Description

Thomas Jefferson University seeks a collaborative and visionary physician leader to serve as the next Chair of the Department of Surgery at Sidney Kimmel Medical College, located on the University’s 13-acre campus in Center City Philadelphia.

Reporting to the Dean of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, the Chair will uphold the Department’s legacy of innovation and excellence in education and clinical care at Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals. The Chair will shape Surgery into a unified and integrated model of care across Thomas Jefferson University Hospitals.

In addition, the successful candidate will play a key strategic role in leading the Clinical Care Collaborative for Surgery within the University’s health system partner – Jefferson Health.

Jefferson Health is a network of 32 hospitals, comprised of both employed and independent physician practices contractually-aligned with Jefferson. In line with Jefferson’s commitment to providing enhanced access to value-based care, the Chair will pursue strategic opportunities to effectively scale the value proposition of a growing system, while ensuring the delivery of high-quality care, aligned with network standards and expected by Jefferson patients.

The Department of Surgery at Sidney Kimmel Medical College
Sidney Kimmel Medical College (chartered in 1824 as the Jefferson Medical College) is the fifth-oldest medical school in the United States and has more living graduates than any other medical school in the United States. In 1825, Jefferson established its Department of Surgery and became the first medical college in the country to establish a clinic for combined patient care and formal education. By 1877, the clinic had become the 125-bed Jefferson Medical College Hospital, the second hospital in the United States to be directly associated with a medical school.

Jefferson’s Department of Surgery is one of the most storied surgical programs in the United States with a legacy of renowned department chairs responsible for a number of historical firsts. In 1846, Dr. Thomas Dent Mütter, an early Chair of Surgery, performed the first operation using ether anesthesia in the region, paving the way for pain-free surgeries. Dr. Samuel D. Gross, who was the department chair from 1856–1882, revolutionized surgical education and authored the definitive textbook A System of Surgery. Gross is often referred to as the "Father of American Surgery." In 1953, Dr. John H. Gibbon Jr., who also served as Chair of Surgery, invented the heart-lung machine at Jefferson, making the world’s first successful open-heart operation possible.

Today, Jefferson’s Department of Surgery consists of 75 full-time clinical faculty, with a complement of 48 residents and 7 fellows, as well as 45 APCs and a staff of nearly 60 individuals spanning across multiple hospitals and numerous outpatient clinics. The Department of Surgery includes 11 Divisions, including Acute Care Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, General Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, Plastic Surgery, Surgical Oncology, Surgical Research, Thoracic and Esophageal Surgery, Transplant Surgery, Vascular & Endovascular Surgery, and Vascular Medicine, as well as the three sections of Breast Surgery, Bariatric and Minimally Invasive Surgery, and Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery.

Residents work alongside faculty in a variety of clinical settings, including a large urban academic hospital (TJUH), a Jefferson-affiliated pediatric hospital (Nemours), 2 Jefferson community hospitals (Methodist and Washington Township), 1 non-Jefferson community hospital (Bryn Mawr), and several outpatient locations including Jefferson’s new 19-story Honickman Center. The majority of faculty have completed fellowship training, and many are nationally and internationally known as thought leaders in their specialties.

Jefferson Surgery is known for its collegial atmosphere, and the faculty take great pride in preparing each trainee for their next step, whether that be fellowship training or, very rarely, directly to private practice.

The Role of Department Chair
The Chair leads the research, clinical care, and education programs of the Department of Surgery. The Chair is responsible for the Department’s operational and financial performance, including strategic planning, budget and resource management, and the recruitment and development of faculty and clinicians.

Reporting to the Dean of Sidney Kimmel Medical College, who also serves as the President of the College’s faculty practice plan – Jefferson University Physicians (JUP), the Chair’s areas of responsibility and specific duties are as follows:

SKMC Department Leadership   

• Work with SKMC, Jefferson Health, and Jefferson Medical Group leadership teams to shape the Department’s strategic direction and operational imperatives accordingly. Develop a comprehensive departmental strategic plan with clearly defined priorities aligned with SKMC’s overall goals. On a regular basis, communicate goals, plans, and activities to other SKMC departments.
• Oversee the department’s clinical faculty and direct provider assignments to ensure appropriate coverage of clinical needs at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and affiliated sites of care.
• Serve on the Dean’s Executive Council and other SKMC, TJU, and Jefferson Health committees, as requested by the Dean of SKMC and, where appropriate, the President of Jefferson Health.

Education & Training

• Promote discovery and seek innovative ways to further support trainee learning. Support Program Directors in the potential expansion of residency partner sites and potential development of new subspecialty fellowships.
• Oversee the Department’s academic programs, including resident and fellow recruitment and selection. Conduct all necessary and appropriate administrative activities with respect to the Department, TJUH, and other sites in connection with the education and clinical training of residents and fellows.
• Oversee faculty teaching assignments and the Department’s participation in the undergraduate medical education program of SKMC. Ensure appropriate academic curricula and evaluate the need for new courses and programs. Ensure all Department educational activities are student-centered.
• Ensure accreditation activities, program reviews, and other education-related evaluations occur appropriately. Ensure compliance with LCME and ACGME accreditation requirements.

Research

• Expand the Department’s clinical research program. Foster opportunities for impactful clinical research and closely integrated translational collaborations between clinicians and scientists, with other SKMC departments and the University’s research centers and institutes.
• Expand clinical trial opportunities to patients across Jefferson’s growing clinical footprint.
• Facilitate research development of trainees and early-career faculty through one-on-one mentorship. Maintain an infrastructure and resources to support extramural grant activity and the acquisition of new funding.
• Promote the Department’s research activities, including upcoming research presentations, new publications, and recent diagnostic and therapeutic advances.
• Provide oversight of the Department’s research portfolio. Identify, monitor, and report on the quality of faculty research. Maintain records of accomplishments.

People

• Maintain an engaged, connected, and supportive department culture. Continually communicate department direction and generate support during times of change. Provide regular feedback to faculty and staff, including recognition, coaching, and counseling.
• Support the well-being, continued development, and professional growth of faculty and staff, including leadership development opportunities for faculty. Oversee the Department’s CME activities. Ensure the provision of resources that support and stimulate faculty productivity in educational and research activities.
• Advance the Department’s efforts in facilitating an inclusive environment. Ensure there are practices in place to facilitate fair practices in hiring, promotion, and compensation within the department.
• Maintain and execute faculty recruitment plans. Ensure recruitment practices reach and attract top talent, selection processes follow University policy, and hires are made in a timely and fiscally responsible manner.
• Conduct annual performance reviews; establish and communicate expectations and goals.

Financial Operations

• Manage revenue-generating activities and make sound financial decisions aligned with the Department’s strategic priorities to ensure the Department remains financially self-supported and fiscally sustainable.
• Review Department budgets and actively participate in the annual budget process. Ensure allowable expenditures for resources and equipment are within budget and appropriately allocated. Establish and maintain sound management and business discipline for the Department, with accountability for performance in line with SKMC’s mission-based budgeting methodology.
• Collaborate with Institutional Advancement partners to improve financial resources through philanthropy.

Requirements

Qualifications

• A clinically active physician leader in the field of Surgery, supported by a track record of successfully securing external funding in support of impactful research and an outstanding record of scholarly contributions which merits appointment at the rank of associate or full professor at Sidney Kimmel Medical College.
• An administrative leader with an academic career trajectory showing increasing levels of administrative responsibilities, ideally culminating in serving as Chair, Vice Chair, or Division Chief for a department of Surgery. A proven record of success in advancing departmental goals and initiatives, including a demonstrated capacity to support the growth and well-being of faculty, clinicians, and trainees – including the development and mentorship of junior faculty.
• Fiscal management experience overseeing complex budgets and allocating resources efficiently to support strategic priorities.
• A demonstrated commitment to implementing equitable practices and fostering inclusive communities in all aspects of the Department’s mission – including the recruitment and career advancement of faculty, as well as patient care initiatives.
• An MD, DO, or MD/PhD degree, current board certification in Surgery, and licensed/eligible to practice in the state of Pennsylvania.

Key Competencies & Attributes

• This position requires a leader with empathy, vision, and drive, as well as a combination of organizational leadership skills and the interpersonal ability to lead and inspire excellence. The desired qualifications and experience of an ideal Chair include the following:
• A proven ability to foster and sustain collaborative relationships across departments, centers, institutions, and external partners. An effective leader of multidisciplinary teams within an academic community, which includes consensus building, transparency, and candid communication.
• A proven ability to develop and expand innovative clinical programs and enhance access to services. A physician leader capable of advancing academic achievement, expanding scholarship, and supporting strategic investment in faculty and their research (clinical and translational), who has a working understanding of the infrastructure and staff required to support clinical trials.
• A demonstrated commitment to clinical excellence, including the maintenance of care standards to ensure quality of care and patient safety.

Procedure for Candidacy
For full consideration, applicants should submit a Statement of Interest (see guidance below) and detailed curriculum vitae to: Katie McFadden at [email protected] by August 23,2026. Confidential inquiries, expressions of interest, and nominations can be submitted to the same address. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

In their Statement of Interest, applicants should highlight their academic and clinical leadership experience and accomplishments and are encouraged to specifically address how they’ve contributed to:

•  Strategically enhance and optimize access to meet the evolving needs of patients and communities.
• Emphasize interdisciplinary research collaborations and grow research congruent with a vibrant clinical strategy, e.g., expanding clinical trial opportunities by leveraging a significantly expanded clinical and community footprint.
• Fostering equitable practices and building inclusive communities; ensuring health equity.
• Standardization of clinical care and other efforts to ensure patient safety and consistency in the delivery of high-quality care.
• Innovative and strategic ways to support, develop, and recruit faculty and clinicians in response to the challenges facing academic Surgery.
• Enhancing educational quality and innovation in Surgery.

Thomas Jefferson University and Hospitals is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Jefferson values diversity and encourages applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds, including but not limited to women, members of minority groups, LGBTQ individuals, individuals with disabilities, and veterans.