Summary of Job Function

The Lead Neurosurgical Physician Assistant (PA) functions within prescribed guidelines, as care provider in collaboration with the Department of Neurosurgery physicians and staff to provide care for Neurosurgical patients. Care is provided to patients in collaboration with departmental staff, neurosurgical residents and involvement of medical and physician assistant students. The Lead PA serves as a resource for all clinical teams and members of the interdisciplinary team regarding patient and disease management, including Faculty Practice Manager.

The Lead PA supervises, educates, and mentors Department of Neurosurgery Advanced Practice Providers. Duties include covering RWJMS faculty sites by providing patient care. The Lead PA also provides coverage for all types of leave for APP teams and may include managing the on-call schedules for aligned hospitals. The Lead PA acts as a clinical resource to troubleshoot events or issues as well as provides triaging of new patients as needed. Monitors efficiency and effectiveness of APP workflows and clinical documentation. The Lead Neurosurgical Physician Assistant is responsible for assisting RWJMS faculty by taking H&Ps, performing physical exams and procedures, and participating in flow of patient thru practice. The Lead PA goals and objective are to assist multi-disciplinary team with care coordination and throughput.

Job Qualifications/Education/Training/Certification/Licensure

• Licensed Registered PA in the State of NJ. Certified PA in the State of N.J. Successful completion of all Orientation Programs and BCLS certified.
• If Nurse practitioner, must be able to see and treat all ages of patients and have RNFA at time of application.  

Job Specific Requirements

• Assists office staff with patient questions, and preauthorization of specific tests/procedures.
• Communicates with collaborating MD, in a timely manner (i.e. patient abnormalities
• Coordinates discharge plan, education, and followup.

• Develops and initiates an individualized plan of care in collaboration with members of the interdisciplinary team.
• Initiates appropriate referrals to medical consultants and other disciplines in collaboration with the physician.
• Orders and evaluates pertinent diagnostic tests appropriate to the patient’s plan of care.
• Participates in education of junior residents and medical and physician assistant students.
• Performs and documents comprehensive and episodic health histories and physical examinations in order to identify existing or potential health problems.
• Prescribes, monitors, and adjusts medications according to medical plan of care.
• Provides and documents appropriate health education to patient and family regarding disease process, management of treatment side effects, medical interventions and health promotion.
• Provides appropriate follow-up care including routine and acute assessments and examinations. Assesses progress, identifies problems, and initiates preventative measures in collaboration with the physician.
• Provides safe, quality care to patients.
• Serves as a resource for nursing and ancillary staff regarding patient disease management and post operative course.
• Examine pre and post-operative patients; perform comprehensive examination, complete patient assessment based on findings; implement treatment plan for pre and post-operative management in collaboration with the supervising physician; document in medical record.
• First assist in performing surgical procedures consistent with standards of care.
• Participate in the recruitment process for incoming advanced practice providers hires.
• Perform admission evaluation on patients to include: obtaining basic medical information and history, reviewing patient's medical record, performing physical exam, documenting findings into patient electronic medical record, and reporting deviations from normal findings to the attending physician.
• Role model the RWJBH Rutgers’ mission, vision and values through conduct, appearance, communication, culture of respect, leadership, ethical decision-making, critical thinking, problem-solving skills, and the use of AIDET.

Additional Information:

At RWJBarnabas Health, our market-competitive Total Rewards package provides comprehensive benefits and resources to support our employees’ physical, emotional, social, and financial health.

• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Medical and Prescription Drug Insurance
• Dental and Vision Insurance
• Retirement Plans
• Short & Long Term Disability
• Life & Accidental Death Insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Health Care/Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Wellness Programs
• Voluntary Benefits (e.g., Pet Insurance)
• Discounts Through our Partners such as NJ Devils, NJ PAC, Verizon, and more

Choosing RWJBarnabas Health!

RWJBarnabas Health is the premier health care destination providing patient-centered, high-quality academic medicine in a compassionate and equitable manner, while delivering a best-in-class work experience to every member of the team.  We honor and appreciate the privilege of creating and sustaining healthier communities, one person and one community at a time.  As the leading academic health system in New Jersey, we advance innovative strategies in high-quality patient care, education, and research to address both the clinical and social determinants of health. 

RWJBarnabas Health aims to truly make a unique impact in local communities throughout New Jersey. From vastly improving the health of local residents to creating educational and career opportunities, this combination greatly benefits the state. We understand the growing and evolving needs of residents in New Jersey—whether that be enhancing the coordination for treating complex health conditions or improving community health through local programs and education.

Equal Opportunity Employer

RWJBarnabas Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, the state’s only NCI-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center and RWJBarnabas Health, the state’s largest health care delivery system, partner to deliver high-quality and sophisticated oncology care to patients close to home. This integrated cancer care model combines the strength of both entities, offering access to the most advanced diagnostic and treatment options for adult and pediatric cancer patients, including clinical trials, immunotherapy, proton therapy, precision medicine, CAR T-cell therapy and cardio-oncology. Unique opportunities exist for collaborations between clinical and research programs, including clinical trials research, cancer chemoprevention, clinical and basic pharmacology, and Phase 1 clinical trials. Visit www.cinj.org.

Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital is a 600-bed academic medical center whose Centers of Excellence include cardiovascular care from minimally invasive heart surgery to transplantation, cancer care, stroke care, neuroscience, orthopedics, and women’s and children’s care, including The Bristol-Myers Squibb Children’s Hospital (BMSCH).

As the flagship cancer hospital of Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and the principal teaching hospital of Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick, RWJUH New Brunswick is an innovative leader in advancing state-of-the-art care. Featuring a Level 1 Trauma Center and the first Pediatric Trauma Center in the state, RWJUH’s New Brunswick campus serves as a national resource in its ground-breaking approaches to emergency preparedness.

Since 1865, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center, New Jersey’s oldest and nonprofit, nonsectarian hospital, has worked to exceed our community’s highest expectations for compassionate, comprehensive health care. The institution traditionally treats more than 35,000 inpatients and over 87,000 Emergency Department patients each year. The Medical Center and the Barnabas Health Ambulatory Care Center provide treatment and services for more than 300,000 outpatient visits annually. Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center has long been recognized as a leader in providing the highest level of patient care-delivering nearly 5,800 babies annually, caring for more newly diagnosed cancer patients, creating breakthroughs in the field of infertility, and providing more than 100 medical and surgical specialty and subspecialty services.

RWJBarnabas Health is New Jersey’s largest integrated health care delivery system, providing treatment and services to more than three million patients each year. With 12 acute care hospitals, 3 children's hospitals, a growing number of our outpatient facilities and physician practices, our healthcare system is committed to providing the highest quality of patient care and health education to the community and region.

Our dedication to serving the people of New Jersey extends far beyond the care we provide within our hospital walls. We support programs that promote health and wellness in our communities and provide access to services that would otherwise be unavailable. We are committed to the ongoing improvement of the health, quality of life, and vitality of our communities. We strive to bring the best healthcare to meet the evolving needs of residents in New Jersey — whether that be enhancing the coordination for treating complex health conditions or improving community health through local programs and education.

Our partnership with Rutgers University creates the state’s largest academic healthcare system dedicated to providing high-quality patient care, leading-edge research, and world-class health and medical education, further advancing our mission of providing high-quality healthcare in New Jersey.

The new collaboration also aligns RWJBarnabas Health with Rutgers’ education, research, and clinical activities, including those at the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey and Rutgers University Behavioral Health Care.

Join RWJBarnabas Health’s commitment to cultivating a team of dynamic and diverse physicians. Our goal is to create an equitable environment in which to work and receive care, to champion a diverse workforce, and to foster an inclusive setting that meets the social, cultural and linguistic needs of the communities we serve state-wide. We welcome and embrace the unique perspectives of our physicians, recognizing that this leads to better patient care, satisfaction and outcomes.