Un chirurgien osculte un patient au Soudan du Sud.

Working as surgeon in the field

You will supervise and coordinate all aspects of the surgery department. You will ensure the quality of the surgical service in the emergency room, outpatient clinic, operating theatre, inpatient department and dressing room. You will be responsible for providing the best surgical care to patients by working in close collaboration with the team (anaesthetists, operating theatre (OT) nurses, ward nurses and others) and by training the personnel in the operating room and on the surgical ward. Our surgical projects deliver high-quality care, with internationally standardised protocols, hygiene procedures, technical platforms and medical products.

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Responsibilities:

  • Undertake preoperative consultations, evaluating the surgical risks with the anaesthetist and/or other medical staff involved, and obtain the patient’s signed consent to operate
  • Carry out emergency and scheduled surgical interventions following MSF protocols and policies, including swab counts, ensuring appropriate use of surgical equipment
  • Carry out postoperative clinical care and ward rounds (in collaboration with the anaesthetist, Operating Theatre Nurse and ward staff), ensuring compliance with MSF protocols, rational use of medicines and proper OT register entries/documentation of all OT interventions
  • Coordinate the implementation of MSF clinical policies, tools, guidelines and protocols (antibiotic prophylaxis, postoperative pain management, thromboprophylaxis, Caesarean sections, blood transfusions, etc.) and recommendations (standard hygiene and sterilisation rules, prevention of HIV, TB, syphilis and hepatitis B exposure) in order to minimise clinical risks
  • In collaboration with the anaesthetist, carry out the collection and analysis of quantitative surgical anaesthesia data, using postoperative observation sheets, routine data collected, patient files, operating department register, patient files, etc.; review data, analyse clinical trends, comment on adverse events and coordinate patient referrals
  • Support organisation of the operating schedule and, with the operating theatre staff, monitor the use of materials and equipment and advise on instrument needs
  • Organise the hospital emergency disaster response plan, in conjunction with the anaesthetist and the medical doctor/nursing manager, and run hospital practice drills
  • Know and help implement the accidental blood exposure policy
  • Manage, train and supervise the surgery team through activities such as recruitment, capacity-building, briefing/debriefing and evaluation of staff

Depending on our activities and needs, your responsibilities may be adapted and evolve according to the specific projects.

Requirements:

You will not face these challenges alone; other MSF team members (both international and locally hired staff) will provide technical support, including comprehensive guidelines and protocols.

  • Specialist surgery qualification
  • Recent clinical experience (at least six months within the last 24 months)
  • At least two year’s post-specialisation professional experience
  • Willingness to work in various surgical fields (gynaecology/obstetrics, orthopaedics, skin grafts, war surgery)
  • IT skills (Excel, Word, PowerPoint)
  • Fluency in English and/or French; any other languages are an asset (Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic, Russian)
  • Available for a minimum of six weeks

General skills:

  • Commitment to MSF’s work and values
  • Strong team player
  • Willingness to work in all kinds of contexts worldwide, including unstable areas
  • Adaptable and able to work in a multicultural team
  • Flexible and able to manage stress
  • Self-driven with a solution-oriented approach
  • Ability to train others

Assets:

  • Experience working in developing countries
  • People management experience
  • Versatile experience in different surgical fields such as Caesarean sections, orthopaedics (including fixators), skin grafts
  • Training courses in humanitarian surgery in austere environments, as offered at the Royal College of Surgeons or the University of Louvain

We encourage applications from people of all genders, ages, sexual orientations, backgrounds, religions, beliefs, abilities and all other characteristics of diversity.

MSF does not tolerate sexual exploitation and abuse, any kind of discrimination or harassment, including sexual harassment. All selected candidates will, therefore, undergo reference and criminal record checks.

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