Infectious Disease / Antibiotic Resistance Specialist

Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) provides aid in more than 60 countries to people whose survival is threatened by violence, neglect, or catastrophe, primarily due to armed conflict, epidemics, malnutrition, exclusion from health care, or natural disasters. MSF provides independent, impartial assistance to those most in need. MSF reserves the right to speak out to bring attention to neglected crises, to challenge inadequacies or abuse of the aid system, and to advocate for improved medical treatments and protocols.

The New York Medical Project Unit, which is part of the Medical Department of MSF’s Operational Center Paris (“OCP”), is seeking an ‘Infectious Disease Specialist’ to enhance MSF’s ability to effectively diagnose and treat infectious diseases (“ID”), as part of our continuous efforts to improve and broaden diagnostic and therapeutic capacities. This collaborative effort will be guided by the Deputy Medical Director in the US, who is a member of the senior management of the medical department of OCP, under the direction of the Medical Director, and is designed to complement the work of MSF affiliate Epicentre’s epidemiology/ research expertise.

The Infectious Disease Specialist will be a member of the Medical Project Unit in New York, and a member of the Medical Department in Paris: as the reference person on ID antibiotic resistance (“AR”) issues, s/he will be expected to keep abreast of specialized literature, develop links with external medical expertise and work on MSF medical publications when appropriate. As part of the MSF-USA Project Unit, s/he will also support the NY Desk and Medical Advisor in their work guiding field operations and otherwise participate in MSF-USA activities, as needed, and tap into available international expertise (NGO’s, academia, MSF-USA office and field staff, etc.) when appropriate.

While this support is initiated at the request of the OCP operational and medical departments, as with most positions in the medical department of OCP the entire MSF movement benefits for these positions. In fact, the essential work consists in providing ad hoc field support and in writing MSF international guidelines.

Recently, there has been increasing concern over the issue of antibiotic resistance and mounting questions as to whether MSF doctors are using effective medicines in the field. The majority of the millions of outpatients and thousands of inpatients treated by MSF each year receive antibiotics, so while there is already substantial expertise in house on specific IDs, such as TB, there is a need to focus more specifically on, inter alia, on antibiotic resistance patterns in the following areas: pulmonary infections, urinary infections, sexually transmitted infections, open wounds, diarrheal diseases, and opportunistic infections (e.g. in relation to HIV/AIDS or malnutrition).

The main responsibilities of this new position include reviewing protocols and the efficacy of key antibiotics, recommending protocol changes if/when appropriate and otherwise supporting the medical teams (both in the field and HQ) concerning the diagnosis and management of common and more unusual infectious diseases. As more effective antibiotics can be more costly if they are available at all, it may become necessary to liaise with MSF’s Access to Essential Medicines Campaign to enable their use.

Ideally, we are seeking a practicing clinician to work 3/5 time while continuing to practice in their specialty. However the other work commitment must allow for the flexibility to travel to the field with MSF. We will also consider full-time applicants. Position responsibilities:  Review protocols and efficacy of antibiotics used in management of key IDs. Propose collaboration with Epicentre to assess drug sensitivity, as needed.

 Review and propose amendments (or creation) of internal ID related guidelines

 Identify effective treatment options for infectious agents commonly encountered in the field

 Provide updates of MSF’s therapeutic guidelines concerning use of selected drugs.

 Support to the Medical Director and Pharmacists in drugs selection

 Follow specific research questions in collaboration with Epicentre

 Liaise with the Access Campaign as necessary on ID drug issues

 Review specialized literature and keep up-to-date on medical issues in the ID and AR field

 Develop links with centers of expertise/knowledge in the ID field (CDC, academia, etc) to benefit MSF’s field programs, and represent MSF at relevant meetings/congresses

 Visit field projects in order to get a better understanding and provide practical and operationally sound, hands-on advice on ID and AR issues (min. 3 field visits/year).

 Recommend changes to program directions or adjustments in intervention methods, due to changes on the ground for review and approval.

 Ensure appropriate and adequate circulation of medical information between the field and HQs via the medical department or a specific desk

 Share information and provide advice on ID to other operational MSF sections

 Develop publications on medical issues, in the field of ID

 Develop and strengthen a medical network among MSF-USA returned field workers

 May be called upon to lead modules at training sessions organized by MSF-USA, especially those regarding MSF’s medical policies, with natural emphasis on ID AR.

Qualifications:  Medical doctor with formal Infectious Diseases specialty, or other generalist/specialist with extensive field-based ID and AR experience.

 Minimum 2-5 years medical field exp. in developing countries, preferably with MSF.

 Excellent communication skills in English (written and oral); French or Spanish preferred.

 Demonstrated ability to coordinate projects with a wide variety of participants, and to facilitate dialogue and share information among all concerned parties.

 Ability to synthesize and analyze medical data so as to recommend improvements to field practice and draft implementation plans for adopting changes.

 Ability to write reports, medical protocols, and scientific articles for internal and external audiences.

 Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from colleagues, including managers, as well as donors, and the general public.

 Strong computer literacy.

 French language skills a strong asset.

 Genuine commitment to MSF's humanitarian principles

 Willingness and ability to travel regularly to the field and other MSF offices (25%)

 Residence in or willingness to relocate to the NY metro area.

Starting salary high-90’s to low 100’s for full time equivalent, commensurate with experience, prorated for part-time work. Excellent benefits. To learn more, visit our Web site: www.doctorswithoutborders.org

Send letter of interest and CV to: Employment.msfusa@newyork.msf.org, Attn: Infectious Diseases Specialist Search.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to apply by August 15, 2011.

No calls, please.