrics; Pharmacology & Toxicology; Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation; Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurobiology; Radiation Oncology; Radiology; Surgery; and Urology.
The faculty are noted for excellence in clinical service, education, and research activity, and lead the academic and clinical achievement of outstanding cohorts of students, residents, and fellows.
Student achievement is a key element of state success; over 80 percent of physicians in Alabama trained at the UAB School of Medicine.
Clinical education is a strength at all campuses, and the Heersink School of Medicine graduates are widely perceived by residency programs to be “intern ready.
” The Heersink School of Medicine was approved for a full, eight-year LCME re-accreditation in April 2022.
AT A GLANCE The first and one of only 36 proton therapy centers in the US, Proton International at UAB More than 2 million patients treated at UAB and Children’s of Alabama in 2019 Largest and only magnet-designated infusion therapy center in the state of Alabama 5,000 new cancer patients seen each year at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB One of only two Level 1 ocular trauma eye centers in the US Only adult Level I trauma center in the state of Alabama (as verified by American College of Surgeons) One of the first in the US to offer clinical trial of the treatment of patients with severe COVID-19 using nitric oxide One of eight national Udall Centers of Excellence in Parkinson’s disease One of eight inaugural NIH-designated Centers for AIDS research 107% growth in clinical trials expenditures over the past 5 years ($36.
2M to $75M) UAB Medicine is guided by the strategic plan “AMC 21,” providing broadly-accepted guidance to joint and partner efforts of the School of Medicine and the UAB Health System.
Key initiatives supported in AMC 21 include faculty recruitment (with an emphasis on mid-career, NIH-funded physicians and scientists).
UAB Medicine is firmly committed to being a preferred academic medical center of the 21st Century, attractive to all constituencies, including students, residents, and fellows, faculty, patients, staff, and donors.
UAB Medicine will achieve its goals through uncompromising focus on the four pillars of the strategic initiative: knowledge, quality, satisfaction, and financial performance.
These pillars will be based on a foundation of innovation and advancement of knowledge, the encouragement of collaboration to promote fresh ideas and scientific breakthroughs and aligning goals and outcomes to create a system of accountability.
Approximately $30 million has been invested this past year to support research, faculty retention and recruitment, and education programs focused in strategic areas.
Additional data about the School may be found at: https://www.
uab.
edu/medicine/home/welcome The University of Alabama at Birmingham UAB is a comprehensive urban university with a nationally recognized academic health center, comprised of the Collat School of Business, the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Dentistry, the School of Education, the School of Engineering, the School of Health Professions, the Heersink School of Medicine, the School of Nursing, the School of Optometry, the School of Public Health, and the Graduate School.
In its 2022 Economic Impact Study, the University and its affiliated entities generate over $12.
1 billion in economic impact annually within the state of Alabama.
UAB is Alabama’s largest single employer and now directly employs nearly 28,000 people.
One in every 20 jobs within the state of Alabama either is held directly by a UAB employee or is supported as a result of UAB’s presence.
In 2021, Forbes magazine ranked UAB as #1 America’s best large employer (https://www.
uab.
edu/news/campus/item/11852-uab-named-america-s-no-1-best-large-employer-2021-by-forbes).
UAB is the only public, four-year degree granting university in the state’s largest metropolitan area and the largest research institution in the state of Alabama.
With enrollment of over 21,000 students, employment of more than 24,000 full- and part-time individuals, and more than 120,000 active alumni worldwide, the University is a powerhouse for academic, clinical, and research innovation with statewide, regional, national, and global impact.
In addition, UAB continues to be one of the most diverse universities in the nation.
As of 2022, the student body was 39 percent minority, with minority students making up 48.
5 percent of the total student body.
The student population is 21% black and 63.
5% female.
UAB has nearly 1,500 international students enrolled, who along with our numerous international faculty, staff, and visiting scholars, represent more than 100 countries.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) traces its roots to the 1859 founding of the Medical College of Alabama and the 1936 opening of the Birmingham Extension Center of The University of Alabama.
In 1945, the Medical College of Alabama was moved from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham and the University’s Medical Center was founded.
Later, in November of 1966, the Extension Center and the Medical Center merged to form the “University of Alabama in Birmingham,” an organizational component of The University of Alabama.
In 1969, UAB became an independent institution, one of the autonomous universities within the newly created three-campus University of Alabama System.
Today, UAB is the heartbeat of Birmingham and an integral medical leader in the Southeast.
The Birmingham campus is within walking distance of some of the best parks, entertainment, and dining in the region.
Our regional campuses—in Huntsville, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa—expand our academic reach and responsibilities in addition to educating physicians in rural and underserved areas of the state.
UAB is a thriving campus that has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years.
Strong partnerships with other prestigious organizations such as Southern Research and Hudson Alpha help the university expand it’s impact and cultivate opportunities for groundbreaking research and learning.
More information on UAB, including a downloadable copy of the University’s current Facts & Figures, is available at https://www.
uab.
edu/home/ The Magic City.
That’s what Birmingham has been called for nearly 150 years, and it’s true.
There’s magic here UAB is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and family-friendly environment in which all faculty and staff can excel and achieve work/life balance irrespective of race, national origin, age, genetic or family medical history, gender, faith, gender identity and expression as well as sexual orientation.
UAB also encourages applications from individuals with disabilities and veterans.
A pre-employment background check is performed on candidates selected for employment.
In addition, physicians and other clinical faculty candidates who will be employed by the University of Alabama Health Services Foundation (UAHSF) or other UAB Medicine entities must successfully complete a pre-employment drug and nicotine screen to be hired.
In alignment with UAB School of Medicine’s mission to reflect the diversity of our community and meet the needs of our diverse population, candidates are required as part of the application process to provide a statement that is up to one page single-spaced describing their contributions to promote diversity and inclusion.
Required Qualifications An M.
D.
or M.
D.
/Ph.
D.
degree(s) and Board Certification in Pathology and either licensed or eligible for medical licensure in Alabama.
Preferred Qualifications IDEAL EXPERIENCE Outstanding personal academic accomplishments in Pathology and the experience and national reputation necessary to build the prominence of the Department’s research, clinical, and educational missions.
Experience as a Division Head/Chief, Vice Chair, or Chair of Pathology A record developing academic leaders and mentoring junior faculty while identifying and recruiting diverse students, trainees, staff, and faculty.
Demonstrated ability to build and sustain collegial relationships with peers, faculty, departmental staff, hospital administration, students, other learners, and representatives of outside organizations and community stakeholders.
Commitment to and success in advancing institutional initiatives in diversity, inclusion, equity, and access to care.
Demonstrated financial and business acumen, with appropriate knowledge of the complex financial pressures facing academic medical centers and health care delivery organizations.
An M.
D.
or M.
D.
/Ph.
D.
degree(s) and Board Certification in Pathology and either licensed or eligible for medical licensure in Alabama.
CRITICAL LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES Program Development The successful candidate will possess a record of success in research and clinical program development and will be able to substantially grow clinical volume and enhance research success by: Recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty members with a commitment to excellence in an academic environment; Investing in faculty research programs; Actively building relationships to understand the needs for diagnostic medicine and growth opportunities; Actively seeking opportunities to develop cross-departmental programs and initiatives.
Leadership The successful candidate will demonstrate the requisite leadership and administrative skills to advance a successful Department of Pathology into a best-in-class academic unit by: Articulating a strong vision for building excellence in all areas of the Department; Enabling the team, supplying them with vision and resources, and creating an environment in which the team can work at their full potential; Utilizing communication skills and the ability to think and act strategically; and Displaying an understanding and appreciation for the opportunities and resources within UAB Medicine and beyond.
Leading Change Using data and insights to shape future direction, persuading through collaboration and shared interest, generating consensus, and persevering to sustain buy-in over time.
Aligning the Department’s direction and priorities with those of the School of Medicine and UAB Medicine.
Adjusting communication style to changing situations and to responding to stakeholder concerns (including culture, background, or style).
Continuing to hire strong research investigators to bolster the Pathology research mission and integrate with the strong investigator recruitment over the last several years; identify opportunities for novel research pathways.
Relationship Building The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to build relationships in an extremely complex and geographically distributed environment through: Developing collaborative and mutually beneficial relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders; Representing the Department to the community to develop services that improve health and move research forward; Modelling adaptability and skills for conflict resolution and management of adversity; and, Demonstrating strategic influence, leading organizational change, cultivating strategic relationships, and engaging and inspiring stakeholders.
Posting Detail Information Posting Number F2156P Open Date 06/21/2023 Close Date Open Until Filled Special Instructions to Applicants Please write a statement that is up to one page single-spaced describing your past, present, and future efforts to advance diversity and inclusion in education, research, and/or service.
If you do not have past experience, please describe your awareness and any related background about the importance of diversity.
* * Diversity refers to the variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstances.
Differences include race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, language, abilities/disabilities, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, geographic region, and more.
EEO Statement UAB is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and family-friendly environment in which all faculty and staff can excel and achieve work/life balance irrespective of, race, national origin, age, genetic or family medical history, gender, faith, gender identity and expression as well as sexual orientation.
UAB also encourages applications from individuals with disabilities and veterans.
COVID-19 Vaccination Statement The laws and regulations regarding mandatory COVID-19 vaccination continue to evolve.
Please be aware that UAB may determine that obtaining the COVID-19 or related vaccination is a requirement for this position, based on legal changes or otherwise.
If that occurs, the successful candidate may be required to submit proof of vaccination or obtain an approved vaccination exemption as a condition of employment.
Pre-employment Background Check A pre-employment background check investigation is performed on candidates selected for employment.
Drug/Nicotine Screen (if applicable)
In recent years, faculty have grown the scale and scope of the clinical footprint where today, Pathology has a presence across the system and in the community.
UAB leadership has invested in research, and extramural funding is strong.
The Department is well run and on solid financial footing.
The next Chair of Pathology will join UAB at a pivotal moment in healthcare and biomedical discovery, both locally and nationally.
They will shape an overarching vision that spans the mission areas of research, patient care, education, and service.
The Chair is responsible for all aspects of the Department, including leading and developing faculty, financial and operational management, and nurturing a diverse and inclusive culture.
In addition, the Chair will represent the Department across the UAB enterprise, create opportunities for collaboration, and cultivate external donors and partners.
UAB seeks a far-sighted, inspirational leader who possesses strong management skills and a broad gauged view of the future of Pathology and diagnostic medicine.
They will bring a proven record of accomplishment in collaborative leadership, administrative experience, program development, research, educational excellence, successful faculty recruitment, and engagement across a health system.
KEY RELATIONSHIPS | Reports to | Anupam Agarwal, M.
D.
, Senior Vice President for Medicine and Dean, Heersink School of Medicine | Direct reports | Executive Vice Chair Vice Chair, Research Vice Chair, Faculty Development and Education Vice Chair, Quality and Patient Safety Vice Chair, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Division Directors (7) Department Faculty and Staff Residency and Fellowship Program Directors | Other key relationships | Dawn Bulgarella, MSHA, CPA, CEO, UAB Health System & UAB/Ascension St.
Vincent’s Alliance Tika Benveniste, Ph.
D.
, Sr.
Vice Dean for Research, Heersink School of Medicine Tony Jones, M.
D.
, Senior Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs-School of Medicine Reid Jones, CEO UAB Medicine Megann Cain, Chief Development Officer, Heersink School of Medicine Other UAB Health System leadership Heersink School of Medicine (HSOM) Department Chairs Faculty, Staff, Students Patients and Families Alumni and Donors Community Leaders KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Map and execute the next phases of the Department’s growth.
Pathology is highly interconnected across UAB Medicine, and the vision should leverage the strengths of the Department, Medical School, and health system.
Define and lead the Department’s research strategy, emphasizing deliberate investment into research activities and priorities.
Support investigators within the Department in efforts to secure NIH and other grant funding to support research priorities.
Shape eminent clinical programs and champion technologies to enhance the care team.
Partner with the Department and health system leadership in building areas of clinical excellence, competing with external diagnostic entities, and further integrating related operations across the health system.
Bolster education and advanced training by ensuring adequate faculty support; innovate pre-clinical education.
Supervise the preparation, implementation, and monitoring of the Department-related budgets, encompassing all funding sources and ensuring compliance with grant, legislative, and institutional guidelines.
Recruit, hire, and retain outstanding faculty.
Build an atmosphere of collegiality, support, development, and diversity.
Ensure ethical medical and financial practices across the Department, supporting compliance activities as necessary.
Drive the university’s four strategic focus points in Health Equity, Brain Health, I-Forward (Inflammation, Immunotherapy), and Dtech (Destructive Technology including efforts in data access and management).
The Chair of Pathology will possess outstanding leadership and communication skills and exhibit a style that encourages collaboration and innovation.
They will have well-formed delegation skills and ease in handling all Department activities and mission areas.
A commitment to research and education is crucial as an innate orientation to consultation and reaching mutually beneficial outcomes.
The successful leader will exhibit a personal style that fosters and supports healthy risk-taking and embracing new technologies, scientific avenues, and educational modalities.
IDEAL EXPERIENCE Outstanding personal academic accomplishments in Pathology and the experience and national reputation necessary to build the prominence of the Department’s research, clinical, and educational missions.
Experience as a Division Head/Chief, Vice Chair, or Chair of Pathology A record developing academic leaders and mentoring junior faculty while identifying and recruiting diverse students, trainees, staff, and faculty.
Demonstrated ability to build and sustain collegial relationships with peers, faculty, departmental staff, hospital administration, students, other learners, and representatives of outside organizations and community stakeholders.
Commitment to and success in advancing institutional initiatives in diversity, inclusion, equity, and access to care.
Demonstrated financial and business acumen, with appropriate knowledge of the complex financial pressures facing academic medical centers and health care delivery organizations.
An M.
D.
or M.
D.
/Ph.
D.
degree(s) and Board Certification in Pathology and either licensed or eligible for medical licensure in Alabama.
CRITICAL LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES Program Development The successful candidate will possess a record of success in research and clinical program development and will be able to substantially grow clinical volume and enhance research success by: Recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty members with a commitment to excellence in an academic environment; Investing in faculty research programs; Actively building relationships to understand the needs for diagnostic medicine and growth opportunities; Actively seeking opportunities to develop cross-departmental programs and initiatives.
Leadership The successful candidate will demonstrate the requisite leadership and administrative skills to advance a successful Department of Pathology into a best-in-class academic unit by: Articulating a strong vision for building excellence in all areas of the Department; Enabling the team, supplying them with vision and resources, and creating an environment in which the team can work at their full potential; Utilizing communication skills and the ability to think and act strategically; and Displaying an understanding and appreciation for the opportunities and resources within UAB Medicine and beyond.
Leading Change Using data and insights to shape future direction, persuading through collaboration and shared interest, generating consensus, and persevering to sustain buy-in over time.
Aligning the Department’s direction and priorities with those of the School of Medicine and UAB Medicine.
Adjusting communication style to changing situations and to responding to stakeholder concerns (including culture, background, or style).
Continuing to hire strong research investigators to bolster the Pathology research mission and integrate with the strong investigator recruitment over the last several years; identify opportunities for novel research pathways.
Relationship Building The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to build relationships in an extremely complex and geographically distributed environment through: Developing collaborative and mutually beneficial relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders; Representing the Department to the community to develop services that improve health and move research forward; Modelling adaptability and skills for conflict resolution and management of adversity; and, Demonstrating strategic influence, leading organizational change, cultivating strategic relationships, and engaging and inspiring stakeholders.
The executive search firm Spencer Stuart has been retained to assist in this recruitment.
Flip Jaeger, and Shannon Yeatman of Spencer Stuart are the lead consultants on the search.
Inquiries, nominations, and applications are invited and should be submitted to search team member Sarah Ekstrom via sekstrom@spencerstuart.
com.
Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled, although an indication of interest is encouraged by August 1, 2023, for full consideration.
NOMINATIONS AND APPLICATIONS https://uab.
peopleadmin.
com/postings/18903 Applicants will need to submit a CV, a 1- to 2-page letter of interest, and a diversity statement.
Within the letter of interest, candidates should include specifics regarding their interest in the position, relevant leadership experience, their high-level vision for this role, and a summary of past accomplishments (clinical, diversity, innovation, collaboration, etc.
).
Statements of diversity should outline your efforts/experience in promoting diversity and inclusive excellence.
For more information about our commitment to Diversity & Inclusion, visit.
https://www.
uab.
edu/medicine/home/about/diversity-inclusion.
Please direct any nominations and potential applicants to: Spencer Stuart search team member: Sarah Ekstrom via sekstrom@spencerstuart.
com To apply: https://uab.
peopleadmin.
com/postings/18903 For additional information about the position or to provide recommendations, please contact: Flip Jaeger (fjaeger@spencerstuart.
com) and/or Shannon Yeatman (syeatman@spencerstuart.
com) of Spencer Stuart The UAB Heersink School of Medicine is seeking a dynamic, passionate, and experienced leader with a proven track record across the spectrum of individual scholarship, collaborative clinical leadership, program development, educational excellence, successful faculty recruitment, and community engagement to serve as the next Chair for the Department of Pathology.
The Chair of the Department of Pathology will support the overarching vision by creating novel strategies to grow the Department and continue to enhance the three mission areas of patient care, research, and education.
The Chair will assess gaps within those mission areas and identify future opportunities and needs, serve as a member of senior leadership to establish research and education priorities and provide strategic leadership for all aspects of the Department, including the positive representation of the School and Department within the UAB enterprise, creating collaborative opportunities and bridges across the institution.
The Chair is responsible for aligning physicians within the department and acting as a visible champion of change initiatives to continue to improve performance.
The Department of Pathology The Department of Pathology at UAB places a strong emphasis on research, education, and patient care.
The department’s primary goal is to care for patients through accurate and efficient testing.
Through their extensive research and work in genomics and bioinformatics, they can more accurately pinpoint the source of disease and recommend effective treatment options customized for the patient.
UAB Pathology is recognized in the Birmingham community and beyond for providing accurate and timely diagnostic services in all anatomic, clinical, and research pathology facets.
Research is integral to the Department of Pathology at UAB.
The department’s extramural research funding totals over $20 million annually under the current Chairman and Rakesh Patel, Ph.
D.
Professor and Vice Chair for Research, the pathology program at UAB currently ranks 12th in NIH funding among all pathology departments in the U.
S.
The department strives to understand the molecular basis underlying diverse disease processes, identify new therapeutic targets, and develop new patient treatments.
Departmental research spans the range of fundamental disease mechanisms to the identification of biomarkers and the development of novel therapeutics.
Specifics around the research program focus can be found here.
Investigators are using innovative pre-clinical animal models of disease, analytical techniques, and bioinformatics and genomics.
Additionally, the UAB Department of Pathology offers a number of innovative training opportunities, including third- and fourth-year rotations for medical students, a graduate student program, a highly successful residency program, and fellowship opportunities in Forensic Pathology, Hematopathology, Blood Banking/Transfusion Medicine, Surgical Pathology specialties, Cytopathology, Neuropathology, Dermatopathology, and Molecular Genetic Pathology.
Over the last decade, the department has experienced tremendous growth.
There are 84 full-time faculty members, possessing a broad range of clinical, research, teaching, and administrative expertise.
Additionally, 38 faculty from other departments hold secondary positions in the pathology department.
The department places great value in teamwork, integrity, quality, knowledge, academic freedom, ethics, creativity and innovation, responsibility, and productivity, and we’re committed to providing educational opportunities for researchers, scientists, and pathologists from around the world.
UAB researchers and pathologists are changing how patients are diagnosed and treated through precision medicine.
Our primary goal is to care for our patients through accurate and efficient testing.
Through our extensive research and work in genomics and bioinformatics, we can more accurately pinpoint the source of disease and recommend effective treatment options customized for the patient.
UAB Pathology is recognized in the Birmingham community and beyond for providing accurate and timely diagnostic services in all anatomic, clinical, and research pathology facets.
For additional details, please visit the LabSource website, which includes information for all sections of UAB Hospital Laboratories, including the Kirklin Clinic Laboratory, the Emergency Department Laboratory, Bedside Testing, and UAB Highlands Laboratory.
The University of Alabama Heersink School of Medicine The University of Alabama Heersink School of Medicine is a multi-campus medical school; UAB serves as the main campus, with three regional campuses: Huntsville (UAB-Huntsville campus), Montgomery (UAB-Montgomery campus), and Tuscaloosa (University of Alabama), as well as a residency program in Selma.
All students spend their first two years of medical school in Birmingham.
The School was established as the Medical College of Alabama in 1945 and renamed the University of Alabama School of Medicine in 1969.
In 2021, a transformational $95 million lead gift from longtime UAB supporter Marnix E.
Heersink, M.
D.
, named the school the UAB Marnix E.
Heersink School of Medicine.
The record gift is the single largest philanthropic commitment in university history and also helped establish and name the Marnix E.
Heersink Institute of Biomedical Innovation and the Mary Heersink Institute for Global Health.
The gift will provide support with both endowed and outright funds for key initiatives of the School of Medicine.
Dr.
Heersink, a renowned eye surgeon, innovator, and entrepreneur, desires this gift to inspire and catalyze additional philanthropic contributions that support high-impact recruitments, programs, and research in the School of Medicine.
UAB will enhance this philanthropic support with a generous contribution of $5 million from Triton Health Systems, bringing the total support for the school to $100 million.
The School is currently comprised of nearly 800 students, more than 1,000 residents, and nearly 1,700 full-time faculty.
In 2022, UAB received over $715 million in research grants and extramural awards with $555 million to the Heersink School of Medicine.
The UAB Heersink School of Medicine is the home of The Kirklin Clinic, a multi-disciplinary medical home; University Hospital, one of the largest academic hospitals in the country; and our faculty serve the Children’s of Alabama hospital.
The 27 Departments within the School include: Anesthesiology & Perioperative Medicine; Biochemistry & Molecular Genetics; Biomedical Engineering (join dept.
with School of Engineering; Cell, Developmental & Integrative Biology; Dermatology; Emergency Medicine; Family & Community Medicine; Genetics; Medical Education; Medicine; Microbiology; Neurobiology; Neurology; Neurosurgery; Obstetrics & Gynecology; Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences; Orthopaedic Surgery; Otolaryngology (ENT); Pathology; Pediatrics; Pharmacology & Toxicology; Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation; Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurobiology; Radiation Oncology; Radiology; Surgery; and Urology.
The faculty are noted for excellence in clinical service, education, and research activity, and lead the academic and clinical achievement of outstanding cohorts of students, residents, and fellows.
Student achievement is a key element of state success; over 80 percent of physicians in Alabama trained at the UAB School of Medicine.
Clinical education is a strength at all campuses, and the Heersink School of Medicine graduates are widely perceived by residency programs to be “intern ready.
” The Heersink School of Medicine was approved for a full, eight-year LCME re-accreditation in April 2022.
AT A GLANCE The first and one of only 36 proton therapy centers in the US, Proton International at UAB More than 2 million patients treated at UAB and Children’s of Alabama in 2019 Largest and only magnet-designated infusion therapy center in the state of Alabama 5,000 new cancer patients seen each year at the O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at UAB One of only two Level 1 ocular trauma eye centers in the US Only adult Level I trauma center in the state of Alabama (as verified by American College of Surgeons) One of the first in the US to offer clinical trial of the treatment of patients with severe COVID-19 using nitric oxide One of eight national Udall Centers of Excellence in Parkinson’s disease One of eight inaugural NIH-designated Centers for AIDS research 107% growth in clinical trials expenditures over the past 5 years ($36.
2M to $75M) UAB Medicine is guided by the strategic plan “AMC 21,” providing broadly-accepted guidance to joint and partner efforts of the School of Medicine and the UAB Health System.
Key initiatives supported in AMC 21 include faculty recruitment (with an emphasis on mid-career, NIH-funded physicians and scientists).
UAB Medicine is firmly committed to being a preferred academic medical center of the 21st Century, attractive to all constituencies, including students, residents, and fellows, faculty, patients, staff, and donors.
UAB Medicine will achieve its goals through uncompromising focus on the four pillars of the strategic initiative: knowledge, quality, satisfaction, and financial performance.
These pillars will be based on a foundation of innovation and advancement of knowledge, the encouragement of collaboration to promote fresh ideas and scientific breakthroughs and aligning goals and outcomes to create a system of accountability.
Approximately $30 million has been invested this past year to support research, faculty retention and recruitment, and education programs focused in strategic areas.
Additional data about the School may be found at: https://www.
uab.
edu/medicine/home/welcome The University of Alabama at Birmingham UAB is a comprehensive urban university with a nationally recognized academic health center, comprised of the Collat School of Business, the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Dentistry, the School of Education, the School of Engineering, the School of Health Professions, the Heersink School of Medicine, the School of Nursing, the School of Optometry, the School of Public Health, and the Graduate School.
In its 2022 Economic Impact Study, the University and its affiliated entities generate over $12.
1 billion in economic impact annually within the state of Alabama.
UAB is Alabama’s largest single employer and now directly employs nearly 28,000 people.
One in every 20 jobs within the state of Alabama either is held directly by a UAB employee or is supported as a result of UAB’s presence.
In 2021, Forbes magazine ranked UAB as #1 America’s best large employer (https://www.
uab.
edu/news/campus/item/11852-uab-named-america-s-no-1-best-large-employer-2021-by-forbes).
UAB is the only public, four-year degree granting university in the state’s largest metropolitan area and the largest research institution in the state of Alabama.
With enrollment of over 21,000 students, employment of more than 24,000 full- and part-time individuals, and more than 120,000 active alumni worldwide, the University is a powerhouse for academic, clinical, and research innovation with statewide, regional, national, and global impact.
In addition, UAB continues to be one of the most diverse universities in the nation.
As of 2022, the student body was 39 percent minority, with minority students making up 48.
5 percent of the total student body.
The student population is 21% black and 63.
5% female.
UAB has nearly 1,500 international students enrolled, who along with our numerous international faculty, staff, and visiting scholars, represent more than 100 countries.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) traces its roots to the 1859 founding of the Medical College of Alabama and the 1936 opening of the Birmingham Extension Center of The University of Alabama.
In 1945, the Medical College of Alabama was moved from Tuscaloosa to Birmingham and the University’s Medical Center was founded.
Later, in November of 1966, the Extension Center and the Medical Center merged to form the “University of Alabama in Birmingham,” an organizational component of The University of Alabama.
In 1969, UAB became an independent institution, one of the autonomous universities within the newly created three-campus University of Alabama System.
Today, UAB is the heartbeat of Birmingham and an integral medical leader in the Southeast.
The Birmingham campus is within walking distance of some of the best parks, entertainment, and dining in the region.
Our regional campuses—in Huntsville, Montgomery and Tuscaloosa—expand our academic reach and responsibilities in addition to educating physicians in rural and underserved areas of the state.
UAB is a thriving campus that has experienced unprecedented growth in recent years.
Strong partnerships with other prestigious organizations such as Southern Research and Hudson Alpha help the university expand it’s impact and cultivate opportunities for groundbreaking research and learning.
More information on UAB, including a downloadable copy of the University’s current Facts & Figures, is available at https://www.
uab.
edu/home/ The Magic City.
That’s what Birmingham has been called for nearly 150 years, and it’s true.
There’s magic here UAB is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and family-friendly environment in which all faculty and staff can excel and achieve work/life balance irrespective of race, national origin, age, genetic or family medical history, gender, faith, gender identity and expression as well as sexual orientation.
UAB also encourages applications from individuals with disabilities and veterans.
A pre-employment background check is performed on candidates selected for employment.
In addition, physicians and other clinical faculty candidates who will be employed by the University of Alabama Health Services Foundation (UAHSF) or other UAB Medicine entities must successfully complete a pre-employment drug and nicotine screen to be hired.
In alignment with UAB School of Medicine’s mission to reflect the diversity of our community and meet the needs of our diverse population, candidates are required as part of the application process to provide a statement that is up to one page single-spaced describing their contributions to promote diversity and inclusion.
Required Qualifications An M.
D.
or M.
D.
/Ph.
D.
degree(s) and Board Certification in Pathology and either licensed or eligible for medical licensure in Alabama.
Preferred Qualifications IDEAL EXPERIENCE Outstanding personal academic accomplishments in Pathology and the experience and national reputation necessary to build the prominence of the Department’s research, clinical, and educational missions.
Experience as a Division Head/Chief, Vice Chair, or Chair of Pathology A record developing academic leaders and mentoring junior faculty while identifying and recruiting diverse students, trainees, staff, and faculty.
Demonstrated ability to build and sustain collegial relationships with peers, faculty, departmental staff, hospital administration, students, other learners, and representatives of outside organizations and community stakeholders.
Commitment to and success in advancing institutional initiatives in diversity, inclusion, equity, and access to care.
Demonstrated financial and business acumen, with appropriate knowledge of the complex financial pressures facing academic medical centers and health care delivery organizations.
An M.
D.
or M.
D.
/Ph.
D.
degree(s) and Board Certification in Pathology and either licensed or eligible for medical licensure in Alabama.
CRITICAL LEADERSHIP CAPABILITIES Program Development The successful candidate will possess a record of success in research and clinical program development and will be able to substantially grow clinical volume and enhance research success by: Recruiting and retaining outstanding faculty members with a commitment to excellence in an academic environment; Investing in faculty research programs; Actively building relationships to understand the needs for diagnostic medicine and growth opportunities; Actively seeking opportunities to develop cross-departmental programs and initiatives.
Leadership The successful candidate will demonstrate the requisite leadership and administrative skills to advance a successful Department of Pathology into a best-in-class academic unit by: Articulating a strong vision for building excellence in all areas of the Department; Enabling the team, supplying them with vision and resources, and creating an environment in which the team can work at their full potential; Utilizing communication skills and the ability to think and act strategically; and Displaying an understanding and appreciation for the opportunities and resources within UAB Medicine and beyond.
Leading Change Using data and insights to shape future direction, persuading through collaboration and shared interest, generating consensus, and persevering to sustain buy-in over time.
Aligning the Department’s direction and priorities with those of the School of Medicine and UAB Medicine.
Adjusting communication style to changing situations and to responding to stakeholder concerns (including culture, background, or style).
Continuing to hire strong research investigators to bolster the Pathology research mission and integrate with the strong investigator recruitment over the last several years; identify opportunities for novel research pathways.
Relationship Building The successful candidate will demonstrate the ability to build relationships in an extremely complex and geographically distributed environment through: Developing collaborative and mutually beneficial relationships with a wide variety of stakeholders; Representing the Department to the community to develop services that improve health and move research forward; Modelling adaptability and skills for conflict resolution and management of adversity; and, Demonstrating strategic influence, leading organizational change, cultivating strategic relationships, and engaging and inspiring stakeholders.
Posting Detail Information Posting Number F2156P Open Date 06/21/2023 Close Date Open Until Filled Special Instructions to Applicants Please write a statement that is up to one page single-spaced describing your past, present, and future efforts to advance diversity and inclusion in education, research, and/or service.
If you do not have past experience, please describe your awareness and any related background about the importance of diversity.
* * Diversity refers to the variety of personal experiences, values, and worldviews that arise from differences of culture and circumstances.
Differences include race, ethnicity, gender, age, religion, language, abilities/disabilities, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, geographic region, and more.
EEO Statement UAB is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer committed to fostering a diverse, equitable and family-friendly environment in which all faculty and staff can excel and achieve work/life balance irrespective of, race, national origin, age, genetic or family medical history, gender, faith, gender identity and expression as well as sexual orientation.
UAB also encourages applications from individuals with disabilities and veterans.
COVID-19 Vaccination Statement The laws and regulations regarding mandatory COVID-19 vaccination continue to evolve.
Please be aware that UAB may determine that obtaining the COVID-19 or related vaccination is a requirement for this position, based on legal changes or otherwise.
If that occurs, the successful candidate may be required to submit proof of vaccination or obtain an approved vaccination exemption as a condition of employment.
Pre-employment Background Check A pre-employment background check investigation is performed on candidates selected for employment.
Drug/Nicotine Screen (if applicable)
• Phone : NA
• Location : 1720 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL
• Post ID: 9001708862
