A Proposed Job Description for the Modern Division Director

Abstract

All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jpeds.2013.07.016 T he position of division director is constantly evolving and today it has become arguably one of the most demanding positions within an academic Department of Pediatrics, requiring many of the skills and attributes of the department chair. Edward Miller, MD, former Dean and Chief Executive Officer at Johns Hopkins, reflected on the qualities and skills he looked for when recruiting a department chairperson for Johns Hopkins Medicine. His list included people skills, financial management skills, ability to get the most out of faculty, accountability for faculty performance, humility, and openness to new ways of thinking as key characteristics for the next generation of academic program leaders. It would seem that these attributes are the skills required of a successful division director as well. Although some previous articles, including those referenced above, have reviewed the leadership skills of the academic division director for pediatric, medical, and surgical services, we were unable to find any works specifically identifying the attributes and expectations of the modern division director. Collectively, we have decades of experience leading major academic programs at leading medical centers, and have been challenged by the process of recruiting leaders for key divisions (G.L. and G.D.). This experience prompted us to define more clearly the roles and responsibilities of our division directors. What follows is a proposed “job description” for the modern division director that a Department of Pediatrics chair may use to help guide expectations during the recruiting process. Ultimately, the actual responsibilities will be influenced by the organizational structure of the department, school of medicine, and hospital, as well as by the available compensation for administrative time, division size, and internal organization.