Associate Professor of Medicine at CUMC

Job Summary : We are seeking an experienced and compassionate Pulmonary Chronic Ventilatory Failure Specialist to join our multidisciplinary team. The ideal candidate will have expertise in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients with neuromuscular disorders, chronic ventilatory failure, particularly those with conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), interstitial lung disease and hypoventilation syndromes. This is a unique opportunity to establish a new program of home ventilation and to work in a collaborative setting to deliver advanced care and improve the quality of life for patients with chronic respiratory failure requiring long-term ventilation support.

Key Responsibilities :

• Diagnosis & Treatment : Diagnose and manage patients with chronic ventilatory failure, including those with COPD, restrictive lung disease, neuromuscular disorders, obesity hypoventilation syndrome, and other respiratory conditions.
• Ventilation Management : Oversee the initiation, adjustment, and optimization of long-term ventilatory support (non-invasive and invasive) for patients with chronic respiratory failure, including CPAP / BiPAP, bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP), and home mechanical ventilation.
• Patient Care : Develop individualized treatment plans for chronic ventilatory failure patients, incorporating pharmacologic, non-pharmacologic, and ventilatory strategies to improve lung function, manage hypercapnia, and reduce symptoms.
• Clinical Responsibilities : Include up to 8 sessions per week of outpatient clinical care. It is expected that all of these sessions will be on the upper Manhattan campus (Herbert Irving Pavilion). Total inpatient service will not be expected to exceed 15 calendar weeks per year, divided between Milstein Hospital and other NYP-affiliated hospitals. The distribution of your inpatient and outpatient clinical responsibilities may be adjusted by mutual agreement to accommodate your other duties and responsibilities. The distribution of your clinical responsibilities may be amended from time to time based on clinical coverage needs from NYPH, the Department of Medicine, and the Division.
• Multidisciplinary Collaboration : Work closely with pulmonologists, respiratory therapists, critical care specialists, neurologists, cardiologists, and other healthcare professionals to manage patients' respiratory and comorbid conditions.
• Patient Education : Educate patients and their families on managing chronic ventilatory failure, proper use of ventilatory support devices, and lifestyle modifications to improve respiratory health and overall well-being.
• Follow-Up & Long-Term Care : Provide continuous follow-up care for patients on chronic ventilation therapy, monitor treatment progress, troubleshoot issues with equipment, and make necessary adjustments to ventilator settings and patient care plans.
• Clinical Procedures : Conduct and interpret necessary diagnostic procedures, such as pulmonary function tests, arterial blood gas analysis, chest imaging, and sleep studies, to evaluate respiratory function and guide treatment decisions.
• Research & Development : Participate in clinical research or quality improvement initiatives focused on chronic ventilatory failure and contribute to advancing the field through evidence-based practices and novel treatment protocols.
• Education & Mentorship : Teach medical residents, fellows, respiratory therapists, and other healthcare providers in the management of chronic ventilatory failure, as well as the use and troubleshooting of ventilation devices. Teaching will include medical student teaching / precepting and / or mentoring house staff and fellows. For Medicine, this may include medical student teaching, mentoring house staff, and attending on the Internal Medicine resident teaching service. For Pulmonary, this may include attending on the Inpatient Consult service, supervising the fellows' outpatient clinic, and attending on the Inpatient Critical Care and Critical Care-related services at the Milstein Hospital and other NYP-affiliated hospitals.
• Skills :
• Expertise in the diagnosis and management of chronic ventilatory failure and associated conditions.
• Proficiency in managing advanced ventilation techniques, including CPAP / BiPAP, non-invasive ventilation (NIV), and mechanical ventilation.
• Proficiency in performing invasive procedures such as intubation, bronchoscopy, central line placement, and thoracentesis.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to educate patients and collaborate with a multidisciplinary care team.
• Ability to develop, implement, and manage long-term treatment plans for complex patients with chronic respiratory failure.

Qualifications :

Preferred Qualifications :

Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran

Pay Transparency Disclosure

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to departmental budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The above hiring range represents the University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.