Physician Assistant | General Surgery

Henry Ford Health; Novi, Northern (MI, KY); Hybrid; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Henry Ford Health in Michigan seeks an experienced Physician Assistant to serve as Surgical First Assistant across general surgery. You will lead bedside care, document progress, and support optimal patient outcomes.

Responsibilities include advanced bedside procedures, providing surgical consultations, and collaborating with residents and attending physicians to maintain surgical excellence. On-call coverage includes overnights and weekends.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and completion of an AMA-approved Physician Assistant program.
• Michigan state licensure and current NCCPA certification.
• Current BLS, ACLS, ATLS/PALS, DEA, and CSL credentials.
• Minimum 2 years of surgical first assist experience.
• Proficiency with bedside procedures (I&D, wound debridement, chest tube placement, central line placement, and wound vac management).

Responsibilities

• Lead daily rounds on general surgery patients and manage pre- and post-operative care.
• Document progress notes and place clinical orders to support outcomes.
• Perform bedside procedures including I&D, wound debridement, chest tube placement and wound VAC management.
• Evaluate new consults in the ED and for admitted patients with timely assessments.
• Deliver expert surgical consultations across general, HPB, colorectal, vascular, and specialty services.
• Provide skilled surgical assistance in the OR and respond to emergent OR cases during on-call coverage.
• Collaborate with residents and attending physicians to ensure surgical excellence.
• Maintain on-call coverage from home (~6 times per month) with 1-hour report time; weekend on-call (1-2 days/month).

Skills

Surgical first assist

Bedside procedures

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree + AMA-approved PA program

Job description

Key Responsibilities

Patient Care & Clinical Leadership

• Lead daily rounds on general surgery patients, managing both pre- and post-operative care with precision and compassion
• Document comprehensive progress notes and place appropriate clinical orders to support optimal patient outcomes
• Perform high-impact bedside procedures including I&D, wound debridement, central line placement, chest tube placement, and wound vac management

Consultation & Assessment

• Evaluate new consults in the ED and for admitted patients, providing timely clinical assessments
• Deliver expert surgical consultations across general, HPB, colorectal, vascular, and specialty surgical services (plastic, breast, thoracic)
• Manage a diverse patient population, primarily adults with occasional pediatric patients (age 14+)

Surgical Support & Assistance

• Provide skilled surgical assistance in the OR, supporting complex procedures across multiple specialties
• Respond to emergent OR cases during on-call coverage (overnight, weekends, and holidays)
• Collaborate seamlessly with surgical residents and attending physicians to ensure surgical excellence

Team Collaboration & Communication

• Communicate clearly and effectively with attending physicians, residents, and interdisciplinary team members
• Foster a collaborative surgical environment that prioritizes patient safety and clinical excellence
• Contribute to the fast-paced, highly skilled general surgery team culture

On-Call Availability

• Maintain on-call coverage from home (approximately 6 times per month) with a 1-hour report time for OR surgical cases
• Provide weekend on-call support (approximately 1-2 weekend days per month, scheduled in advance)
• Ensure continuity of care for emergent surgical cases

Company Description

Henry Ford Health partners with millions of people on their health journey, across Michigan and around the world. We offer a full continuum of services from primary and preventative care to complex and specialty care, health insurance, a full suite of home health offerings, virtual care, pharmacy, eye care and other health care retail. With former Ascension southeast Michigan and Flint region locations now part of our team, Henry Ford's care is available in 13 hospitals and hundreds of ambulatory care locations. Based in Detroit, Henry Ford is one of the nation's most respected academic medical centers and is leading the Future of Health: Detroit, a $3 billion investment anchored by a reimagined Henry Ford academic healthcare campus.

Qualifications

What You Will Need

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree and completion of an AMA-approved Physician Assistant program
• Michigan state licensure and current NCCPA certification
• Current BLS, ACLS, ATLS/PALS, DEA, and CSL credentials
• Minimum 2 years of surgical first assist experience
• Demonstrated proficiency with bedside procedures (I&D, wound debridement, chest tube placement, central line placement, and wound vac management)

Preferred Qualifications

• Specialized training or certification in surgical assistance
• 2+ years of acute care experience in a surgical setting