Principal Physician

The Connecticut Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) is seeking an Associate Medical Examiner (AME) to fill a newly created position and join the eight member staff no later than July of 2019.  

The Connecticut OCME is a National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) Accredited, free-standing, modern facility is located in historic Farmington Connecticut on the Campus of the University of Connecticut Health Center and Medical School.  The OCME is a state-wide medical examiner system with an autopsy load of approximately 2,300 per year which includes approximately 120 homicides.  We have academic relationships with the medical schools at Yale, UCONN, and Quinnipiac University and all of the Pathology Residency programs in the State.  We are in the process of applying for a forensic pathology fellowship. 

Full-time investigators work 24/7 to investigate reported deaths and attend scenes.  Support staff include excellent mortuary technicians, laboratory assistants and photographers.  There is a board-certified forensic anthropologist on staff and the medical examiners have access to consultants in pediatric pathology (board certified), neuropathology (board certified), molecular pathology (board certified), cardiac pathology, radiology, and odontology.  Case related radiography is performed by well-trained Radiology Technicians.  NMS Laboratories performs the majority of our toxicology testing with an average turn-around-time of 12 days.  The Connecticut Division of Scientific Services performs our DNA analysis and toxicology testing on motor vehicle, traumatic suicides, and homicides.  Histology is done in-house and is submitted at the discretion of the medical examiner.  Reports are transcribed by a contracted service with a turnaround time of 24 hours.  An electronic case management system contains all case related information, including all images and reports, and has search and management functions for a complete archive of cases. 

Duties of the AME include but are not limited to:

§  Perform autopsies when indicated (fewer than 300 per year with current staffing).

o   Histological examinations when indicated.

o   Submits appropriate specimens for toxicological examination.

o   Prepares reports on the results of examinations.

o   Certifies the cause and manner of death.

§  Testifies in legal proceedings as needed.

§  Teaches pathology residents, medical students and pathology assistant students and handles administrative duties as assigned.

§  Performs autopsies on weekends (typically one weekend per month) which includes additional compensation.

§  Performs on-call duties (overnight) which includes additional compensation.  Overnight call duties for the AME are handled from home and include telephone correspondence with an investigator as it pertains to organ and tissue donor requests and case disposition questions.   Full time OCME investigators do all the scene investigative work, however, AMEs also may respond to scenes at their discretion.  

Caseload:

Many offices around the country are experiencing the strain of the opioid crisis combined with a staffing shortage.  Connecticut is no exception.  Fortunately, we have been able to double the number of medical examiners over the past five years and this current open position, our ninth, will comfortably bring our caseloads to NAME recommended levels.  Our administration strives to do everything possible to let the AMEs focus on the science and not “busy” work.  This is evident by consistently meeting NAME’s requirements of over 90% of reports finalized within 60 days. 

Compensation:

The current entry-level base salary (if employed prior to July 2019) is $189,410 PLUS approximately $60,000 annual aggregate for weekend coverage and night call from home.  The estimated annualized starting compensation is $252,000.  There is potential for growth as the current maximum base salary for an AME is $225,912 (plus the on-call pay which brings the total compensation to approximately $285,000). 

The AME are members of District 1199 bargaining unit.  A new contract was ratified, effective July 2018 under which the following raises were negotiated:  3.5% on July 1, 2019 and 3.5% on July 1, 2020.  In addition, there are annual step increments of approximately 2.7% in January 2020 and 2.6% in January 2021.  There are planned contractual increases in compensation for weekend and overnight call, beginning in July 2020 (increase 18%).

To sum up, a pathologist just out of fellowship in July 2019 would be starting with a base salary of $196,000 per year plus a yearly bonus of $8,000 for board certification in Forensic Pathology, and weekend work/on-call compensation of approximately $60,000 per year.  This results in an annual compensation of approximately $264,000.  In addition, after 6 months of work, there will be a step increase of 2.7%, after 1 year of work an automatic raise of 3.5%, and after 18 months of work a second step increase of 2.6%.    

Benefits:

Comprehensive health and retirement benefits are provided by the State of Connecticut.  Additionally, CT OCME will pay for each AME to attend one scientific meeting annually.  Medical licensure and board certification examinations also are reimbursed. 

Location: 

Connecticut has charm, beauty and a high standard of living.  It is a place with mountains, forests, ocean front, rivers, and wonderful green countryside right at your doorstep.  Connecticut is well above the US average in Income (highest average per capita in the US), Education (ranked #14 in U.S.), Health (#4 in U.S.) and Public Safety (#6 in U.S.).  If you want to improve your quality of life, it is the right time for a move to Connecticut. 

Connecticut is family friendly and has some of the country’s best schools and educational systems.

In Connecticut, you may enjoy the relaxed but sophisticated “country-life” or choose to live in a city.  Hartford is home of the state government and New Haven is home to Yale University.  Connecticut experiences all four seasons: summers are warm with plenty of sunshine; spring rapidly warms up with plenty of rain to feed the green countryside; autumn has spectacular gold, red, and brown foliage, and winter has plenty of snow for outdoor adventures.  

The state is bordered on the south by Long Island Sound, on the west by New York, on the north by Massachusetts, and on the east by Rhode Island.   It is a small state with access to Boston Massachusetts or New York City within a couple of hours by car or train.  Getting around Connecticut is very easy (even in the winter) and there are roads, rail and bus links leading to all the major towns and cities in the state. Bradley International Airport, located 20 minutes from Hartford, has direct flights to California, Florida, Puerto Rico, Texas, Chicago, Atlanta, Mexico, Montreal, Ireland and many more.

The ideal candidate is a current forensic pathology fellow or a recent forensic pathology fellowship graduate who is board certified in AP or AP/CP, and board eligible or certified in FP.  Pathologists with neuropathology or cardiovascular pathology experience as well as fellowship teaching/training experience are encouraged to apply.

Deadlines:

The office will receive applications through the closing date of October 19, 2018. 

Please do not contact the OCME.  The Application of Employment will be found at: www.jobapscloud.com/CT

Office of the Chief Medical Examiner

11 Shuttle Rd

Farmington, CT 06032

OCME Website: http://www.ct.gov/ocme/site/default.asp

Candidates who will be certified in anatomic pathology AND will be board eligible in forensic pathology by the hire date are strongly encouraged to apply to this posting.

Applicants are required to upload a cover letter and Board Certifications in the uploads tab and a resume in the resume tab with their submission.  (Note: In order to upload documents you must ensure that your internet browser's 'pop-up' blocker is off.  Failure to do so may prevent you from being able to upload documentation and submit your application.)  Questions about these required documents should be directed to the hiring agency's human resources office:  Nicole Brown, nbrown@ocme.org, (860) 679-3982.

In the Departments of Children and Families, Correction, Developmental Services and Veteran Affairs, this class is accountable for providing clinical administrative and/or supervisory functions and/or direct care medical services as a board certified physician.

In the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner this class is accountable for performing autopsies and conducting investigations of sudden and medically unattended deaths.

Provides 24 hour medical supervision to specified groups of patients and facility coverage as scheduled including on-call and weekend coverage; makes rounds and provides direct care and clinical oversight of multi-disciplinary treatment teams; coordinates work of medical staff with related programs; reviews treatment plans, medical records, diagnoses and patient discharge plans for adherence to policies and/or The Joint Commission (TJC) and Health Care Financing Authority (HCFA) standards; provides education and training as indicated, e.g. grand rounds and case conferences; assigns, oversees and evaluates work of staff and on-site night duty physicians; conducts and/or participates in meetings on medical and administrative policy, research programs, medical program development and treatment techniques; assesses, examines and evaluates patients for admission or discharge; monitors the use of special treatment procedures; assesses, examines, diagnoses and prescribes appropriate medications and other biologic treatments; consults on difficult and/or complex cases; develops and implements QA/QI process improvement initiatives; prepares and/or reviews reports, medical records and correspondence; perform utilization review and management functions; attends court hearings as a state witness; performs related duties as required.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER: Performs autopsies at Office of the Medical Examiner or other facilities for determination of cause of death, trace evidence, establishment of identification and estimation of time of death; conducts investigation and examination at scene of sudden or medically unattended death or hospital where a person may have been pronounced dead on arrival or following hospitalization for injury; makes inquiries into circumstances of death for purposes of establishing cause and manner of death; compares findings at scene of death with results of autopsies to establish cause and time of death; testifies about findings in courts of law; exchanges information and works with municipal and State Police, health departments and other agencies in resolving cases; participates in educational programs for medical and law enforcement students and officials; performs related duties as required.

Considerable knowledge of methods and principles of medicine and surgery; considerable knowledge of current principles and methods of assessment and treatment of patients with medical illness, mental illness and substance abuse disorders; considerable knowledge of recent developments in field of medicine and substance abuse including treatment models and best practices; considerable interpersonal skills; considerable oral and written communication skills; considerable ability to examine for, diagnose, assess and treat patients with illnesses and substance abuse disorders; considerable ability to prescribe medications and other treatments specific to medical illness, mental illness and substance abuse disorders; ability to develop a collaborative group practice environment with other physicians, psychiatrists and members of interdisciplinary teams; ability to analyze and interpret laboratory reports, x-ray reports and other medical reports and findings; administrative/supervisory ability.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER: Considerable knowledge of principles and practices of anatomic pathology; knowledge of forensic pathology; knowledge of principles and practices of general medicine and surgery; considerable skill in pathological technique and determination of cause of death; considerable oral and written communications skills; interpersonal skills; ability to supervise and teach laboratory technicians anatomical pathology techniques; ability to prepare reports of medicolegal autopsies.

Incumbents in this class must possess and retain certification in the field of internal medicine, family medicine, or related specialty, from an appropriate medical specialty board.

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER: Incumbents in this class must be certified in anatomic pathology by the American Board of Pathology and board eligible in forensic pathology.

Must be certified in anatomic pathology by the American Board of Pathology and board eligible in forensic pathology.

Neuropathology or cardiovascular pathology experience as well as fellowship teaching/training experience preferred.

Current or recent forensic pathology fellowship graduates who are board eligible or certified in forensic pathology encouraged to apply.

1. Incumbents in this class must possess and retain a license to practice medicine and surgery in Connecticut. A temporary license may be granted for a period not to exceed one (1) year.
2. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner: incumbents must be certified in forensic pathology by the American Board of Pathology within two (2) years of employment.
3. Incumbents in this class may be required to possess and retain certification as a specialist in addictions medicine from the American Society for Addiction Medicine (ASAM).
4. Incumbents in this class (except for Office of the Chief Medical Examiner) must possess and maintain eligibility for participation in federal health care programs as defined in 42 U.S. 1320a-7b(f).
5. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner: incumbents in this class will be required to work on call during evenings/nights on a rotating basis. During an evening on-call the physician is responsible for disposition of all new cases and must conduct any required scene investigations. Evening on call coverage is from 4:30 P.M. to 9:00 A.M. the next day.
6. Office of the Chief Medical Examiner: incumbents in this class will be required to work weekends on a rotating basis. When working a weekend the physician must be in the Farmington facility and conduct whatever postmortem examinations are required.
7. Incumbents in this class may be required to travel.
8. Incumbents in this class may be required to be bilingual.

AN AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The State of Connecticut is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and strongly encourages the applications of women, minorities, and persons with disabilities.