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Opportunity to Build a World-Class Pediatric Hepatology Program

Director, Pediatric Hepatology and Liver Transplant

On behalf of the executive leadership team and the selected search committee representing the Department of Pediatrics at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Children’s Hospital of Richmond (CHoR), CareerPhysician, the national leader in academic child health executive search is pleased to inform you of the national search to identify a transformational and dynamic leader to serve as the next Director of Pediatric Hepatology and Liver Transplant in Richmond, VA.

This is a tremendous opportunity to collaborate with Dr. Arun Sanyal, Dr. Saul Karpen, Dr. David Bruno, and Dr. Gisela Chelimsky, to establish a legacy program to serve as the premier liver transplant service and build an outstanding team of physicians, advanced practice clinicians and ancillary team to create something special for kids in Virginia and throughout the mid-Atlantic region.

The named Director will be charged with:

• Providing top-level care to expand the hepatology and increase access to patients with liver disease and liver failure.
• Re-establishing the UNOS certification to re-launch a fully accredited pediatric liver transplant program.
• Building an outstanding team of hepatology and transplant faculty along with sufficient ancillary and support staff providers, including Advanced Practice Providers, Social Workers, Dietitians, and a Nurse Navigator.
• Increasing patient volume, working closely with adult partners as well as state-wide resources to market and educate referral resources, patients and families about the program.
• Establishing infrastructure for specialized liver failure and post-transplant clinics.
• Establish a resource for Hepatology care in the Region, with coordination of care for viral hepatitis, MASLD, cholestatic, genetic disorders and subspecialty referrals.
• Integrate pediatric research with the SSI in concert with Dr. Saul Karpen.

Position strengths include:

• Collaborate with international thought leaders in liver disease. VCU's liver program is part of the Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health, which is led by Arun Sanyal, M.D. The Chief Scientific Officer for the institute is Dr. Saul Karpen and the liver program at VCU ranks #11 in the world in US News and World Reports.
• While not required, significant research support will be provided by the adult hepatology group and liver institute for established leaders who will bring extramural funding to VCU and CHoR.
• Coordination with the adult liver transplant program, which performs > 200 liver transplants annually, the 5^th busiest in the US in 2023. Surgical expertise includes a team of surgeons with exemplary robotics skills.
• Opportunity to work with fellows and establish a 4^th year transplant fellowship in the future.
• The Division of Adult Hepatology has had a longstanding and extensive clinical and basic science research program. Numerous campus resources are available to support basic, clinical, and translational research, including a NIH-funded CTSA and the VCU Center for Clinical and Translational Research (CCTR).
• VCU received a historic gift of $104 million to support the recently established Stravitz-Sanyal Institute for Liver Disease and Metabolic Health. The patient-centered institute will focus on translational science to develop research and healthcare teams for the treatment of liver-related illnesses.

Richmond, VA, is diverse, vibrant, and growing city of greater than 1.2 million people. It offers an abundance of culture (Ballet, Symphony, Fine Arts Museum, Opera), American history, and fine dining, and recently ranked as one of the top ten food cities in America. Richmond serves as the economic hub of Virginia and is home to many Fortune 500 companies including Dominion Energy, CarMax, Westrock and Altria. The city of Richmond is centrally located between the coastline and the Blue Ridge Mountains providing access to world-class outdoor recreation and a subtropical climate ideal for year-round activity. Washington D.C. and Dulles International Airport are just under two hours from Richmond.

For more details about this opportunity, or if you would like to recommend an individual(s) who exemplifies the qualities we are seeking in a candidate, please contact Mark Lozano at mark@careerphysician.com, or at 469-553-9311. All interactions will remain confidential, and no inquiries will be made without the consent of the applicant.

As a preeminent national, urban, public research university and academic health center, Virginia Commonwealth University is committed to organizational diversity, equity, and inclusion - an environment where all can thrive in their pursuit of excellence.

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About Children’s Hospital of Richmond (CHoR)

CareerPhysician is the national leader in executive search and leadership development in academic pediatrics with 23 years of unprecedented success supporting the complex faculty and executive leadership needs of Departments of Pediatrics and Child Health Organizations. No one understands the pediatric leadership paradigm and its inherent supply, resource and system challenges better. The firm’s innovative talent acquisition and retention processes are recognized as the gold-standard in academic pediatric recruitment and leadership development. Through its Core Leadership Competencies and partnership with the Child Health Advisory Council, CareerPhysician is exclusively committed to the continued development of current and future physician leaders.

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