How to Find A Chief of Hospital Medicine Position

<P>Chief of hospital medicine jobs are generally front-line leadership positions within hospitals. The positions and duties may vary from hospital to hospital depending on the needs of each particular place, but first and foremost, the chief is a doctor.  The specialty of the chief can vary, though all tend to be hospitalists, or a physician that has a general medical focus and treats hospitalized patients, for some length of time. </P> <P>These physicians are the doctors who run seminars and trainings for the public, families of patients and for medical students.  At times, a hospital will host a symposium and then presentations and workshops would be for other local, regional, national or international doctors. They are doing this in addition to their patient care, which is the first priority, of course.</P> <P>Due to the variety of the position, the chief of hospital medicine description can be defined differently.  This makes a one-size fits all or even a succinct definition a challenge. A chief of hospital medicine may be in charge of one section of the hospital or of one specialty, such as internal medicine. Some doctors roles include more than one title of chief.  For example, a doctor at UCSF Medical Center currently holds two chief of hospital medicine positions at the same time.  </P> <P>The best chief of hospital medicine description defines that person as a hospitalist that does the paperwork activities such as admission information and discharge orders for thepatients. The chief of hospital medicine diagnoses new health-related issues and provides treatment for the ongoing issues. (S)he communicates with the patients primary care physician upon admission and if a treatment plan has a change in it. Also, chief of hospital medicine education of the patient begins with the admission process and continues throughout the duration of the stay in the hospital.</P> <P>This sounds like a typical doctor and not what you would envision from a chief position, but this is how a chief of hospital medicine spends his/her time.  Basically, many of the doctors on staff at a hospital could, and possibly do, hold the title of chief of hospital medicine.  </P> <P>The inference of administrative duties is easy to do given the chief title.  In some hospitals they may have a rotation among the hospitalists as to who is the chief for a length of time; a week or two. This person may have additional on call duties during that time.  In a larger hospital, there may be chief of medicine in certain specialties, like a chief of internal medicine or if there is a research section or other division there may be a single head or chief in that division responsible for paperwork and even in some cases scheduling, or public awareness and meetings,</P> <P>So with that amorphous definition what type of education would you need to have to secure one of those chief of hospital medicine jobs? That is about as definitive as the broad definition.  For a chief of hospital medicine education can be varied.  First, the basic medical training from medical school is needed, but from there residencies in any number of programs, such as cardiovascular disease or adolescent medicine, can be in their background.  </P> <P>Chief of hospital medicine jobs are also known as hospitalists and can have a varied educational background and specialties. Physicians in this role can provide education to other doctors, medical students and especially to their patients as they care for them in the hospital. Becoming the point person for communication with primary care doctors is also an important aspect of this position.  All and all the chief of hospital medicine is an important position in a hospital.</P>