Senior Medical Officer - Paediatrics & Child Health

Department: Paediatrics & Child Health

Entity: Aga Khan University Hospital

Location: Karachi, Pakistan

Introduction:

The Aga Khan University Hospital is a not-for-profit healthcare institute that offers all medical services to their patients under one roof. In addition to the tertiary care hospital in Karachi, AKUH has a network of 4 secondary care hospitals, 30+ Medical Centres, and over 290+ Clinical Laboratories, 30+ Pharmacies in over 120+ cities across Pakistan. It also offers Home Healthcare Services and home deliveries of medicines. The Hospital provides Zakat for those patients who are eligible, and the health systems offers generous Patient Welfare to support those in financial need. In recognition of its high quality and patient safety, the AKUH is accredited by the Joint Commission International (JCI) as an Academic Medical Centre and its Clinical Laboratories are accredited by the College of American Pathologists (CAP) for fast and accurate testing.

The Department of Paediatrics and Child Health is committed to providing state-of-the art clinical service to children. The section on Neonatology is one of the largest in the Department of Pediatrics in terms of the overall number of admissions. Our responsibilities extend beyond the well-baby and delivery room to the NICU, Attending high-risk deliveries in the Labor room, Operation theaters, evaluation of sick neonates in the ER, Step-down unit, neonatal transport, and antenatal counseling. We are also actively involved in helping our colleagues manage babies in AKHW sites in Kharadar, Karimabad, Garden and Hyderabad. and we also offer teleconsultations to our colleagues across Pakistan in addition to the academic commitments and research initiatives.

Our NICU is one of the largest and most advanced NICU’s of Pakistan. We are a 24-bed state-of-the-art level 3 NICU equipped and staffed with all the modern equipment necessary to provide safe and multidisciplinary care to the sickest and tiniest babies. Our hospital has a very active maternal-fetal medicine unit that caters to high-risk mothers and babies. We deliver approx. 6000 deliveries each year and our NICU on average admits’ around 1200 babies in a year.

As an equal opportunity employer, AKU believes in promoting a diverse and inclusive culture and is committed to adopting appropriate standards for safeguarding and promoting a respectful relationship with and between diverse workforce of its faculty, staff, trainees, volunteers, beneficiaries, wider communities, and other stakeholders with whom it works, including children and vulnerable adults and expects all employees/trainees and partners to share this commitment.

Responsibilities:

You will be expected to support patient care in the neonatal areas by conducting appropriate assessments and diagnosis and providing general medical treatment as per protocols. You will be responsible to:

- Deliver safe and effective care to neonates in NICU , Step down unit , and other neonatal areas.

- Deliver superior patient care by conducting thorough assessments, diagnoses, and general medical treatments in adherence to ethical guidelines and defined protocols.

- Facilitate timely assessment, reassessment, and discharge planning for patients.

- Administer correct medications and treatments as per the primary attending physician's recommendations.

- Provide appropriate patient and family counselling pertaining to healthcare needs.

- Complete necessary documentation and accurate and timely record-keeping by completing relevant forms.

- Coordinate with medical staff and work under the guidance of on-call consultants to ensure patients receive care in accordance with established

- policies and protocols.

- Train unit staff in providing effective medical care and safe patient handling.

- Coordinate patient care rounds to ensure seamless coordination and continuity of care.

- Stay updated on clinical practice guidelines, pathways, and hospital protocols to ensure high-quality patient care.

- Remain vigilant about adherence to quality and infection control policies and practices during clinical practice.

- Actively engage in departmental activities related to education and quality improvement.

Requirements

You should have:

- An MBBS degree with MCPS or FCPS in pediatrics. Training and experience in Neonatology will be preferred.

- A valid certification in Basic Life Support (BLS) and a valid license from Pakistan Medical Council (PMC).

- At least five years of post-MBBS experience or three years of post-MCPS experience, preferably completed structured residency/Fellowship training in Paediatrics and Neonatology.

- Ability to effectively work independently as well as with teams and cope-up with pressure on different rotations/shifts.

- Excellent interpersonal skills, particularly communication skills

- .Ability to deal with neonatal emergencies and Skilled in neonatal procedures like intubations, Umbilical lines and chest tube insertion etc.

- Willingness to work in shifts.

Note: Comprehensive employment reference checks will be conducted. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.