Neonatal POCUS (Point of Care Ultrasound) Volunteer Medical Specialist

Job Posting Organization:
Doctors Without Borders / Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) is an international humanitarian organization founded in 197

• MSF provides medical assistance to populations in distress, including those affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare. The organization operates in over 70 countries and employs thousands of staff, including medical professionals, logistical experts, and administrative personnel. MSF is committed to delivering high-quality medical care and advocating for the rights of marginalized communities, ensuring that healthcare is accessible to all, regardless of their circumstances.

Job Overview:
As a Neonatal POCUS (Point of Care Ultrasound) Volunteer Medical Specialist, you will play a crucial role in supporting MSF’s Telemedicine Program by providing remote medical and clinical support to MSF’s global medical teams. This position allows you to utilize your expertise in neonatal ultrasound to review and respond to patient cases assigned to you via a secure Telemedicine Platform. The role is designed to be flexible, allowing you to contribute asynchronously, which means you can provide your insights and recommendations without the need for real-time interaction. Your involvement is vital in regions where access to specialized medical professionals is limited, particularly for newborns who are among the most vulnerable patients. By volunteering, you will help bridge the gap in care, ensuring that frontline clinicians receive the expert support they need to make informed clinical decisions and improve patient outcomes.

Duties and Responsibilities:
Your primary responsibilities will include reviewing neonatal patient cases assigned to you on the Telemedicine Platform and providing timely medical or clinical advice within 24 hours. You will be expected to deliver detailed reviews and expert interpretations of ultrasound images submitted by field clinicians, which may include trans-fontanelle imaging, neonatal cardiac scans, lung ultrasounds, and abdominal scans. Additionally, you will assist field teams in narrowing down complex differential diagnoses by integrating POCUS findings with available clinical data and patient history. It is essential to deliver high-level clinical decision support and provide careful advice on appropriate treatment plans, adapting to the available resources and management options in the given location. You will also ensure that all advice aligns with MSF guidelines and is appropriate for low-resource settings. Providing constructive feedback on image acquisition techniques to help field clinicians improve the diagnostic quality of their scans is another critical aspect of your role. You will be responsible for ongoing follow-up on assigned cases until they are resolved and will collaborate with other Medical Specialists assigned to the case, contributing to a global community of medical knowledge. Lastly, you must ensure that all telemedicine consultations adhere to strict patient data privacy standards and ethical guidelines regarding digital medical records.

Required Qualifications:
To qualify for this position, you must be a pediatrician with a neonatal profile or a neonatologist with demonstrated proficiency in Neonatal POCUS acquired during residency or advanced clinical training. You should have a minimum of 4 years of post-qualification work experience, utilizing POCUS in daily clinical practice. It is also essential that you have clinical experience or have taught POCUS within the past calendar year and are considered a POCUS expert within your hospital or department. Active registration and certification with your professional regulatory body are mandatory, and you should be comfortable using technology and navigating online platforms.

Educational Background:
A relevant medical degree in pediatrics or neonatology is required, along with specialized training in Neonatal POCUS. Continuous professional development and training in ultrasound techniques are highly valued, as they ensure that you remain updated with the latest advancements in the field.

Experience:
The position requires a minimum of 4 years of post-qualification work experience, specifically in the clinical use of POCUS. Experience in teaching POCUS techniques is also beneficial, as it demonstrates your ability to share knowledge and improve the skills of other clinicians. Previous experience in global health, humanitarian work, or low-resource settings is highly desirable, as it indicates your familiarity with the challenges faced in such environments.

Languages:
Fluency in English or French is required, both written and spoken. Additionally, fluency in multiple languages is highly desirable, as it can enhance communication with diverse teams and patients in various regions.

Additional Notes:
This is a volunteer position requiring a time commitment of 2-3 hours per week, with flexible scheduling based on your availability. The role is fully remote, allowing you to provide support from anywhere with a reliable internet connection. Successful candidates will be required to sign a Volunteer Agreement that includes clauses on data privacy, non-disclosure, and medical liability. Onboarding will involve an overview of the Telemedicine Program and platform training, which is self-paced and takes approximately 1.5 hours. If requested, you should be prepared to provide three professional references, although these will only be contacted with your permission. For more information about the Telemedicine Program, you can visit the provided link.