Pediatric Hematologist/Oncologist with special interest in hematology

Kentucky Children’s Hospital and the University of Kentucky are seeking to recruit a clinical pediatric hematologist/oncologist with an outstanding record of clinical and teaching endeavors.  The ideal candidate would join a vibrant and collaborative division of pediatric hematologists/oncologists and would:

1. be recruited at the Assistant Professor, Associate Professor or Professor level to the University of Kentucky
2. demonstrate effective clinical service and teaching in pediatric hematology/oncology
3. hold an MD or MD/PhD or equivalent with a sustained record of excellent service
4. have a special interest in the care of children, adolescents and young adults with sickle cell disease and other hematologic conditions

The duties for this full-time position include patient care, teaching and scholarly activities. The successful candidate must have completed a Pediatric Hematology/Oncology fellowship from an accredited program by June 2023 and be fully competent in the clinical care of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology patients. The clinical assignments can include up to 10 weeks of inpatient service per year with remaining clinical time spent in outpatient clinics and consultations.  The ideal candidate will have an interest in scholarly activities that could lead to a successful academic program and promotion. Applicants must be eligible to be licensed to practice medicine in Kentucky and be eligible for certification by the American Board of Pediatrics in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.

Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (https://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/kentucky-childrens-hospital/services/cancer/hematology-oncology-pediatric). The Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology is comprised of nine faculty, five advanced care providers, six nurse navigators, twelve ambulatory nurses, four social workers, two school intervention specialists, five PharmD’s, a nutritionist, a child life specialist, and a patient financial navigator.  We are an active clinical research program, ranking at the 75^th percentile for COG therapeutic trial enrollments, with 5 members of a divisional research/regulatory team.  We are members of the National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, the Advanced Clinical Trials Network (with Cincinnati Children’s Medical Center), the Sunshine Kids Network, and the Neuroblastoma Medulloblastoma Translational Research Consortium. We currently care for oncology patients up to 30 years of age and average between 70-80 new oncology patients per year. Our renovated and expanded outpatient clinic opened in January 2017, increasing clinic space from 2,200 to 4,000 sq. ft., including more exam rooms (from 4 to 6) and infusion beds (from 4 to 10). Division office space is immediately behind the clinic, facilitating efficiency and encouraging collaboration and frequent interactions.  The clinic and faculty office spaces are conveniently located down the hall from the inpatient area, and above the Children’s Sedation and Procedure Unit where intrathecal infusions, lumbar punctures and bone marrows are completed. We use an electronic medical record (EPIC) with electronic chemotherapy ordering. Faculty include:

• John D’Orazio, MD, PhD – division chief; on faculty since 2004; physician/scientist with clinical interests in hematology and research interest in inherited cancer syndromes, melanoma and DNA repair
• Vlad Radulescu, MD – division medical director; on faculty since 2006; director of the Hemophilia Treatment Center, with clinical interests also in thrombophilia and hemoglobinopathies
• Sherry Bayliff, MD, MPH – on faculty since 2001; directs the Vascular Anomalies Clinic
• Tom Badgett, MD, PhD – on faculty since 2012; director of the Leukemia Program and institutional COG PI.
• Donita Lightner – trained as a child neurologist with specialist training in neuro-oncology, Dr. Lightner directs our Brain Tumor program. She has particular interests in neurofibromatosis.
• Caryn Sorge, MD – on faculty since 2016, clinical interests in lymphoma and neuroendocrine tumors; directs the Childhood Survivorship Clinic and the Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology service
• Amanda Harrington, MD – on faculty since 2021; director of the Pediatric and Young Adult Inherited Cancer Program
• Wesley Smith, DO – on faculty since 2022; clinical interests in bleeding/clotting disorders and quality improvement/safety
• Senna Munnikhuysen, MD – on faculty since 2023; interests include neuro-oncology and medical education

Existing Programs within Pediatric Hematology/Oncology include a Hemophilia Treatment Center, a Comprehensive Vascular Anomalies Clinic, a Childhood Cancer Survivorship Clinic, a Hemoglobinopathy Clinic, an Adolescent and Young Adult Oncology Service, a Pediatric Neuroendocrine Tumor Service, a Heavy Menstrual Bleeding Clinic, and a Cancer Predisposition Clinic.  Our division is presently engaged with the NCI Comprehensive Markey Cancer Center of the University of Kentucky to become American College of Surgeons “Commission on Cancer”-certified.

DanceBlue Philanthropic Organization.  The UK Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology is fortunate to be supported by the generous philanthropic support of DanceBlue (http://www.danceblue.org/), a student-run organization in existence at the University of Kentucky since 2006 that raises support for the Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and our pediatric hematology/oncology patients. The main philanthropic activity is an annual 24-hour dance marathon held usually at the end of February.  With fundraising numbers increasing each year, funding from DanceBlue has been used for laboratory and clinical research projects, staff support (e.g., Child Life and school intervention specialist), and patient support services. DanceBlue provided $1.2 million in funding for the renovation of our outpatient clinic and donated a $2 million endowment as of spring 2018 to establish the UK DanceBlue Distinguished Professorship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.  DanceBlue has been instrumental in allowing us to offer comprehensive services to our patients.

Department of Pediatrics (https://pediatrics.med.uky.edu/).  The Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology is a major Division within the Department of Pediatrics.  The Department of Pediatrics consists of over one hundred faculty members and is composed of allergy/immunology, child protective service, child advocacy, child psychiatry, community pediatrics, critical care, endocrinology, gastroenterology, genetics/metabolism, general pediatrics, hematology/oncology, hospitalist, infectious disease, neonatology, nephrology, neurology, pediatric surgery, pulmonary, radiology, research, rheumatology, and school health. The Department has an outstanding training program in General Pediatrics and three combined training programs: 1) Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, 2) Adult Psychiatry and Child Psychiatry, and 3) Child Neurology. UK Pediatrics also offers unique programs directed at child advocacy and international health.   The Department is chaired by Dr. Scottie Day, a pediatric critical care specialist and tireless advocate for the Division of Hematology/Oncology.

Kentucky Children’s Hospital (https://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/kentucky-childrens-hospital). The Kentucky Children’s Hospital (KCH), a hospital-within-a hospital, serves as a subspecialty regional referral and pediatric care center for Central and Eastern Kentucky. A renovated KCH entrance and 36,000 sq. ft. NICU opened in April 2018. KCH is a 177-bed facility with 54 acute care (non-ICU) beds, a 12-bed PICU, a 16-bed cardiac ICU, a 72-bed NICU, a 16-bed step down unit, and an 8-bed outpatient area open 24 hours daily for observations and other short stay patients. A dedicated pediatric infusion center opened in 2023.  Following a “Hospital within a hospital” model with dedicated pediatric radiology, surgery, radiation oncology, transport, sedation team and phlebotomy services, KCH offers full service in-house multidisciplinary support for pediatrics and young adult patients up to age 29 years.

• Over 100 pediatric faculty, including over 70 subspecialists
• PICU team with 11 intensivists performing more than two dozen ECMO cases per year
• Six pediatric surgeons actively engaged with pediatric oncology program
• Residency programs in pediatrics, pediatric neurology, medicine-pediatrics, and pediatric psychiatry (triple board)
• Fellowship training program in neonatology

University of Kentucky (http://www.uky.edu/UKHome/). The University of Kentucky (UK) is a leading land-grant and public research university located in the beautiful Bluegrass region of central Kentucky. Counted among the highest level of Carnegie Research institutions, the University is in the midst of aggressive efforts to become one of the nation’s premier public research universities with expectations that the College of Medicine will grow significantly in research stature and NIH ranking.

UK College of Medicine (https://med.uky.edu/). Founded in 1960, the UK College of Medicine (UKCOM) produces highly qualified, caring physicians and the next generation of biomedical scientists to serve the people of Kentucky and the nation. Grants and contracts in UKCOM total over $100 million a year, mainly from National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding. The College is one of six health-related colleges at the University (Dentistry, Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Public Health) and is located on UK’s main campus in Lexington, KY.

Markey Cancer Center (https://ukhealthcare.uky.edu/markey-cancer-center).  The UKCOM is affiliated with the Lucille P. Markey Cancer Center (MCC).  The MCC is one of only 72 NCI-designated comprehensive cancer centers in the country and the only NCI-designated cancer center in Kentucky. Located immediately adjacent to the Children’s Hospital and outpatient clinic, the MCC is a matrix cancer center with over 150 research members organized into three research programs: 1) molecular and cellular oncology (MCO), 2) cancer prevention and control (CP), and 3) translational oncology (TO).  The MCC holds bi-weekly molecular tumor board multidisciplinary conferences where pediatric and adult oncology cases with potential targetable mutations are discussed.  Cancer research at UK has grown steadily over the last 12 years, now accruing more than $25 million annually from NIH. 

Lexington KY and the Bluegrass (https://www.visitlex.com/).  Lexington, Kentucky, has a population estimated at more than 315,000 with a larger metro area of more than 630,000, and is often ranked as one of the best places to live in the country.  It is located approximately 70 miles from Cincinnati and Louisville, situated in the “Heart of the Bluegrass”).  It is a lovely and affordable place to live, full of friendly people and fun things to do.

How to Apply

Candidates should apply by email to John D'Orazio, MD, PhD, Chief, Division of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and Professor of Pediatrics, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, DanceBlue Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Clinic, Room C453, 800 Rose Street, Lexington, KY 40536-0096, Email: jdorazio@uky.edu.  Applications should include a curriculum vita and a description of clinical and scholarly interests. Applicants should also provide the names and addresses of at least three professional references. Applications will be reviewed as received and invitations to interview will be extended to competitive candidates.

The University of Kentucky is an Equal Opportunity University that values diversity and inclusion. Individuals with disabilities, minorities, veterans, women, and members of other underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply.

• MD or MD/PhD or equivalent with a sustained record of excellent service 
• Completed a Pediatric Hematology/Oncology fellowship from an accredited program by June 2023 and be fully competent in the clinical care of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology patients
• Applicants must be eligible to be licensed to practice medicine in Kentucky and be eligible for certification by the American Board of Pediatrics in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology.

About University of Kentucky Healthcare- Department of Pediatrics

UK Healthcare, the clinical enterprise of the University of Kentucky, encompasses multiple medical campuses as well as the clinical activities of all six health care colleges. The Kentucky Children’s Hospital (KCH) serves as a tertiary subspecialty regional referral and pediatric care center for the state of Kentucky as well as parts of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, and Tennessee. KCH offers 205-pediatric beds, including a Level I Pediatric Trauma Center, 12-bed pediatric ICU, 4-bed cardiac ICU and 90-bed level IV Neonatal ICU. KCH is nationally ranked by US News & World Report as a Best Children’s Hospital in Pediatric Cardiology & CT Surgery and Pediatric Orthopedics Located in the beautiful Bluegrass Region, Lexington provides outstanding quality of life with a progressive and vibrant University community. Known as the Horse Capital of the World, Lexington is notable for the friendliness of the South and with affordable housing, outstanding school options, excellent cultural, artistic, and dining venues, and collegiate sports. With a population in excess of 500,000, Greater Lexington offers many desirable features of large cities but with ease of access. In addition to an... avid sports community, Kentucky has several lakes and rivers with readily accessible outdoor activities, including the Red River Gorge. The University of Kentucky is committed to a diverse and inclusive workforce by ensuring all our students, faculty, and staff work in an environment of openness and acceptance. We strive to foster a community where people of all backgrounds, identities, and perspectives can feel secure and welcome. We also value the well-being of each of our employees and are dedicated to creating a healthy place to work, learn and live. In the interest of maintaining, a safe and healthy environment for our students, employees, patients and visitors the University of Kentucky is a Tobacco & Drug Free campus. The University of Kentucky is an equal opportunity employer. Upon offer of employment, successful applicants for certain positions must pass a pre-employment drug screen and undergo a national background check as required by UK Human Resources.

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