Job Description

Job Description
The University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), a member of the University of Alabama System, is the state of Alabama’s largest single employer and an internationally renowned research university and academic health center; its professional schools and specialty patient-care programs are consistently ranked among the nation’s top 50. UAB Medicine comprises the Marnix E. Heersink School of Medicine and the UAB Health System, is Alabama’s largest and most comprehensive health system, and is nationally recognized for delivering exceptional patient care, groundbreaking research, and advanced medical education. Each year, it cares for more than 1.45 million patients from every county in Alabama, all 50 states, and many countries across the globe.
The Heersink School of Medicine (HSOM) has campuses in Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, and Tuscaloosa, and is home to more than 800 students, 1,154 residents and fellows, and over 2,000 faculty across 27 academic departments. The HSOM is committed to training the next generation of physicians, physician-scientists, and scientists answering basic scientific questions that lead to medical innovations and bringing the highest quality health care to all patients.
The UAB Health System is a rapidly growing $8B organization with more than 33,000 employees. In fall 2024, UAB Health System acquired Ascension St. Vincent’s Health System in central Alabama, which included 5 hospitals, a freestanding Emergency Department, and imaging centers and other clinics across the region. With the addition of the new care sites as part of UAB St. Vincent’s, the UAB Health System now operates 15 network hospitals and 3,552 licensed beds. Overall, UAB Health System cared for over 1.45 million patients, including 12,500+ babies delivered and 560,000 emergency department visits across 140+care sites. UAB Medicine is anchored by UAB Hospital, its 1,327-bed tertiary hospital and academic health science center. In 2025, UAB Hospital earned national recognition as one of the country’s best hospitals with five US News & World Report ranked programs including two in the top 20; Rheumatology (#11) and Ear, Nose and Throat (#14). The hospital also earned the distinction as the “Best Hospital” in the state of Alabama. UAB Hospital remains a destination for the region as the state’s only American College of Surgeons (ACS)-designated level 1 trauma center and a Magnet-designated facility.
The University of Alabama Health Services Foundation (UAHSF) is the faculty practice of the HSOM and powers UAB Medicine’s ambulatory care. Its 1,550 physicians and 800 advanced practice providers deliver specialty and subspecialty care with a deep commitment to improving the health and lives of all they serve.
The Department of Emergency Medicine is nationally recognized, earning the first Level 1 Accreditation from the American College of Emergency Physicians in the United States in 2025. The Department is well positioned due to a significant expansion of the UAB Hospital Emergency Department. This includes temporary renovations, adding nine new exam rooms and mobile treatment units, as well as a $73 million long-term construction project that will create 66,030 square feet of new clinical care space, including 59 state-of-the-art exam rooms and expanded imaging capacity. Supported by $50 million in state funding, this expansion underscores UAB’s commitment to meeting rising patient volumes and strengthening its leadership as Alabama’s only ACS-Level I trauma center.
Reporting to the Senior Vice President for Medicine and Dean, Heersink School of Medicine, and working closely with the CEO, UAB Health System, President, UAHSF and Chief Physician Executive, other Department Chairs, Center and Institute Directors, and UAB Medicine leaders, this individual will enhance and deepen clinical and research collaborations with the goal of innovating, developing, and translating new treatments and cures.
With an opportunity to join UAB Medicine at a pivotal moment in healthcare and biomedical discovery, locally and nationally, the Chair of the Emergency Medicine Department at the HSOM will lead a thriving department in its mission to excel in education, research, and clinical care. They will shape an overarching vision that spans the mission areas of research, patient care, education, and service, and be responsible for all aspects of the Department, including leading and developing faculty, financial and operational management, and creating an opening and welcoming environment to support the success of all UAB community members. This new Chair will have the opportunity to further expand the Department with new faculty recruitments and is expected to continue to shape the Department for national recognition. In addition, the Chair will represent the Department across UAB, create opportunities for collaboration, and cultivate external donors and partners.
The Chair of the Department of Emergency Medicine will be an outstanding leader and skilled physician, widely recognized in the field with a strong track record of program building and innovation. The Chair will be responsible for clinical, academic, and administrative activities of the Department and therefore they must have a deep knowledge of clinical practice; a strong commitment to training and career development in research and clinical care; and demonstrated leadership and administrative ability in complex clinical enterprise.
The Chair must demonstrate a passion for mentoring and development of faculty and fellows, including interpersonal skills that will assure successful relationship building with a variety of internal and external stakeholders. The Chair will be charged with fostering an environment of collaboration, integrity, trust, and transparency between the Department and UAB Medicine at large. They will work to create a stronger collective culture within the Department, bringing together the multidisciplinary people and programs with a shared vision and purpose, and thereby enhancing faculty engagement and development.
The Chair will bring vision to the task of drafting the Department’s future, coupled with an ability to communicate in a way that inspires others to follow. They must be a consensus builder, while also capable of serving as an agent for change. The Chair will evaluate the current strengths of the Department and identify opportunities for productive growth in clinical, educational, and research programs. From that assessment, they will establish a strategic, long-term plan for the Department.
Required/Preferred Qualifications:
1. M.D. or M.D./ Ph.D.
2. Academic rank of Associate or Full Professor.
3. Strong track record of academic leadership in a comprehensive public urban research university with an academic medical center.
4. Strong ability to work collaboratively with leaders of various backgrounds and interests.
5. Competency navigating interactions with educational, research and service missions of a complex academic medical center department.
6. Proven capabilities in financial stewardship, budget management and resource allocation.
7. Solid vision for building a top-ranked Department of Emergency Medicine.
8. Qualities:
§ Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills.
§ Exhibits a style that supports change and innovation, with an ability to delegate yet maintain overall control.
§ Commitment to research and educational missions.
§ A genuine appreciation for consultation and collaboration. Personal style that fosters and supports innovation.
Responsibilities
§ Serve as chief executive and academic officer of the department
§ Promote and maintain excellence and integrity in teaching, research, and service
§ Ensure the financial stability of the department by implementing and maintaining appropriate budgeting, business, and productivity measurement systems in close partnership with the department executive administrator
§ Recruit, retain, and promote the academic careers of an appropriate number of high-quality faculty and staff to ensure that the tripartite mission of the department and School is achieved
§ Promote and foster good citizenship within the department with appropriate oversight and accountability measures
§ Implement systems to measure and assess outcomes of departmental and faculty endeavors in teaching, research, and service in order to provide constructive feedback
§ Develop and support scholarly research within the discipline and in collaboration with other disciplines within the School and the University
§ Ensure that the education programs of the department meet the needs of students and trainees and comply with School and accreditation requirements.
§ Participate fully in the Executive Committee of the School to advise and recommend policies for the School and the University

§ Ensure compliance with UAB and School policies and procedures
§ Lead strategic planning for the department and participate in strategic planning for the School and the University
§ Support and communicate the strategic direction of the School, the academic health center, and the University to the faculty of the department
§ Ensure that the goals of the department are congruent with and supportive of the goals of the School, University, and Health System
· In addition to departmental leadership role, the Chair also serves an important role as an institutional leader:
§ Provide timely advice and counsel to the Dean and other University leaders on matters related to the individual department, the School, and UAB
§ Work collaboratively with UAB Medicine, UABHS CEO and chief physician executive and HSF president, and other administrative leaders to further the mission of the Hospital, Clinics, and Health System, with special emphasis on (a) quality, patient safety, and reduction in errors that result in harm and malpractice; (b) reductions in variation in care; © reductions in cost of care and support of supply chain initiatives; (d) length of stay, access and capacity challenges; and (e) patient satisfaction
§ Participate fully in the UAB Medicine Medical Executive Committee as chief of emergency services and the UAHSF Presidents Council
§ Actively participate in external evaluation of the department on a five to seven-year cycle
Required Qualifications
M.D. or M.D./ Ph.D.
Academic rank of Associate or Full Professor.
Preferred Qualifications
Strong track record of academic leadership in a comprehensive public urban research university with an academic medical center.
Strong ability to work collaboratively with leaders of various backgrounds and interests. Competency navigating interactions with educational, research and service missions of a complex academic medical center department.
Proven capabilities in financial stewardship, budget management and resource allocation.
Solid vision for building a top-ranked Department of Emergency Medicine.
Qualities:
Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills.
Exhibits a style that supports change and innovation, with an ability to delegate yet maintain overall control.
Commitment to research and educational missions.
A genuine appreciation for consultation and collaboration. Personal style that fosters and supports innovation