Chairperson of Radiation Oncology - Position Specification
Chairperson, Department of Radiation Oncology
Wayne State University School of Medicine
Head, Radiation Oncology
Karmanos Cancer Center
The Organization / The Department / The Position
THE ORGANIZATIONS
Wayne State University School of Medicine (WSU School of Medicine)
Founded in 1869 as the Detroit Medical College, the WSU School of Medicine was the first established school of what would eventually become Wayne State University. As Detroit’s only medical school, the WSU School of Medicine has a mission to improve the overall health status of the community and is actively involved in the delivery of health care to the surrounding area through scientific advancement, clinical service and the provision of physicians to practice in the region.
The School is composed of over 750 clinical faculty members and nearly 200 basic science faculty members. At WSU, more than 1200 medical students, 900 physicians-in-training and 400 basic science graduate students make up the largest medical school on one campus in the country.
In partnership with the several health systems, the WSU School of Medicine has emerged today as one of the nation’s leading academic medical centers, hosting one of the largest graduate medical education programs in the United States with some 900 residents and fellows.
Long regarded as a premier site for clinical training, the WSU School of Medicine has established itself in recent years as a major center for research, as well. Research initiatives by medical school faculty have risen to a base of over $137 million. The School has six dedicated research laboratory buildings located on the medical campus. Although the school’s faculty offer expertise in virtually all medical fields, the institution’s areas of research emphasis include but are not limited to cancer, women’s and children’s health, neuroscience and population studies.
The School’s clinical care mission is carried out by the Wayne State University Physician Group, composed of over 700 clinical faculty members of the School of Medicine. The group, which includes physicians in virtually every medical specialty as well as general medicine, is dedicated to providing first-rate medical care during approximately one million patient visits annually. As an academic faculty practice, the group maintains its ability to provide leading-edge care by conducting important clinical research and educating new generations of doctors.
Under a unique agreement with the National Institutes of Health, Wayne State University School of Medicine hosts the largest NIH intramural branch sited off the Bethesda campus, the Perinatalogy Research Branch of the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The WSU School of Medicine partners with the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, one of 39 National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the United States. Other NIH-funded extramural research and service networks held by the School include the Metropolitan Detroit-Area Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Cancer Registry (one of 18 NCI population-based registries); the Center for Urban African-American Health (one of 8 NIH centers); the Maternal Fetal Medicine Unit Network (one of 14); the Neonatal Research Network Center (one of 7); the Pediatric Critical Care Network Center (one of 7); the NIH Neurologic Emergencies Treatment Trials Network (NETT, one of 8 hubs); and the Pediatric Pharmacology Research Unit (one of 13). Several academic departments rank in the top quarter in NIH research funding, and the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology ranks number one in the country.
In addition to NIH-funded projects, the School also supports a newly established Center for Spinal Cord Injury Recovery at the Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan. Furthermore, the School of Medicine has successfully competed to obtain funding from the Michigan Technology Tri-Corridor program to fund several programs, including the Center of Excellence on Environment and Fertility.
Karmanos Cancer Institute (KCI)
The Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute (KCI) is one of 39 National Cancer Institute designated comprehensive cancer centers. It is also one of only eleven free standing cancer centers. Research is conducted across five major core grant programs (Breast Biology, Proteases and Cancer, Molecular Oncology and Genetics, Developmental Therapeutics and Population Sciences) and is supported by nearly $40 million in annual peer reviewed direct funding. Research is carried out in the Hudson Webber building adjacent to the medical school and the Prentis building 3 blocks away.
The clinical side of KCI is known as the Karmanos Cancer Center (KCC) and cares for nearly 7,000 newly-diagnosed cancer patients annually on a budget of $216 million, conducting more than 700 cancer-specific scientific investigation programs and clinical trials. All care is provided via fourteen multidisciplinary teams where physicians from all specialties collaborate to provide exemplary patient care. Karmanos was recently ranked as southeastern Michigan’s most preferred hospital for cancer care.
The clinical facilities of the KCC include four inpatient units and a large ambulatory area that includes the Wertz Clinic, home to most of the multidisciplinary teams, the Walt Breast Center, the BMT Clinic and a large day treatment center. Attached to the main cancer center is the Gershenson Radiation Oncology Center, housing a Tomotherapy unit and three other linear accelerators and a Gamma Knife as well as all of the equipment to provide first rate radiation care. The KCC also owns the Weisberg Cancer Treatment Center in Farmington Hills, a high end suburb about 25 miles from the downtown campus. This site, staffed by the faculty, provides full radiation services, full medical oncology services, limited surgical procedures and diagnostic imaging in a single award winning site. KCC is also constructing, via joint ventures, three other full service facilities in Rochester, Novi and Monroe Michigan.
THE TRAINING AND CLINICAL SETTING
Ten hospitals provide an outstanding range of clinical clerkship experiences in fulfillment of the learning objectives of the clerkships; 15 hospital training site offer sub internships in Year 4. Together, these inpatient training sites have inpatient beds of 5,484; annual admissions of approximately 300,115; annual emergency room visits of 838,887; and annual outpatient visits of 4,600,349. A patient population that is representative of the heterogeneous demographics of our community is treated at these facilities. These facilities and the patients provide an outstanding clinical educational experience.
Wayne State University Physician Group practice at 5 primary hospital systems; the Detroit Medical Center, the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center (described above), the Veterans Administration Hospital, with which the School of Medicine shares its downtown campus, and Oakwood Healthcare, Inc. and Crittenton Hospital Medical Center.
Detroit Medical Center
The Detroit Medical Center campus includes a 110-acre campus located in Midtown Detroit as well as three additional hospital sites in Southeast Michigan. Its hospitals include Children’s Hospital of Michigan; Detroit Receiving Hospital and University Health Center; Harper University Hospital; Huron Valley-Sinai Hospital; Hutzel Women’s Hospital; the Kresge Eye Institute; Michigan Orthopaedic Specialty Hospital; Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan; and Sinai-Grace Hospital. The system accounts for approximately 15 percent of the total inpatient days of the major hospitals in Southeast Michigan and approximately 22 percent of the total inpatient days within Wayne County. The WSU faculty physicians and its training programs provide approximately 80 percent of all patient care provided through DMC facilities.
Veterans Administration Hospital
The new John D. Dingell Veterans Administration Hospital is a 106-bed full service medical center that provides primary, secondary and tertiary care, with 45 research laboratories, and is located adjacent to the DMC. The VA hospital serves approximately 464,000 veterans in Wayne, Oakland, Macomb and St. Clair counties. It supports 74 resident FTEs and has an affiliation agreement with the School in support of patient care, teaching, and research to share delivery services, facilities, equipment, and other resources.
The VAMC Radiation Oncology Section occupies approximately ten thousand (10,000) square feet in the lower level of the Medical/Surgical portion of the building and has a Varian 2100 C/D linear accelerator with full IMRT capabilities as well as full simulation, treatment planning and redord and verify systems in place. The VAMC Radiation Oncology section is fully accredited by the American College of Radiation Oncology (ACRO) through March, 2010.
Oakwood Healthcare, Inc
Oakwood Healthcare, Inc. is a comprehensive regional network of hospitals, healthcare centers, skilled nursing centers and related healthcare facilities. Oakwood has a medical staff of more than 1,200 doctors, and provides service to more than 1.2 million people in 35 southeastern Michigan communities.
Crittenton Hospital Medical Center
Crittenton Hospital Medical Center provides health care service to the communities of Oakland, Macomb and Lapeer counties with its team of highly skilled specialists and primary care physicians.
METROPOLITAN DETROIT
Located in the very center of the Great Lakes Region, Metropolitan Detroit is characterized as an international community. It has a population of approximately 4.5 million people, ranking the region among the nation’s leading metro centers. The Metropolitan Detroit area, which sits along the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair, serves as a gateway to Canada. Detroit boasts the largest foreign trade zone in the nation in geographic terms as well as sheer volume of goods. A steadily growing economy promises the region a bright economic forecast. Detroit’s impressive skyline is testimony to the area’s enduring economic strength as one of the nation’s leading centers for manufacturing, trade and commerce.
Distinguished by its rich and colorful history, Detroit offers multiple museums and historical sites. A diverse medley of performing arts – symphony, opera, dance and theatre – maintain permanent companies in Downtown Detroit.
Sports fans will find action in every corner of Southeastern Michigan, from professional teams to the exciting Big Ten collegiate competition. Teams like the NBA Detroit Pistons and Women’s WNBA national champions Shock basketball, Lions football, Red Wings hockey and Tigers baseball combined with horse racing and hydroplane races on the Detroit River bring sports enthusiasts from everywhere.
All four seasons are distinguished by vivid colors and bring spectacular change in the landscape. Michigan’s state park system has nearly 100 national parks and recreational areas covering over 142 miles of Great Lakes frontage and 462 miles of inland lakes, rivers and streams. From the rolling terrain of Southern Michigan to the breathtaking scenery of Northern Michigan, the state is perhaps one of the most underrated golf destinations in the country. Whether it’s horseback riding, hiking, skiing, sailing, fishing, or golf, the Detroit region provides recreational opportunities for children and adults.
The Department of Radiation Oncology
The Department of Radiation Oncology is an integral part of the WSU School of Medicine and the Karmanos Cancer Center providing comprehensive cancer therapy and compassionate patient care in close collaboration with oncologists, surgeons, pathologists and other cancer specialists.
Staffed with 7 board certified radiation oncologists, the department services 5 treatment centers; Gershenson Radiation Oncology Center (ROC), Weisberg Cancer Treatment Center, Huron Valley Sinai Hospital, Sinai Grace Hospital and the John D. Dingell Veterans Administration Medical Center.
As academic physicians, they continually strive to advance the field of radiation oncology by working closely with researchers to translate new discoveries into diagnostic and treatment modalities.
The Radiation Oncology residency program has been fully accredited by the ACGME since 1973. Clinical rotations are team focused with residents assigned to physician faculty in specialty areas.
The Physics Division has traditionally been one of the premier groups in North America in terms of clinical development, research, and education. The Gershenson ROC has been a national leader in HDR brachytherapy, 3D conformal radiotherapy, fast neutron radiotherapy, intensity modulated radiotherapy, and image guided radiotherapy. We were one of the first two centers in the world to implement the Nucletron Microselectron HDR unit, among the first radiotherapy centers to implement 3D conformal radiotherapy, an early pioneer of the virtual simulation process, and have been a world leader in neutron radiotherapy. In the mid 1990’s, the first Gamma Knife in the state of Michigan was installed at WSU.
The Physics Division also boasts one of the nation’s largest and most prestigious medical physics graduate training programs. Along with UW-Madison, the WSU program was the first accredited medical physics graduate program in North America. Our medical physics residency program was also one of the first in North America and our graduate students and residents have been the recipient of numerous awards for excellence. Our continued commitment to excellence in medical physics training, research and clinical development helps us remain as one of the premier programs in the nation.
Research in Radiation Oncology includes formal programs in cancer biology, radiobiology and physics research and is integrally tied to the research program within the Karmanos Cancer Institute and WSU SOM.
THE POSITION
Overview and Reporting Relationships
The Chair of Radiation Oncology also serves as the Chief of Radiation Oncology for the Karmanos Cancer Center. The Chair is responsible for overall management of the Department, to include direct oversight of the financial and human resources of the Department, as well as ensuring that cutting edge research is conducted and that the highest quality of clinical service is delivered to patients. This physician executive, working closely with the Dean, the President and CEO of the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Center will play an instrumental role in strategic planning and implementation for the Department and have accountability for the department’s clinical service, its economic performance, and its growth. The Chair is a member of the Executive Committee of the Cancer Center and is expected to assume a significant role in the leadership of the center. The Chair of Radiation Oncology will promote and foster research, both basic science and clinical research and trials, oversee the continuing education of the department’s faculty and overall educational mission, and also serve as an important spokesperson for WSU’s radiation oncologic services and research at the local, regional and national level. The Chair will also work with the DMC to provide high quality care at their two radiation sites.
The Chair of Radiation Oncology will report to the Dean, WSU School of Medicine, and together with other department chairs, will play a significant role in helping the Dean maintain a commitment to academic leadership and continuing excellence in resident and student education.
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
• Establish credibility and respect with members of the Department, the Dean and other senior leadership within the WSU School of Medicine, as well as with senior management within the DMC and KCC as a leader, manager, clinician, academician and communicator.
• Articulate a vision and corresponding implementation plan for the Department of Radiation Oncology that will result in the Department being viewed nationally as a leader in cutting-edge clinical care, education and research. This will include:
- Developing a strategic assessment and implementation plan with members of the Department, linking it to the WSU School of Medicine’s strategic plan; further building capabilities in clinical care delivery and research.
- Evaluating the Department’s current organization and management, making appropriate changes that will result in improved performance and enhanced collaboration between Radiation Oncology, the cancer institute, and other departments within the medical school and the DMC.
- Developing a cohesive team among the Department’s faculty and staff by focusing faculty on the achievement of common goals; building morale by making each faculty member feel an important part of the Department with an atmosphere of openness, trust and accountability.
• Assess current and long-term recruiting needs; recruit additional highly qualified junior and mid-career faculty, as well as senior faculty with strong records in clinical care, research and/or education; nurture the ongoing professional development of the faculty.
• Develop a robust research program that builds upon existing research strengths in cancer. This will also include:
- Promoting interdisciplinary research.
- Evaluating space and equipment needs and making the necessary changes that support the appropriate allocation of space and resources, enhance research productivity and eliminate the unnecessary duplication of resources.
• Further strengthen undergraduate and graduate medical education. Efforts will include:
- Developing a forward-thinking educational program that provides balanced exposure in Radiation Oncology.
- Mentoring residents in research activities.
• Continue the growth of services in Radiation Oncology, seeking opportunities for increased volume and revenue. This will include:
- Working with the Dean and President of KCC to identify strategies for aggressive regional expansion,
- Collaborating with the senior leaders of KCC on the evaluation of current clinical operations in order to identify ways to efficiently meet current and anticipated clinical demand.
- Identifying ways to improve the Department’s responsiveness and turnaround times while maintaining quality.
• Play a prominent role in expanding clinical service to KCC and enhancing research in oncology.
- Working closely with KCC’s leadership, identify the resources required to meet KCC’s service, space and resource requirements.
- Provide Radiation Oncology support to the organ-based multidisciplinary teams within the KCC including support for tumor boards. Identify and recruit physicians with special interest and expertise in a system’s Radiation Oncology as part of the multidisciplinary team.
- Collaborate with basic and clinical researchers in translational research.
CANDIDATE QUALIFICATIONS
Education/Training
• M.D. degree from an accredited institution; physicians must be board certified in Radiation Oncology.
• Demonstrated leadership expertise in Radiation Oncology.
• Management education or training a plus.
Experience
The ideal candidate will have:
• Demonstrated success as a leader in a Department of Radiation Oncology, of an interdisciplinary institute, or of an academic entity of comparable size and scope.
• A reputation for building clinical excellence.
• Successful track record of recruitment and development of faculty, trainees and students.
• Reputation among peers and colleagues as an outstanding physician, scientist and administrative leader in Radiation Oncology.
• A national reputation for academic achievement through excellence in teaching and research, as demonstrated by publication in high impact journals and peer-reviewed research funding.
• A track record of political acumen and solid performance as a skilled manager with a demonstrated ability to grow revenues, meet budgets, assess clinical, economic and market performance, measure and improve outcomes and take appropriate business risks to achieve goals.
• The demonstrated ability to manage human relationships at all levels, and communicate broadly and effectively to all stakeholders.
• A track record of working collaboratively across clinical and research disciplines with administration.
Personal Characteristics
The Chair of Radiation Oncology will:
• Be an insightful leader who can establish an inspiring vision for the Department’s future and who is committed to growing and developing staff and achieving prestige through the success of the Department and its members.
• Have outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, along with the ability to work effectively with all levels of the medical and administrative staff and to identify and align key stakeholders to his/her cause.
• Be a consensus builder with a collaborative, partnering style who engenders trust and enthusiasm in others and can channel that energy to the accomplishment of the Department’s goals and objectives.
• Be both business and politically savvy and able to work successfully within a matrixed environment.
• Be decisive, hold people accountable while promoting a team philosophy, and have the courage to make the necessary, yet perhaps unpopular, decisions. Have a commitment to achieving goals while establishing a culture of responsibility and fairness.
• Demonstrate commitment to excellence in the delivery of quality services to health system partners.
• Exude self-confidence without arrogance and have an assertive approach to building relationships throughout the WSU School of Medicine and the DMC, as well as with physicians within the community.
• Bring real energy and enthusiasm to relationship building, be approachable and have a positive, upbeat demeanor.
• Be a strategic thinker with a vision of how to best develop and deliver Radiation Oncology services while keeping an eye on details; possess an entrepreneurial orientation, identifying opportunities for growth and enrichment of the department.
• Be proactive, persistent, focused on achieving results and can keep the division focused on the objectives when day-to-day issues might cloud the big picture.
• Demonstrate a credible commitment to the missions of WSU School of Medicine and hospital partners.
• Recognize and support the need for outstanding world-class research including basic, translational and clinical research, have a reputation for attracting strong clinicians and scientists and ability to request resources and support.