Principal Physician

The State of Connecticut, Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) is seeking an Associate Medical Examiner (AME) to refill a recent vacancy and join the 8 member staff, no later than summer of 2019.

The Connecticut OCME is a National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) Fully Accredited, free-standing, modern facility that is located in historic Farmington Connecticut on the Campus of the University of Connecticut Health Center and Medical School.  The OCME is a centralized, 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 state pathology residency programs.  We are applying for a forensic pathology fellowship training program. 

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.  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.  Digital radiology and histology (submitted at the discretion of the medical examiner) are done in-house.  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, radiology, and reports, and has search and management functions for a complete archive of cases.

Duties of the AME include:

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

                     §  Testifying in legal proceedings as needed.

§  Teaching pathology residents, medical students and pathologists’ assistant students and handling administrative duties as assigned.

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

§  Performing on-call duties (overnight, approximately 1 night per week) 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 has been no exception.  Fortunately, we have been able to double the number of medical examiners over the past five years and hire per diem staff as well.  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 medicine and not “busy” work.  This is evident by consistently meeting NAME’s requirements of over 90% of reports finalized within 60 days. 

Compensation:

The estimated annualized starting compensation is $257,410.  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 and an $8,000 bonus for possessing board certification in forensic pathology.   In July 2019, the entry-level base salary will increase to $196,000 per year (see below).

There is potential for income growth as the current maximum base salary for an AME is $225,912 (plus the on-call pay and board certification bonus which brings the total compensation to approximately $294,000). 

The AME are members of District 1199 bargaining unit.  A new contract was ratified, effective July 1, 2016 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%).  Therefore, as of July 2019, the base salary is $196,000 per year plus a yearly board bonus of $8,000, and on-call compensation of approximately $60,000 per year.  This results in an annual compensation of approximately $264,000. 

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 re-certification examinations are reimbursed. 

Who should apply?

The Connecticut OCME is seeking enthusiastic pathologists who desire to work in a well-supported, statewide system.  We encourage current forensic pathology fellows as well as experienced forensic pathologists to apply.  By the time of hiring, the selected individual must possess board certification in Anatomic Pathology or AP/CP and be board-eligible in forensic pathology.  Forensic Pathology board certification by American Board of Pathology is required within two (2) years of employment.  Those hired will be required to obtain and retain a license to practice medicine in Connecticut.   Forensic Pathologists with experience teaching forensic pathology fellows as part of a training program are encouraged to apply. 

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 enjoy 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.  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).  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.

Deadlines:

The office will receive applications through the closing date of February 28, 2019.  The Application of Employment can be found at: https://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

In a state agency 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.

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.