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Professor, Internal Medicine-Infectious Disease

Galveston, Texas, United States

New

Faculty

UTMB Health

Requisition # 2505847

Infectious Disease Division Chief

Department of Medicine

University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB) - Galveston, Texas

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Department of Internal Medicine at the University of Texas Medical Branch seeks a Division Chief of Infectious Diseases to build and expand clinical programs across UTMB's growing multi-campus health system. As UTMB extends its clinical footprint throughout Southeast Texas and the Houston region, the Division Chief will deploy infectious diseases specialty services to new sites, establish multidisciplinary clinical programs including outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy and specialized infection conferences, and scale the ACGME-accredited fellowship training program.

This position reports to Dr. Salim Hayek, Chair of the Department of Internal Medicine. The Division Chief will work closely with hospital leadership, fellow division chiefs, and interdisciplinary colleagues across cardiology, cardiac surgery, orthopedic surgery, transplant services, and addiction medicine to position the division as a regional referral center for complex infectious disease management and antimicrobial stewardship.

INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT

UTMB is a $3.5 billion academic health center established in 1891 as Texas's first medical school, comprising Schools of Medicine, Nursing, Health Professions, Public and Population Health, and a Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences. With $168 million in sponsored research awards, UTMB ranks 52nd nationally in NIH funding among medical schools and stands in the top 2 percent of institutions

receiving NIH support.

The institution operates four hospital campuses (Galveston, Clear Lake, League City, Angleton-Danbury) with over 1000 beds and more than 90 clinics serving a population exceeding 1.8 million across Southeast Texas. UTMB is the only academic health science center south of Houston and serves as the Level I Trauma Center for a nine-county region. Clinical strengths include quaternary care capabilities, comprehensive burn care through partnership with Shriners Hospital for Children, transplant services, and specialty medical care for a substantial portion of Texas's incarcerated population through the TDCJ Hospital partnership. The main Galveston campus includes Jennie Sealy Hospital (310 patient rooms with 60 dedicated ICU beds, completed 2016) and John Sealy Hospital, along with the verified burn center and the 172-bed Texas Department of Criminal Justice Hospital.

UTMB houses the Galveston National Laboratory, one of two BSL-4 biocontainment facilities on a U.S. university campus, and the Sealy Center for Vaccine Development. Research strengths include nationally recognized programs in microbiology and immunology (ranked in the top 10 nationally for NIH funding by the Blue Ridge Institute), infectious diseases, anesthesiology critical care, and translational sciences. The institution recently established the Moody Brain Health Institute with a $25 million philanthropic commitment. UTMB is a member of the Houston-based Texas Medical Center and benefits from philanthropic support exceeding $50 million annually, including substantial backing from the Sealy & Smith Foundation.

DEPARTMENT OVERVIEW

The Department of Internal Medicine is the largest department within UTMB’s John Sealy School of Medicine, encompassing multiple divisions including Allergy and Immunology, Endocrinology, Gastroenterology & Hepatology, General Medicine, Geriatrics, Infectious Disease, Medical Oncology and Hematology, Nephrology, Palliative Care, Pulmonary, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine, and Rheumatology.

The department operates a categorical Internal Medicine residency program with approximately 32 positions per cycle, as well as a distinctive combined Aerospace/Internal Medicine residency in partnership with NASA—the only program of its kind in the United States.

Under the leadership of Dr. Hayek, who joined UTMB in 2024 from the University of Michigan, the department emphasizes data-driven strategies, precision medicine, and integration of emerging technologies including artificial intelligence into clinical operations. The department's mission encompasses excellence in patient care, robust training programs, and expansion of research activities across basic, translational, and clinical domains.

DIVISION STRENGTHS AND RESOURCES

The Division of Infectious Diseases currently includes faculty with expertise spanning clinical infectious diseases, HIV medicine, travel medicine, infection prevention, and antimicrobial stewardship. The division provides consultative services across UTMB's multi-campus system and operates specialized clinical programs including:

**• HIV/AIDS Clinical Services -** comprehensive care for patients with HIV infection, including antiretroviral therapy management, opportunistic infection treatment, and pre-exposure prophylaxis

**• Travel Medicine and Tropical Diseases -** pre-travel consultation, post-travel evaluation, and

management of imported tropical infections, leveraging UTMB's Center for Tropical Diseases and

international research collaborations

**• Infection Prevention and Antimicrobial Stewardship -** hospital epidemiology services, antimicrobial utilization review, and quality improvement initiatives across the health system

**• Consultative Infectious Diseases Services - i** npatient and outpatient consultation for complex infections including endocarditis, osteomyelitis, device-related infections, and immunocompromised host infections

The division operates an ACGME-accredited two-year Infectious Diseases Fellowship that participates in the National Resident Matching Program. Fellows receive comprehensive training in clinical infectious diseases, antimicrobial stewardship, infection prevention, and have opportunities for global health experiences and research mentorship. The division benefits from unique institutional resources including

access to the Galveston National Laboratory for research in emerging pathogens, collaboration with the Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and the Institute for Human Infections and Immunity.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Clinical Leadership

• Deploy infectious diseases consultation services across UTMB's four hospital campuses and expanding outpatient network, establishing coverage models, quality standards, and referral pathways appropriate for a multi-site academic medical center

• Establish and operationalize an Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy (OPAT) program with protocols, nursing coordination, pharmacy partnerships, and patient monitoring systems to support safe transition of complex IV antibiotic therapy to the outpatient setting

• Build multidisciplinary clinical programs including an Endocarditis Conference (involving cardiology, cardiac surgery, and addiction medicine) and a Complex Orthopedic/Spine Infections Program (with orthopedic surgery and neurosurgery) to improve care coordination and outcomes for patients with complicated device-related and bone infections

• Recruit, mentor, and retain clinical faculty to support service line growth and ensure sustainable coverage for consultative services across multiple sites while maintaining faculty satisfaction and work-life balance

• Maintain an active clinical practice in infectious diseases appropriate to academic rank and administrative responsibilities

Educational Leadership

• Oversee the ACGME-accredited Infectious Diseases Fellowship, ensuring compliance with program requirements, supporting fellow recruitment, and maintaining or improving match competitiveness, board pass rates, and graduate career placement

• Direct subspecialty education for Internal Medicine residents rotating through infectious diseases services, coordinating didactic conferences, case-based learning, and mentorship opportunities

• Expand fellowship program capacity strategically to support clinical expansion and research growth while maintaining educational quality and fellow satisfaction

• Foster faculty development in clinical teaching and provide mentorship for junior faculty pursuing academic promotion through clinician-educator, research, or tenure tracks Research and Scholarship

• Develop the division's research portfolio through pursuit of extramural funding, identification of collaborative opportunities, and mentorship of faculty investigators and fellows

• Leverage UTMB's research infrastructure, particularly the Galveston National Laboratory, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and international field sites, to advance investigation in antimicrobial resistance, emerging pathogens, host-pathogen interactions, global

health, or other areas aligned with institutional and division strengths

• Foster collaborative research with other UTMB departments and Texas Medical Center institutions to build competitive grant applications and expand the division's academic impact

• Support quality improvement initiatives, outcomes research, and scholarly activity among fellows and faculty, ensuring all division members engage in scholarship appropriate to their career track

Administrative and Strategic Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a five-year divisional strategic plan with measurable milestones for clinical expansion, research funding, and educational outcomes, aligned with departmental and institutional priorities

• Manage division budget, optimize resource allocation including clinical revenue and operating expenses, and work with departmental leadership on productivity metrics, revenue cycle performance, and payer contracting

• Establish divisional governance structure including clinical operations, research, and fellowship program committees to ensure transparent decision-making and faculty engagement

• Participate in departmental strategic planning, faculty recruitment, and institutional committees as assigned, representing infectious diseases perspectives in health system and medical school forums

• Collaborate with nursing leadership, pharmacy services, infection prevention, and allied health professionals to ensure high-quality, team-based care delivery and antimicrobial stewardship

• Foster relationships with regional referral networks, community physicians, and healthcare systems to enhance UTMB's role as the academic medical center for Southeast Texas

CANDIDATE PROFILE

Required Qualifications

• MD or DO degree from an accredited institution

• Board certification in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases by the American Board of Internal Medicine (or equivalent)

• Eligibility for medical licensure in Texas

• Academic rank of Associate Professor or Professor at an accredited medical school, or qualifications consistent with appointment at this level at UTMB

• Demonstrated leadership experience in clinical program development, education, or research

• Track record of effective collaboration with administrative, clinical, and academic colleagues

Valued Experience

• Experience in multi-site or health system operations, particularly expanding clinical services geographically or building programs across multiple hospital campuses

• Track record of establishing OPAT programs, multidisciplinary infection conferences, or other specialized infectious diseases clinical services

• Record of extramural funding from NIH, CDC, foundations, or industry sponsors, with particular interest in antimicrobial resistance, emerging pathogens, or global health research

• Leadership roles in fellowship or residency education, including program director or associate program director experience

• Involvement in professional societies such as IDSA, SHEA, HIVMA, ASTMH, editorial boards, or national committees relevant to infectious diseases

• Experience with antimicrobial stewardship programs, infection prevention, or quality improvement methodologies

• International research experience or interest in leveraging UTMB's global health infrastructure and field sites

• Leadership development through participation in structured programs such as leadership academies, executive education, or formal management and communication workshops

COMPENSATION AND SUPPORT

Compensation for this position follows the Department of Internal Medicine Leader Compensation Plan and is benchmarked to the AAMC Faculty Salary Survey data aligned by academic rank. Total compensation includes a competitive base salary plus an at-risk leadership incentive tied to mutually agreed-upon annual performance goals across strategic priorities. A detailed Memorandum of Understanding will specify compensation structure, effort allocation, and performance expectations upon appointment.

The Division Chief will have access to divisional administrative support including an operations manager, participation in departmental strategic planning, and institutional resources for faculty development and clinical program development. Protected time for research or scholarly activity may be negotiated based on investigative portfolio and grant support. Startup funding for research may be available depending on the candidate's research program and institutional priorities.

UTMB offers a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, retirement contributions to the Teacher Retirement System of Texas or Optional Retirement Program, professional development support, and relocation assistance.

LOCATION AND QUALITY OF LIFE

Galveston Island (population approximately 50,000) is located 30 miles south of Houston, the nation's fourth-largest city. The island offers Gulf Coast beaches, extensive water recreation opportunities, temperate climate, and historic charm. The region provides notably lower cost of living compared to major metropolitan markets while maintaining proximity to Houston's world-class amenities.

Houston provides comprehensive cultural and recreational resources including professional sports (Astros, Texans, Rockets), performing arts venues, the Museum District, diverse international dining, and extensive shopping. The region offers excellent outdoor recreation with beach access, fishing, and sailing, along with strong public and private school options. The Texas Medical Center's proximity

facilitates academic collaboration and professional networking.

Major airports (Houston Hobby and George Bush Intercontinental) provide convenient access for national and international travel, supporting both professional engagement and personal connections.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Interested candidates should submit a comprehensive application package including:

• Curriculum vitae with complete bibliography

• Leadership statement (2-3 pages) addressing:

o Relevant experience building clinical programs or expanding services across multiple sites, particularly OPAT programs or multidisciplinary infection conferences

o Specific approach to establishing the OPAT program and developing the Endocarditis Conference and Complex Orthopedic/Spine Infections Program at UTMB

o Vision for leveraging UTMB's strengths in microbiology/immunology, the Galveston National Laboratory, and global health infrastructure to build a nationally competitive research program and strategy for securing extramural funding

o Philosophy on faculty recruitment, development, and retention in competitive markets, with attention to creating sustainable and equitable workload models

o Leadership approach to managing the tripartite academic mission (clinical expansion, research growth, fellowship program development) and balancing these competing priorities

o Key institutional resources or support needed for success in this role

• Three professional references with current contact information (letters will be requested at appropriate stage)

Submit application materials to:

Brittany Belew

Business Operations Manager

[email protected]

Initial inquiries are treated confidentially. Formal reference checks and finalist interviews will be conducted only with candidate's explicit permission.

Equal Employment Opportunity

UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Compensation