Role and Facility Information

Public Health Physician

BC Centre for Disease Control

Regular Full-Time (1.0 FTE)

Vancouver, BC

The Public Health Physician provides medical leadership within the Public Health Response team and works in close collaboration with both the Senior Scientist and Senior Practice Leader of Respiratory Viral Surveillance. Reporting to the Medical Director, Public Health Response, the Public Health Physician is responsible for providing medical expertise and medical leadership for provincial respiratory surveillance (e.g., influenza, RSV, and COVID-19) along with for emerging respiratory infection preparedness and response. The Public Health Physician supports outbreak investigation and management, program and policy analysis to make informed recommendations around communicable disease control, provides expert consultation services to address gaps in knowledge relating to communicable diseases, and helps to strengthen provincial public health networks related to these public health issues and public health emergency management more broadly.

The Public Health Physician consults, partners, and collaborates with communities, Regional Health Authorities, First Nations Health Authority, Métis Nation BC, Office of the Provincial Health Officer, Ministry of Health and other provincial ministries and partners to identify and address public health issues. This role leads and supports activities that uphold the rights of Indigenous Peoples eliminates anti-Indigenous racism, and advances reconciliation as well as participates in the BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) and the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) initiatives to promote a culture of respect and wellness.

Specific Accountabilities

Provides epidemiologic expertise and communicable disease consultation to Medical Health Officers, the Provincial Health Officer and the Minister of Health. This includes consultation on the management of communicable disease exposures in individuals and investigation and management of outbreaks including population-based measures to prevent and control communicable diseases.

Monitors, interprets and recommends actions based on surveillance data for selected communicable diseases from amongst nosocomial, vaccine-preventable, respiratory-borne, enteric, zoonotic, bloodborne and other diseases of public health concern as assigned within the department. It is anticipated that this position will have special emphasis on nosocomial, vaccine-preventable and/or respiratory-borne diseases, but assignment will be flexible and may change with the needs identified within the department. Special surveillance initiatives will be undertaken. Provides expertise on the process of surveillance and participates in the development of surveillance systems and programs.

Assists with high profile communications aspects for rapid dispersion of information to the public, physicians, public health worker, MHOs, and government. This includes preparation of briefing notes, Ministers letters, telephone, electronic, written and face to face consultation to public health field personnel, other BCCDC and Ministry of Health personnel. Includes providing interviews with all forms of media on related issues.

Prepares reports on communicable disease epidemiology or control for publication.

Provides advice/liaison on epidemiological matters with local, provincial, national health care, education and other organizations.

Provides medical consultation, background rationale (including literature review and synthesis) for program and policy recommendations and justification and based on feedback, develops communicable disease control policies for select diseases.

Assists in the development of budget proposals in support of recommended program or policy changes.

Participates in relevant public health research (including the spectrum ranging from emerging issues to evaluative studies) of select diseases or programs.

Co-ordinates inter-jurisdictional outbreak investigations and management of select diseases. Liaises with provincial, national and international jurisdictions as required. Develops outbreak control proposals for rapid Ministerial funding where necessary. Develops information materials and may act as BCCDC media spokesperson.

Assists in the development of communicable disease educational materials for public health field personnel and the public.

Attends meetings and conferences as required as an expert representative and/or member of the division and BCCDC. Participates in committee and workgroups at the local, provincial and national levels related to communicable disease control activities.

Provides on call service during the day and evenings as scheduled by rota.

Qualifications

Doctor of Medicine (MD) from a recognized university

Post graduate degree in Epidemiology or Public Health

Fellowship from the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada (FRCPC) in 1) Community Medicine or 2) Internal Medicine or Pediatrics with Infectious Disease training, or 3) Medical Microbiology

Registration or eligible for registration with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia

Excellent computer skills, including proficiency with word processing, statistical and analytical software.

Proficiency in clinical medicine

Excellent communication skills, including public speaking and public relations.

Ability to supervise clinical and administrative staff.

Ability to work well in interdisciplinary teams.

Effective interpersonal skills, mature judgement and flexibility.

A minimum of one years experience in public health with responsibility for communicable disease control.

Experience as a Medical Health Officer, communicable Disease Epidemiologist, Infection Control Practitioner or Federal Field Epidemiologist are assets.

Ability and experience in designing, implementing, and conducting studies, their interpretation, written reporting and publication. Demonstrated ability to secure grant funding in support of research initiatives also considered an asset.

Work Site – 655 West 12th Avenue, BC Centre for Disease Control, Vancouver BC, V5Z 4R4

Job Type – Regular Full Time

FTE – 1.0 FTE

Hours of Work – 0830-1630

Work Days – Monday to Friday

Contact

Applications, accompanied by a cover letter, detailed curriculum vitae, and the name, title, rank and contact information of four references, should be directed to Health Match BC.

About Provincial Health Services Authority

The BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) is dedicated to preventing and controlling communicable diseases and promoting environmental health for the province of BC.

BCCDC is part of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA).

PHSA plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include: Respect people – Be compassionate – Dare to innovate – Cultivate partnerships – Serve with purpose. Learn more about PHSA and our programs: jobs.phsa.ca/programs-and-services

PHSA and BCCDC are committed to employment equity, encouraging all qualified individuals to apply. We recognize that our ability to provide the best care for our diverse patient populations relies on a rich diversity of skills, knowledge, background and experience, and value a safe, inclusive and welcoming environment.

Reconciliation is an ongoing process and a shared responsibility for all of us. The BC Government unanimous passing of the Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act was a significant step forward in this journey—one that all health authorities are expected to support as we work in cooperation with Indigenous Peoples to establish a clear and sustainable path to meaningful and lasting reconciliation. True reconciliation will take time and ongoing commitment to work with Indigenous Peoples as we move toward self-determination. Guiding these efforts PHSA must uphold legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents such as including Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study.

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