Provincial Health Services Authority

Physician Medical Microbiologist

BC Centre for Disease Control – Public Health Laboratory

Full-Time (1.0 FTE)

Vancouver, BC, Canada

Reporting to the Medical Director of the BC Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory (BCCDC PHL), the Medical Microbiologist carries out responsibilities related to the continuous quality improvement of client and population care, infection control, public health outbreak surveillance and response, technological innovation, education, and applied research, in accordance with professional standards, practice guidelines, and the codes of ethics for health care professionals.

The Medical Microbiology specializes in disease screening, detection, monitoring, and surveillance across the prevention, care, and treatment continuum. The role works with Medical Health Officers, Environmental Health Officers and other public health care providers, sharing with them the responsibility for the health of their clients and communities, particularly in the context of surveillance, threat anticipation, detection, and outbreak response.

Specific Accountabilities

• Provide consultative services and advice on many issues relating to their area of responsibility to clients including: Medical Health Officers, Environmental Health Officers, Drinking Water Officers, Public Health Nurses, epidemiologists, other microbiologists, infectious disease physicians, and other health care providers.
• Provide leadership in support of public health staff in all health regions, other BCCDC staff, clinicians, and other health care providers throughout the province. Consultation is provided on all aspects of public health and reference microbiology. When outbreaks or clusters of communicable diseases are detected, the time and intensity of leadership, consultation, response and management, increases markedly.
• Provide leadership and work closely with technical/administrative leaders, of their assigned laboratory programs. Role is responsible for all areas of laboratory practice in their area (pre-examination, examination, post-examination).
• Provide leadership related to value-added-services, including utilization management, which samples are accepted, how they are collected and transported to the laboratory, which tests are to be performed, how the results are to be interpreted, and what final report is to be submitted to the ordering physician or health care provider.
• Provide professional consultation, leadership, and evidence-based advice to provincial committees, the Ministry of Health, Provincial Health Services Authority agencies, health regions, including the Yukon, and other stakeholders as appropriate to support the development of evidence-based public health policy.
• Embrace organizational change, improvement initiatives, and resource allocations focused on business and process excellence. Supports the development of strategies, guidelines, and policies to ensure cost effective and appropriate test utilization.
• Function as a team made up of clinical microbiologists, supervisors, scientists, managers, team lead, technologists, laboratory assistants, with each member of the team contributing to the quality of testing for every sample.
• Teach and lead public health related research/development activities under the guidance of the Department Head for promotion but rely on BCCDC PHL for career development, and direction. Clinical faculty are evaluated for promotion through the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine clinical faculty team.

Qualifications 

This position requires a Doctor of Medicine and license or be eligible for licensure with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of the Province of British Columbia, certification in Medical Microbiology as a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians in Canada or equivalent, and eligibility for partnership affiliation at an appropriate rank with the University of British Columbia Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.

The Medical Microbiologist should demonstrate:

• Strong leadership, organizational skills, interpersonal and public speaking skills.
• Skills in issue identification and conflict management along with strategic and clinical planning abilities
• Evidence of innovative, creative, and critical thinking
• An ability to manage and lead in a complex environment.
• An ability to analyze complex issues, develop and implement plans to resolve issues using facilitation, consensus building and leadership skills.
• Exceptional communication abilities with people at all levels of the organization as well as the ability to work effectively with multi-disciplinary teams.

Working knowledge of budgeting, financial and management processes related to clinical administration including working with physician agreements and medical practice requirements is considered an asset.

Applications, accompanied by a cover letter, detailed curriculum vitae, and the name, title, rank and contact information of four references, should be directed to:

Kevin P.W. Wang

Advisor, Talent Acquisition – Physician Recruitment

Email: physicianrecruitment@phsa.ca

About Provincial Health Services Authority 

The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) is dedicated to preventing and controlling communicable diseases and promoting environmental health for the province of BC.

BCCDC is part of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA).

The Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include: Respect people – Be compassionate – Dare to innovate – Cultivate partnerships – Serve with purpose. Learn more about PHSA and our programs: jobs.phsa.ca/programs-and-services

PHSA and BCCDC are committed to employment equity, encouraging all qualified individuals to apply. We recognize that our ability to provide the best care for our diverse patient populations relies on a rich diversity of skills, knowledge, background and experience, and value a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment.

Reconciliation is an ongoing process and a shared responsibility for all of us. The BC Governments’ unanimous passage of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act was a significant step forward in this journey—one that all health authorities are expected to support as we work in cooperation with Indigenous Peoples to establish a clear and sustainable path to lasting reconciliation. True reconciliation will take time and ongoing commitment to work with Indigenous Peoples as they move toward self-determination. Guiding these efforts Crown agencies must remain focused on creating opportunities that implement the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Mandate.