Medical Officer: ECHO

Johannesburg

A Healthcare Company who is passionate about providing Clinical Care to HIV positive adults, children and adolescents is currently looking for a dynamic and driven Medical Officer for the ECHO Study

The purpose of this position is to participate in the formulation of the technical strategy in line with the study, organisational objectives and to oversee the technical and training support direction relating to all SA ECHO sites.

Education, Training and Experience
• MBChB
• HPCSA registered
• Minimum of 5 years’ experience (3 year’s post community service)
• Experienced, practicing medical officer (MD) with extensive and recent hands-on experience and expertise in supervision and provision of study contraceptive methods ( specifically IUDs and Jadelle implants)
• Extensive experience in IUD and implant training, and ability to support training of providers in the Southern Africa region in provision of various contraceptive methods. Where additional training is needed, this will be provided*
• Articulate in both verbal and written communication in English. Ability to communicate in South African local languages would be an added advantage
• Clinical research experience
• FCOG (SA) or Gynaecologist/reproductive health specialist
• Experience working in family planning in multiple African countries
• Good Clinical Practice and Human Subjects Protection certification

Key performance areas

• Assist in the development of training materials for the contraceptive methods used in ECHO
• Assist in the design, finalization and bi-annual review and update of the contraceptive training manual for ECHO
• Assist in the review of site specific standard operating procedures related to clinical and contraceptive management of participants in ECHO
• Provide theoretical and practical education and training to site master trainers and clinicians from each of the participating trial sites on administration of Depo Provera , insertion and removal of Copper IUDs and Jadelle implants
• Conduct proficiency assessments of contraceptive providers (i.e., clinicians and nurses) at all ECHO trial sites on a semi-annual basis
• Provide refresher training on Copper IUD and Jadelle implant technique to sites within southern Africa, as needed on inclusion of new investigators/contraceptive providers
• Work closely with ECHO East African collaborators to ensure standardization of practice across all ECHO sites
• Assist in the development of contraceptive tools for sites to use during implementation of ECHO
• Provide ongoing support for the provision of all contraceptives to trial participants through ECHO trial clinics within the East and Southern Africa region
• Provide instruction and guidance regarding care and case management assessment for all contraceptive related issues/questions raised by sites
• Be available to study clinicians/investigators on email and telephone for discussion of urgent matters related to contraceptive management issues and adverse event (AE) or serious adverse event (SAE) management
• Respond to site contraceptive questions on a daily basis within a pre-defined timeline
• Communicate with the ECHO Contraceptive Committee Co-chairs on a daily to weekly basis to discuss contraceptive issues as they arise
• Attend weekly/biweekly teleconference calls of the ECHO Contraceptive/Safety Committee and Protocol Implementation Committee
• Liaise with University of Washington safety monitor on adverse event and SAE reporting
• Travel within southern Africa, as needed, for retraining of study teams
• Participate as a contributing member of other ECHO committees and calls, as needed
• Take lead in designing and executing a process to document quality of contraceptive counseling across all the sites in both the East and Southern African ECHO sites. Provide timely feedback to the Contraceptive/Safety
• Committee on contraceptive counselling process evaluations
• Provide post training supervision in collaboration with site team and oversee documentation of these findings
• Participate in regularly scheduled ECHO site contraceptive monitoring visits as needed
• Initiate, maintain and strengthen referral systems nationally via direct interaction with local service providers
• Assist in the establishment of Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) as required by the ECHO study protocol/s with local service providers for management of participants where scope falls beyond the capacity of ECHO sites

This position is open to Foreign Nationals who are currently registered with HPCSA, Already poses a current work VISA, and whom have the right experience & qualifications.

Only short listed applicants will be contacted. Applicants, who have not been contacted within 2 - 3 weeks of the closing date, should assume that their application has not been successful.
SM Placements is an equal opportunity employer.