CVOR Advanced Practice Provider Fellowship Lead

Inova Heart and Vascular is seeking a full-time cardiac surgery advanced practice provider (APP) first assistant fellowship director for strategic oversight, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of a postgraduate cardiac surgery APP first assistant fellowship program. 

Our Program

• Our board-certified and fellowship-trained surgeons have performed thousands of procedures and pioneered many new treatment and recovery approaches with results rarely matched nationwide
• STS 3-star composite score for CABG and isolated AVR
• Top 2% in the country for TAVR volume
• Mitral valve repair center of excellence
• Platinum level ELSO award for excellence in life support
• Busy heart and lung transplant program performing 100 total transplants in 2022

Inova is consistently ranked a national healthcare leader in safety, quality and patient experience. We are also proud to be consistently recognized as a top employer in both the D.C. metro area and the nation. 

Featured Benefits:

• Competitive Compensation Package: Includes a market-competitive base salary, comprehensive performance incentive plan, and productivity-based RVU compensation structure designed to reward quality, patient access, and clinical productivity. Additionally, opportunities for Sign-On, Retention Relocation
• Committed to Team Member Health: offering medical, dental and vision coverage, and a robust team member wellness program.
• Retirement: Inova matches the first 5% of eligible contributions – starting on your first day.
• Tuition and Student Loan Assistance: offering up to $5,250 per year in education assistance and up to $10,000 for student loans.
• Mental Health Support: offering all Inova team members, their spouses/partners, and their children 25 mental health coaching or therapy sessions, per person, per year, at no cost.
• Work/Life Balance: offering paid time off, paid parental leave, flexible work schedules, and remote and hybrid career opportunities.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Fellowship Program and Clinical Education Responsibilities

• Direct all operational aspects of the Cardiac Surgery APP First Assistant Fellowship Program. The director will be expected to pursue, obtain, and maintain accreditation as an APP Fellowship. Expected timeline for accreditation is 3-5 years from date of hire.
• In conjunction with CVOR APP lead, develop, implement, evaluate, and continuously improve the fellowship didactic, simulation, and operative curriculum. 
• In conjunction with CVOR APP lead, ensure educational activities align with institutional goals, cardiac surgery service line priorities, evidence-based practices, and fellowship objectives. 
• Establish annual educational goals, competency milestones, and program outcome measures.  
• Maintain policies, procedures, and educational documentation for the fellowship program. 
• Develop and utilize educational materials, individualized learning plans, procedure manuals, competency checklists, and evaluation tools. 
• Develop objective methods for evaluating technical and clinical competency. 
• Perform direct observation of operative performance to determine technical proficiency
• Maintain procedural logs and competency documentation. 
• Ensure fellows demonstrate competency prior to independent practice. 
• Coordinate remediation plans when necessary. 
• Collaborate with physician faculty, system and departmental APP leadership, nursing leadership, and simulation educators. 
• In conjunction with CVOR APP lead, participate in strategic planning for expansion of APP education and workforce development. 
• In conjunction with system APP leadership and surgery service line leaders, assist in development and management of fellowship budgets and educational resources. 
• Coordinate simulation-based training for cardiac surgical procedures, emergency management, and technical skills as needed.
• Provide oversight and instruction in:
  • Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) 
  • Valve surgery 
  • Complex aortic surgery 
  • Mechanical circulatory support (ECMO and VAD) 
  • Heart transplantation 
  • Endoscopic conduit harvesting 
  • Temporary mechanical circulatory support 
  • Chest closure and reopening techniques 
  • Emergent re-sternotomy 
  • Perioperative critical care 
  • Hemodynamic monitoring 
  • Surgical exposure and tissue handling 
  • Cardiopulmonary bypass principles 
  • Operative efficiency and sterile technique 

APP Leadership Responsibilities

• In conjunction with CVOR APP lead, serve as a clinical resource for fellows and APP faculty. 
• Promote a culture of patient safety, professionalism, teamwork, and psychological safety. 
• In conjunction with CVOR APP lead, mentor APP faculty participating in fellowship education. 
• Assist with onboarding and orientation of new fellowship faculty. 
• Collaborate with CVOR APP lead regarding staffing, educational priorities, and faculty development. 
• Provide strategic recommendations regarding APP workforce development and future educational initiatives. 
• Ensure maintenance of clinical competencies necessary for fellowship faculty privileges. 

Professional and First Assisting Responsibilities

• Maintain an active clinical practice within the cardiac surgery APP team.
• Function as an expert first assistant in cardiac surgery (90/10 clinical and administrative split). Night and weekend call required.
• Serve as an ambassador for the fellowship program both internally and externally. 
• Participate in regional and national educational initiatives related to cardiothoracic surgery APP education. 
• Perform additional duties as assigned. 

Minimum Qualifications

• Graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner program
• Board Certified Physician Assistant or Acute Care Nurse Practitioner with RNFA certification. Employees must maintain certification requirements.
• ACLS Certification for physician assistants, ACLS and BLS certification for nurse practitioners
• Current Virginia medical license
• Current DEA number National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants
• Minimum 5 years of experience as a first assistant in cardiac surgery and currently practicing as a first assistant
• Experience developing educational curricula, evaluating procedural competency, teaching didactic and procedural content, utilizing simulation-based training, 
• leadership or management experience within a cardiac surgery, APP, or post-graduate fellowship program 

Preferred Qualifications

• Participation in clinical research and quality improvement initiatives