Pediatric Transplant Cardiologist

Do you envision finding a meaningful role with an inclusive and compassionate team? At Children’s Mercy, we believe in making a difference in the lives of all children and shining a light of hope to the patients and families we serve. Our employees make the difference, which is why we have been recognized by U.S. News & World Report as a top pediatric hospital, for eleven consecutive years.

Children’s Mercy is in the heart of Kansas City – a metro abounding in cultural experiences, vibrant communities and thriving businesses. This is where our patients and families live, work and play. This is a community that has embraced our hospital and we strive to say thanks by giving back. As a leader in children’s health, we engage in meaningful programs and partnerships throughout the region so that we can improve the lives of children beyond the walls of our hospital.

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children’s Mercy Kansas City seeks a board-certified/board-eligible Pediatric Cardiologist to join the Advanced Cardiac Therapies and Transplant (ACTT) Team at the assistant or associate professor level. Applicants should have advanced fellowship training in Heart Failure, Mechanical Circulatory Support, and Transplantation. Additional interest in cardio-oncology would be preferred. Trainees in their final year are welcome to apply. Must be eligible for a medical licensure in MO and KS.

The successful candidate will join an existing ACTT team of 3 Cardiologists, 1 Advanced Practice Provider, 4 Nurse Coordinators, 1 Pharmacist, 2 Dieticians, and 1 Social Worker. The ACTT program provides comprehensive care to children with all types and severities of heart failure within the Midwest region and beyond. Established in 2014, the ACTT program at Children’s Mercy has grown to average 8-10 transplants annually including multi-organ transplantation, and the Pediatric VAD program incorporates the full breadth of durable and temporary support devices with an average of 3-5 VAD implants annually. The transplant program ranks among the top in the country with 100% 90-day and one-year survival rates and outcomes that consistently exceed national benchmarks.

The candidate will provide inpatient and outpatient care to children with acquired or inherited cardiomyopathy, heart failure related to cardiomyopathy or congenital heart disease, and patients pre- and post-transplant. Inpatient care includes co-management with intensivists in a dedicated Cardiac ICU and care as the primary attending on the ACTT floor service. Outpatient clinics are multidisciplinary in nature and are located at Children’s Mercy Hospital campus in Kansas City.  There are ample opportunities for clinical/translational research as well as teaching (medical students, residents and Pediatric Cardiology fellows).  Salary and academic rank are commensurate with experience. The successful applicant must share our unwavering commitment to excellence, integrity, collegiality, antiracism, and respect for inclusion of individuals with diverse backgrounds.

Clinical Responsibilities:

• Provide comprehensive care for infants, children and adolescents with advanced heart failure, including pre- and post-transplant.
• Collaborate within a multidisciplinary team of cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, intensivists, advanced practice providers, nurse coordinators, pharmacists, and social workers.
• Participate in inpatient and outpatient consults, follow-up clinics, on-call coverage and transplant selection.

The Ward Family Heart Center at Children’s Mercy includes 45 cardiologists (40 in Kansas City, 2 in Wichita, KS, 2 in Springfield, MO and 1 in Topeka, KS), 4 Cardiothoracic surgeons, and over 30 APNs serving a population of over 5 million in the heart of the U.S.A. We perform over 500 cardiac operations, 600 cardiac catheterizations including over 200 invasive EP procedures, 18,000 outpatient visits, and more than 20,000 echocardiograms annually. Our two state-of the art catheterization labs are both hybrid labs and equipped with the latest 3D imaging and EP technology. Telehealth is available and facilitates our outreach clinics. We have video-conferencing capabilities that are routinely used by providers from distant locations for patient care and education alike. In 2022, the Ward Family Heart Center program was ranked #19 nationally by USNWR.

Our cardiac sub-specialty resources include Electrophysiology (which includes Clinical EP, pacing and Genetic Arrhythmia), Interventional Cardiology and Advanced Cardiac Imaging (fetal echo, 3D echo, trans-esophageal echo, CT, MRI, virtual reality-based studies, and 3D printing). We also provide specialized, team-based care in Fetal Cardiology (with on-site delivery services for high-risk neonates), Interstage Monitoring (CHAMP), Preventive Cardiology, Cardiac Genetics, Cardio-oncology, Single Ventricle Survivorship, Pulmonary Hypertension, a dedicated POTS clinic and Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Services.

The Brendan Tripp Elam Transplant Center at Children’s Mercy Kansas City is a nationally recognized program providing heart, liver, and kidney transplantation for children. Beyond the clinical excellence in our heart transplant program, Its heart transplant program ranks among the top in the country, with 100% 90-day and one-year survival rates and outcomes that consistently exceed national benchmarks. The team specializes in complex cases, including single-ventricle physiology, and offers advanced mechanical circulatory support such as ventricular assist devices (VAD) and ECMO. In addition to heart transplants, the center performs high volumes of liver and kidney transplants, including living-donor and multi-organ procedures some of the shortest pediatric liver wait times in the nation. This integrated, multidisciplinary Transplant Center combines exceptional clinical care with research, education, and innovation to deliver comprehensive transplant services for children and families.

Please apply online with CV and Cover Lette or send to [email protected]

For additional information please contact:

David Sutcliffe, MD

Transplant Medical Director

(816) 302-3594

[email protected]

Brian F. Birnbaum, MD, FAAP, FACCInterim Co-Director, The Ward Family Heart CenterMedical Director, Pulmonary Hypertension ProgramAssociate Professor of PediatricsUMKC School of MedicineP: (816) 234-3255 (ext. 53255) E: [email protected]

Rachel Detwiler

Senior Department Administrator, Ward Family Heart Center

[email protected]

For more information about Children’s Mercy Kansas City and about Kansas City itself, visit cmkc.link/TakeYourPlace.

At Children’s Mercy, we are committed to ensuring that everyone feels welcomed within our walls. A successful candidate for this position will join us as we strive to create a workplace that reflects the community we serve, as well as our core values of kindness, curiosity, inclusion, team and integrity.

Additionally, it’s important to us that we remain transparent with all potential job candidates. Because we value the safety of the patients and families we serve, as well as the Children’s Mercy staff, we want to let you know that the seasonal influenza vaccine is a condition of employment for all employees in our organization. New employees must be willing to be vaccinated if found non-immune to measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) and chicken pox (varicella) and/or without evidence of tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccination since 2005. If you are selected for this position, you will be asked to supply your immunization records as proof of vaccination. If you and have any concerns about receiving these vaccines, medical and/or religious exemptions can be further discussed with Human Resources.

Children’s Mercy hires individuals based on their job skills, expertise and ability to maintain professional relationships with fellow employees, patients, parents and visitors. A personal interview, formal education and training, previous work experience, references and a criminal background investigation are all factors used to select the best candidates. The hospital does not discriminate against prospective or current employees based on the race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, creed, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, ancestry or veteran status. A drug screen will be performed upon hire. Children’s Mercy is smoke and tobacco free.

CM is committed to creating a workforce that supports the diverse backgrounds of our patients and families. We know that our greatest strengths come from the people who make up our team, so we hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes our hospital stronger and our patient care more compassionate.

If you share our values and our enthusiasm for service, you will find a home at CM. In recruiting for our team, we welcome the unique contributions that you can bring, including education, ideas, culture, and beliefs.