Medical Director for Neonatology at UMH-Sparrow

 For inquiries, contact Karl Desch, MD, Associate Professor of Pediatrics, at kdesch@med.umich.edu or 734-763-4109.

Key Responsibilities

Clinical Care

• Provide clinical care in a 35-bed Level III NICU and a 12-bed Special Care Nursery
• NICU manages 700?800 admissions annually and delivers high-acuity care including:
• High-frequency ventilation (HFOV and HFJV)
• Inhaled nitric oxide
• Therapeutic hypothermia
• Advanced ventilatory support (e.g., NAVA)

• Care for complex neonatal patients, including extremely preterm infants and surgical/subspecialty cases
  Lead delivery room resuscitations and advanced airway management

   

   

Leadership & Operations

• Provide on-site medical leadership for the NICU
• Lead and develop the physician and APP team, setting expectations for clinical excellence, professionalism, and accountability
• Foster a collaborative, high-functioning culture during ongoing organizational change
• Partner as a core member of the interprofessional NICU leadership team
• Support recruitment, onboarding, scheduling, and retention of clinicians
• Lead local quality improvement and patient safety efforts and monitor performance metrics
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System Integration

• Serve as the primary liaison between the NICU and the broader health system
• Align local clinical practices, guidelines, and workflows with system standards in collaboration with Michigan Medicine
• Support implementation of transfer, triage, and regional care pathways

• Partner with OB/MFM and referring providers to optimize perinatal care coordination

   

   

Academic & Educational Role

• Participate in academic conferences and QI initiatives with Michigan Medicine
•  Serve as an educator and mentor for pediatric residents and NNP students

Required Qualifications
 

• MD or DO with board certification in Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine

• Minimum 5 years of clinical experience in a Level III or IV NICU

  • Demonstrated expertise in advanced neonatal care, including:

    • FOV, HFJV, NAVA

       

    • Neonatal transport

      • Therapeutic hypothermia

        • Experience caring for extremely preterm infants (22?23 weeks gestation)

          • Proficiency in delivery room leadership and advanced resuscitation; NRP certification required (instructor preferred)

          • Demonstrated ability to lead clinical teams and set expectations for performance and accountability

             

             

• Experience with quality improvement and patient safety initiatives 

Academic Affiliation

Includes a faculty appointment at the University of Michigan, with rank based on experience. Participation in teaching, quality improvement, and statewide collaboration is expected.

Ideal Candidates

• Prior leadership experience (e.g., Medical Director, Associate Medical Director, or similar role)

• Experience working within an integrated or multi-site health system

• Demonstrated ability to lead through change and support team engagement during transition

• Experience in teaching and mentoring trainees in a clinical environment

• Familiarity with EPIC electronic medical record system

Note: This position is posted as Clinical Instructor/Clinical Assistant Professor/Clinical Associate Professor/Clinical Professor. Rank of selected candidate is dependent upon qualifications.

University of Michigan Health System conducts background screening and pre-employment drug testing on job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent job offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background screenings. Background screenings are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Report Act.

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days.  The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

The University of Michigan is an equal employment opportunity employer.