Fellowship Description

Trauma & Acute Care Surgery Fellowship Position Description

Speciality
Surgery – Trauma, Emergency Surgery and General Surgery

Facility
Liverpool Hospital Level 1 Trauma Centre – Sydney South West Local Health District

Department
Trauma & Acute Care Surgery (TACS) – 5 Surgeons

Award Classification 1
Clinical Superintendent

Award Classification 2
Postgraduate Fellow

Length Of Contract
12 – 24 months

Positions Available
2

Reports To: Director of TACS, Director of General Surgery, Director of Medical Services

Position Description: Individuals undergoing this fellowship will be qualified to provide comprehensive management of complex trauma and emergency surgical patients. Through this integrated educational experience, we are providing fellows with the training to become leaders in this emerging discipline. The curriculum is designed to build on the concepts and skills obtained during your general surgery advanced training leading to your FRACS (or equivalent). The successful candidate will be expected to function at the level of a junior Consultant.

The position of Trauma, Acute Care and General Surgery Fellow will challenge your decision-making abilities and the ability to respond under the pressure of managing severely injured or critically ill patients. The position will also challenge your ability to lead a multi-disciplinary team effectively and competently. Multi-tasking, prioritising and managing risk are critical to performing this job well. The importance of skilled, respectful and effective communication with all members of the multi-disciplinary teams at all clinical levels, including consultant, trainee, nursing, administrative and external organisations including other hospitals, ambulance/ retrieval services, University and other Dept. of Health organisations, is critical to achieving timely, safe and effective patient care.

This fellowship will offer 3 monthly rotations between Trauma and ACS/General. During this fellowship you will acquire a comprehensive knowledge of critical care, operative and non-operative trauma and emergency general surgery as well as incorporating sound principles and practice of elective general surgery.

Although the focus of this fellowship is Trauma and Acute Care Surgery, there is also an elective General Surgery component to this Fellowship as 2 of the Surgeons in that Unit primarily do elective General Surgery with subspecialty interests in advanced laparoscopic surgery, colorectal and upper GIT surgery.

Fellows are also required to undertake research projects to be presented at national and/or international conferences and published in reputable medical journals.

Position Responsibilities:

Clinical

  • Prioritise/ coordinate the acute resuscitation and treatment of the multiply injured and emergency surgical patient
  • Coordinate acute care between multiple services and disciplines
  • Skilled in the operative and non-operative management of life and limb-threatening injuries and clinical conditions
  • Responsible for the ongoing care of the trauma/emergency surgical patients in the ICU/HDU units
  • Responsible for the ongoing care of the trauma/emergency/elective surgical patients in the wards
  • Involvement in the organisation of appropriate rehabilitation and follow-up services
  • Participate in the on-call acute surgical roster
  • Participate in elective general surgical lists
  • Participate in Endoscopy lists
  • Attend and participate in trauma/ emergency and general surgical clinics
  • Participate in any elective or emergency subspecialty surgical operating list of particular interest such as vascular, gastrointestinal, plastics, orthopaedics, cardiothoracic or neurosurgery
  • Work closely with Trauma Co-ordinator and Case Manager to ensure adequate continuity of care occurs
  • Run daily clinical rounds with the team.

Research

  • Involvement in clinical research
  • Presentation at clinical meetings
  • Participating in research meetings
  • Involvement in revision of Trauma Manual.

Teaching
Conduct of weekly education programmes for medical, nursing and paramedical services

  • Responsible for the supervision of registrars, residents and interns
  • Take a leadership teaching role in all phases of patient care
  • Supervision of medical students
  • Participation in our annual Trauma, Emergency Surgery and Critical Care Conference
  • Participation in injury prevention initiatives and community education days
  • EMST/ATLS/CCrISP/DSTC course teaching, if appropriately qualified.

Quality Assurance

  • Participation in regular audit meetings
  • Assistance in preparation of death reviews
  • Preparation of morbidity data and cases for presentation
  • Involvement in the revision/ development of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery management protocols and guidelines.

Essential Selection Criteria

  1. FRACS in General Surgery, or equivalent qualification
  2. Demonstrated interest and passion for trauma and emergency general surgery
  3. Current provider certification in EMST/ ATLS and DSTC
  4. Ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team with excellent interpersonal skills
  5. Experience in educating undergraduate medical and allied health professionals
  6. Previous specific research in Trauma, Emergency Surgery and/or Critical Care

Desirable Selection Criteria

  1. Experience in Quality Assurance/Patient Safety
  2. Current EMST or ATLS course instructor
JOBS

Current Vacancies

Learn more
Dr Valerie Malka is the Director of the Trauma and Acute Care Surgical Unit at Liverpool Hospital. She was the previous Director of Trauma Services at Westmead Hospital for over a decade. She is an EMST Director and DSTC Instructor with a great passion for trauma and acute care surgery. With special interests in education and quality assurance she has worked extensively in patient safety and the maintenance of ethics in healthcare. Valerie has worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross and the International Rescue Committee and holds a Diploma in International Humanitarian Assistance from Geneva University and a Master’s Degree in International Public Health with a major in Humanitarian Law. She also holds a Master’s degree in Journalism and works freelance writing medical, health and wellbeing articles.