General Practitioner 16 views0 applications

Title: General Practitioner

Report to: Specialty Staff Physician, Heads of Department

Locality: Kigutu Clinic, Vyanda, Bururi

Organization Background:

Village Health Works (VHW) is a 501(c)(3) corporation. It is a social justice organization founded on the belief that health equity is not a commodity but a right. Founded in partnership with the communities we currently serve, VHW’s mission is to provide the neediest high quality, compassionate health care and education based on critical thinking in a dignified environment. VHW’s holistic approach integrates clinical services with education, food security, economic development, environmental protection, music and the arts. In the context of where we currently work, this is the only way we can sustainably end extreme, multigenerational scarcity in a way that uplifts and engages communities with dignity and in their own context. We believe that the lack of access to quality healthcare and education is the biggest threat to development and world peace.

Currently VHW operates in a wide array of clinical and community programs in a catchment area of over 200,000 people within the provinces of Rumonge and Bururi, though its doors are open for every patient regardless of where that patient is coming from. Our first clinic attends over 51,000 outpatient consultations per year. Since 2007 until summer 2023, our 60-bed inpatient wards have been providing basic adult and pediatric non-operative inpatient services including treatment of malnutrition, mental health, chronic and acute diseases and uncomplicated obstetrical deliveries. These services have been administered by our staff of generalist physicians under the supervision of our current Medical Director.

Village Health Works has embarked on a plan to expand our clinical services to provide comprehensive quality medical care and training. To achieve this goal, VHW has constructed and officially opened an 85,000 sq. ft. state-of-the-art teaching hospital with several services that include surgery, obstetric deliveries, intensive care, pediatrics and neonatology, emergency, pathology lab, medical education and research center, etc.To provide excellent patient care and training we must expand the scope and skills of the healthcare providers through training, teaching and research, hiring through rigorous development and implementation of systems and structures, policies and procedures that are framed by high quality norms and international standards.

Additionally, VHW has established the Kigutu International Academy, a grade 9-12 boarding school to equip young minds with an education based on critical thinking to prepare them to become the leaders we wish their country and the continent to have for a better future.

Our core values are as follows:

● Every member of VHW’s team must value the dignity inherent in each individual, aspire to excellence in all we do, proceed with boldness and perseverance.

● Compassion and justice must be at the heart of our organization.

● To accomplish the mission of our organization we all must be accountable to each other and to our community.

Position Overview

The General Practitioner Physician will consult and develop treatment plans for both inpatient and outpatients. In addition to clinical care, the GP is expected to participate in patient safety initiatives, continuous quality improvement processes, and staff training.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Clinical Care

• Provide care to patients as part of a multidisciplinary team
• Review patients’ medical history, examine patients, and make diagnoses to determine the need for treatment.
• Provide an explanation of medical procedures and care plans to patients and their families
• Review test results and identify and address any abnormalities
• Follow established MOH and or VHW specific protocols and guidelines
• Coordinate follow-up visits with patients and monitoring their health condition
• Provide on call /night shift coverage as assigned
• Complete charting patient care in the electronic medical record in a timely manner

Quality of Care and Patient Safety

• Actively participate in the development and implementation of initiatives to improve patient care as a general practitioner.
• Assure accurate data input in all patient charts within the electronic medical record
• Collaborate with monitoring and evaluation, nutrition, nursing and information technology teams to identify problems and find solutions using best practices
• Involves community engagement services ( nutrition, CHWs, outreach) to ensure and reinforce our system of continuity of care

Professional Development/Education and Training

• Actively participate in teaching in the clinic through the development of lectures, teaching of procedural skills, and teaching at the bedside to improve the knowledge and care of clinical staff
• Submit reports detailing monthly, quarterly, and annual activities and achievements.

Education / Qualifications:

• Diploma of general practitioner recognized by the Government of Burundi
• Be of Burundian nationality
• 1-3 years’ experience post “stage professionnel”
• Additional training/experience in a specialty area such as Obstetrics, Pediatrics, Neonatal care, Emergency Care, and Surgery are an asset

Skills / knowledge:

• Empathy, compassion, dedication, hard work, exceptional organization, openness to challenge, good problem solver
• Computer skills in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Fluent in Kirundi, French; English is an asset
• Commitment to social justice and the mission of Village Health Works
• Interest in serving vulnerable populations in rural areas
• A spirit of initiative and being proactive.

Salary and Benefits

Competitive salary, commensurate with experience.