Physician Assistant - General Surgery

The West Virginia University Health System, the state’s largest health system and largest private employer, comprises 18 hospitals throughout the state and bordering states. In addition, it includes five institutes, as well as providing management services for other local hospitals through affiliate agreements. Whether you are caring for our patients at one of the critical access hospitals, community sites, regional or academic medical centers, we are all one WVU Health System.

Work Here. Thrive Here.

The Advanced Practice Professional (APP) has coordination and clinical skills required for the comprehensive management of surgery patients, (including biological, social and psychological assessments). The APP coordinates involvement of medical specialty teams necessary to develop a comprehensive plan for the patient, and reviews the plan of care with the other members of the clinical team, participates in directing that care, performs diagnostic/therapeutic procedures and coordinates discharge planning (as applicable).

The APP participates in the education of residents and medical/nursing students.

• Provide healthcare services consistent with state law and the requirements of the professional licensing or certification authority and/or hospital privileges, where applicable. Such service may include, but are not limited to the following:
  • Bachelor’s Degree as Physician Assistant or Master ’s Degree as Physician Assistant required.
  • Graduate of an ARC-PA approved Physician Assistant (PA) training program required.
  • Certification by the National Commission for Certification of Physician Assistants required.
  • Must be licensed or eligible for licensure by the WV Board of Medicine or WV Board of Osteopathic Medicine.
  • American Heart Association BLS Certification required.
  • Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) at the discretion of the department.

• Eligible new graduates will be considered.

• Master’s level degree as Physician Assistant preferred.
• Surgery, Acute Care or Internal Medicine preferred.

• Manages comprehensive and individualized care for surgical patients and their families in the inpatient phase of hospitalization and immediate post discharge in the ambulatory setting.
• Completes daily rounds; consults and/or pre-procedure/evaluations.
• Completes integrated assessments.
• With the collaboration of surgical faculty or by following established clinical Guidelines and Protocols, orders additional tests or consults as deemed appropriate.
• Performs and communicates results of diagnostic tests following established clinical guidelines and scope of practice.
• Consults and communicates with clinic and hospital staff regarding abnormal findings in the evaluations of patients.
• Performs succinct comprehensive clinical evaluations and documents findings in medical record.
• Facilitates patient discharge by coordinating appropriate services and tests prior to discharge necessary for outpatient follow-up appointments in the clinic (as applicable).
• Develops a comprehensive individualized plan of care for surgical patients, which includes teaching, discharge planning and necessary referral to other members of the health care team as necessary.
• Demonstrates expertise in caring for patients across the age continuum of their educational experience and certification.
• Identifies unstable or complex surgical patient care situations and facilitates appropriate intervention in the clinic and/or hospital setting.
• Recognizes emergency situations and initiates effective emergency care.
• Evaluates surgical patients and serves as a coordinator for follow up procedures and tests in the ambulatory setting (as applicable).
• Assists in the collection of outcome measures (as applicable).
• Demonstrates critical thinking and diagnostic reasoning skills in clinical decision making by the identification, evaluation and management of the individual needs of patients/families.
• Demonstrates the ability to utilize equipment in a safe manner.
• Bases decisions made/actions taken on the relevant scientific principles, established standards of care and/or…