EMERGENCY is an independent and neutral international organisation founded in 1994 to provide free, high-quality medical and surgical care to victims of war, landmines and poverty.

EMERGENCY promotes a culture of peace, solidarity and respect for human rights. We work in a sustainable way: building healthcare facilities, training local personnel, and conducting search and rescue missions in the Mediterranean Sea.

TYPE OF CONTRACT: fixed term contract (6 months), which includes a monthly salary, travel expenses, board and lodgings, insurance cover (liability, health and accident insurance), a period of paid leave to be taken at the end of the mission.

The Cardiac Surgeon is capable of an autonomous management of surgical patients with Acquired or Congenital Heart Disease.

BACKGROUND AND ORGANISATION OF WORK

The Cardiac Surgeon will work as part of a team of international specialists – experts or in training – organising and directing the training of the local medical and health care staff in his/her area of responsibility, in collaboration with the surgeons and the Medical Coordinator who is in charge of the management and organisation of the project.

Cardiac surgical activity requires the direct involvement of other professional figures – from the medical, clinical services and nursing areas – in the process of diagnosing and treating patients.

The international Cardiac Surgeon will work in Operating Theatres as first or second surgeon: the distribution of the various tasks will be decided on the basis of individual skills and expertise. The Salam Centre has the capacity to carry out up to 5-6 operations per day, as well as managing possible hospital emergencies.

The workload is distributed in such a way as to guarantee patient care 24/7, in shifts which may vary according to the clinical needs and organisational set-up of the centre. On-call will include nights and holidays.

DUTIES AND REPONSIBILITIES

All EMERGENCY international personnel are expected to know and follow the hospital admissions criteria, guidelines, protocols, and the diagnosis and treatment standards in use in the Centre, and to ensure the correct compilation of clinical records and statistics in both computer and paper formats.

The main duties and responsibilities of the international Cardiac Surgeon are:

• decision-making regarding proposed treatment options, in discussion with the cardiologists and the cardiac anaesthetists;
• management of surgical procedures;
• management of surgery-related activity in the Centre: patient and family consultation, dressings, drains…;
• assisting in clinical research and record keeping as required by the scientific programmes of the specialist sector of the Medical Division of EMERGENCY.

In the post-operative period you will work in close collaboration with the cardiac anaesthetists responsible for Intensive Care, and with the cardiologists for patients on the ward or in the High Dependency Unit.

MANAGEMENT AND TRAINING OF LOCAL PERSONNEL

Clinical activities and patient care are always carried out alongside and in collaboration with local personnel, who thus benefit from training in the field. There is also provision for more specific teaching activities, managed by the international specialists, in accordance with the clinical protocols in use and as agreed with the Medical Coordinator.

SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

• Medical degree, and current professional registration on the medical register of your Country of residence;
• specialisation in Cardiac Surgery with at least 5 years’ relevant professional experience as first surgeon;
• second surgeons with a good level of technical autonomy in the pre and post-bypass stages are also required.

In order to proceed with the selection process, the following documentation must be produced in addition to the CV:

– surgical case history signed by the Hospital Health Management or Institute where you work, from the beginning of your career to the current date

– certificates of hospital positions held since the beginning of your career, related to clinical and non-academic activity

REQUIRED AVAILABILITY

6 months’ overseas stay including a period of leave to be taken at the end of the mission in agreement with the coordinator.