Division Director, Pediatric Nephrology

The Department of Pediatrics at Children’s Mercy Kansas City is seeking a creative and scholarly leader to serve as Division Director of Pediatric Nephrology. This individual will lead an elite team of clinicians, researchers and educators who together comprise a program widely recognized as one of the premier Divisions of Pediatric Nephrology in the nation. The successful candidate will bring to Kansas City their vision for advancing the field of pediatric nephrology and enhancing a US News and World Report-recognized Top Ten Best Pediatric Nephrology program for the past 12 consecutive years.

The Division includes a large outpatient clinical service with more than 8,000 visits annually including specialty clinics in hypertension, bone/mineral disorders and genetic disorders in addition to a nationally recognized end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) program that includes home hemodialysis, and a transplant program with one of the nation’s best graft survival rates.

Additional noteworthy clinical components of the Division include an active acute kidney injury program co-led by Nephrology and Critical Care Medicine, and a collaborative transition program with nephrologists at our affiliated adult hospitals. Our team of providers includes eleven nephrology faculty members with academic appointments at the University of Missouri-Kansas City School of Medicine (UMKC) or the University of Kansas (KU) School of Medicine - Wichita, three dietitians, two social workers, a psychologist, six transplant coordinators, six nurse practitioners, three research nurses, a child life specialist and nursing personnel in clinic and dialysis with 100% effort dedicated to Nephrology. Our clinical footprint and referral base are expanded by a fully staffed outpatient clinic, pediatric dialysis unit and inpatient consultative service in Wichita, Kansas, and a satellite clinic in Joplin, Missouri.

The Division has a long-standing ACGME approved pediatric nephrology fellowship program and a robust research portfolio with basic, translational and clinical research initiatives supported by both internal and external (e.g., industry, NIH) funding. Research in the areas of chronic kidney disease/ESKD, bone/mineral disorders, kidney stones, nephrotic syndrome, quality improvement and genetics are supported by a pediatric nephrology research laboratory located in the 375,000 sq ft Children’s Mercy Research Institute. The Division is a long-standing leader in multicenter research studies and professional activities, with Division members serving lead roles in CKiD, SCOPE, NAPRTCS, PNRC, IPNA, NKF and ASPN.

The foremost qualities necessary for this position are vision for the field of pediatric nephrology and a strong record of academic achievement. Other desired characteristics include a demonstrated commitment to developing young clinicians into future leaders in pediatrics, knowledge of academic infrastructure and finances, experience in renal transplant medicine, successful collaborations with hospital and medical partners and dedication to a team culture of accountability and professionalism. The Nephrology Division Director reports to the Chair of Pediatrics. 

About Children’s Mercy

Children’s Mercy (CM) is a nationally recognized, free-standing children’s hospital founded in 1897 to provide care for the children of Kansas City. The primary service area of CM now encompasses 150 counties in Missouri and Kansas. As an independent children’s hospital, CM offers comprehensive pediatric-related specialty care across nine clinical Departments and Centers. In FY2023, CM conducted almost 600,000 total visits, over 200,000 emergency and urgent care visits, and nearly 20,000 surgical cases. CM is also one of only ten centers in the nation verified as a Level 1 Children’s Surgery Center by the American College of Surgeons and the only pediatric Level I Trauma Center in the region. CM is currently ranked by U.S. News & World Report in the top 50 in nine out of ten assessed pediatric subspecialties. CM has nearly 800 doctors in more than 40 subspecialties caring for children of all ages, from routine checkups to quaternary care. We enthusiastically complement our nationally-ranked clinical care with robust community support programs that keep kids safe and healthy.

Education

Education is a core activity at Children’s Mercy. CM provides education opportunities to nursing students, medical students, psychology interns, residents and fellows. In total, CM supports over 1,400 learners annually with accredited residencies in pediatrics, med/peds, child neurology, pediatric dentistry, pediatric optometry and pharmacy. CM is the site for pediatric clerkships for both UMKC and KU medical students. If capacity allows, CM eagerly provides elective rotations and sub-internships to students from any accredited allopathic or osteopathic medical school. CM offers more than 40 fellowship programs across numerous areas and is committed to developing the next generation of subspecialists. Certificate and master’s programs are operated in conjunction with our academic partners, KU and UMKC.

Research

Children’s Mercy is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children through engagement in world-class, collaborative research. Through the generosity of large philanthropic gifts, CM constructed a nine story, 375,000 square foot facility providing state-of-the-art technology in a building with ample dry and wet lab space. In addition, these generous gifts are enhancing scientific programs and supporting targeted recruitment. Research conducted today includes basic, translational and clinical research across many pediatric subspecialties. Areas of research strength include Precision Therapeutics, Genomic Medicine, Population Health, Innovations in Health Care Delivery and Emerging Pathogens. The CMRI provides core resources and support for CM faculty, from research topic development through grant management and trial coordination. CM recently renewed its T32 training grant in Clinical Pharmacology, having trained 24 post-doctoral fellows, most of whom have competed successfully for extramural funding for their research programs. Children’s Mercy is the pediatric partner for the NCI-designated KU Comprehensive Cancer Center and has been instrumental in the Frontiers Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) at KU since the CTSI’s inception. This regional CTSI program comprises four universities (including three medical schools) and three health systems on both sides of the Missouri-Kansas state line. CM faculty members have been extremely successful obtaining  KL2 and pilot grant funding, and our faculty have leadership roles at Frontiers. Furthermore, Frontiers has an inclusive administrative structure in which leadership of cores and functions is shared by investigators at CM and KU, providing additional opportunities for faculty to become actively engaged in clinical and translational research.

 About Kansas City:

Situated in both Missouri and Kansas, the Kansas City Metropolitan Area is an affordable and comfortable place to live and raise a family. The metro’s anchor city, Kansas City, Missouri, is the largest city in Missouri and has many great museums, a busy downtown, multiple professional sports franchises, an exciting music scene and many charming neighborhoods. Throughout the Metro area, you will find highly ranked public schools, great parks and other green spaces, and lots of amazing people. Kansas City is large enough to provide the amenities of a metropolitan area, while small enough to allow for easy commutes, accessible amenities and a very high quality of life.

Ideal Qualifications and Experience

• MD or equivalent and board certification in Pediatric Nephrology
• Current academic rank of Associate Professor or Professor
• A strong record of clinical and academic achievement
• Demonstrated success in advancing medical education, patient care and research
• A commitment to our true north pillars: quality and safety, people, patient experience, delivery and stewardship
• Dedication to our values of kindness, curiosity, inclusion, team and integrity
• Experience integrating clinical, educational and research missions
• Enthusiasm for fostering and supporting programs that address diversity, equity and inclusion
• Experience with or a desire to learn and utilize LEAN methodologies
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability and commitment to collaborate with leadership at partner institutions

Nominations and Applications (cover letter and curriculum vitae) should be submitted by e-mail to the Search Committee Chairs Dr. Rebecca Johnson and Dr. John Daniel.

rejohnson@cmh.edu

jmdaniel@cmh.edu

Or submit to physicianjobs@cmh.edu.

All materials will be treated as confidential.

Children’s Mercy Kansas City is an independent, non-profit, 390-bed pediatric health system, providing over half a million patient encounters each year for children from across the country. Children’s Mercy is ranked by U.S. News & World Report in nine specialties. We have received Magnet® recognition five times for excellence in nursing services. In affiliation with the University of Missouri-Kansas City and the university of Kansas School of Medicine, our faculty of more than 800 pediatric specialists and researchers is actively involved in clinical care, pediatric research and educating the next generation of pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists. 

The Children’s Mercy Research Institute (CMRI) integrates research and clinical care with nationally recognized expertise in genomic medicine, precision therapeutics, population health and health care innovation. In 2021 the CMRI moved into a nine story, 375,000 square foot space emphasizing a translational approach to research in which clinicians and researchers work together to accelerate the pace of discovery that enhances care. We invite you to visit Children’s Mercy Hospital virtually at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtlXT3xK-bI

Kansas City is a thriving cultural and economic city with more than 2 million residents. Our city’s long list of attractions includes world class museums, a vibrant arts scene, professional sports, superb shopping, great jazz clubs, and the best places to enjoy barbeque! The city offers low cost-of-living, excellent commute times, and a vibrant downtown, eight-block dining, entertainment and shopping district.  Kansas City offers excellent opportunities for both public and private school venues and is home to several colleges and universities. It’s a community with a heart – friendly, easy-going and forward-thinking – a great place to live and pursue a career. For more information about activities in Kansas City go to www.visitkc.com

 For more information about Children’s Mercy Kansas City and about Kansas City itself, visit childrensmercy.org/careers/take-your-place/

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