POSITION SUMMARY 

The Surgical Director of the Living Donor Liver Transplant (LDLT) Program provides strategic, clinical, and operational leadership for all aspects of living donor liver transplantation. This senior faculty position carries ultimate responsibility for donor safety, recipient outcomes, program integrity, and regulatory compliance. The Surgical Director collaborates closely with the Hepatology Director, transplant coordinators, anesthesia, critical care, and administrative leadership to drive a nationally recognized, high-volume program. 

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES 

Clinical Leadership & Surgical Care 

• Perform complex living donor hepatectomies (right lobe, left lobe, left lateral segment) and recipient implantations, including technically demanding redo transplants and combined organ procedures. 

• Serve as the primary attending surgeon of record for all living donor operations and maintain active operative involvement in recipient surgeries. 

• Ensure the highest standards of peri-operative donor and recipient care, including ICU management, post-operative follow-up, and long-term surveillance. 

• Provide 24/7 availability and back-up coverage for on-call transplant surgical emergencies. 

Program Development & Strategy 

• Define and execute the strategic vision for program growth, including expansion of donor and recipient volumes, geographic referral development, and new surgical techniques (e.g., laparoscopic/robotic donor hepatectomy). 

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) including donor morbidity/mortality, recipient graft survival, length of stay, and readmission rates. 

• Identify and implement quality improvement initiatives aligned with SRTR benchmarking data and ASTS best practice guidelines. 

• Lead multidisciplinary case conferences (selection committee, M&M, QI committee) and foster a culture of safety and continuous improvement. 

Regulatory Compliance & Accreditation 

• Serve as the designated Transplant Program Director (or co-Director) with UNOS/OPTN, ensuring the program meets all certification requirements and key personnel qualifications. 

• Oversee adherence to MPSC performance metrics and respond to any MPSC reviews or variance reports in collaboration with hospital leadership. 

• Maintain familiarity with CMS Conditions of Participation for transplant programs and ensure timely data submission and policy compliance. 

• Lead preparation for JCAHO and other accreditation site visits related to transplant services. 

Donor Evaluation & Selection 

• Chair or co-chair the Living Donor Selection Committee, ensuring rigorous, ethical, and evidence-based donor evaluation independent of recipient pressures. 

• Standardize donor evaluation pathways, consent processes, and psychosocial screening protocols in accordance with ASTS, AST, and AASLD guidelines. 

• Oversee the long-term follow-up and reporting of living donors per OPTN Policy 18. 

• Serve as a resource and advocate for potential donors, ensuring informed consent is comprehensive and free of coercion. 

Education & Academic Mission 

• Supervise and mentor surgical residents, transplant surgery fellows, and advanced practice providers in all phases of living donor and recipient care. 

• Design and deliver didactic curriculum for the transplant surgery fellowship aligned with ASTS training standards. 

• Pursue an active scholarly agenda including peer-reviewed publications, national conference presentations, and clinical or translational research. 

• Participate in grant development related to living donor transplantation, outcomes research, or surgical innovation. 

Administrative & Operational Oversight 

• Partner with hospital administration on resource allocation, OR scheduling, transplant unit staffing, and budget planning for the LDLT program. 

• Collaborate with the transplant quality officer, transplant administrator, and financial counselors to optimize program efficiency and financial sustainability. 

• Represent the LDLT program at internal governance committees, external professional societies (ASTS, ILTS, AST), and donor/recipient advocacy organizations. 

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• M.D., D.O., or equivalent medical degree from an accredited institution. 

• Completion of an ACGME-accredited general surgery residency and a fellowship in transplant surgery (ASTS-accredited preferred). 

• Board certification or active board eligibility in Surgery (American Board of Surgery). 

• Unrestricted medical license in the state of practice and eligibility for appointment to the medical staff. 

• Minimum of 5 years of experience as an attending transplant surgeon with an active living donor liver program. 

• Demonstrated personal experience performing living donor hepatectomies (right lobe or left lobe), with a minimum volume sufficient to meet UNOS Key Personnel requirements. 

• Eligible to serve as a UNOS-qualified transplant surgeon for liver transplantation. 

• Record of peer-reviewed scholarship and national conference participation. 

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS 

• Experience with minimally invasive (laparoscopic or robotic-assisted) donor hepatectomy. 

• Prior experience as a program director, surgical director, or section chief. 

• NIH or industry-funded research grants related to transplantation. 

• Leadership roles in ASTS, ILTS, AST, or UNOS/OPTN committees. 

• Completion of training or certification in quality improvement (IHI, Lean Six Sigma, or equivalent). 

CORE COMPETENCIES 

• Surgical Excellence: Expert technical proficiency in complex hepatobiliary and transplant surgery. 

• Ethical Leadership: Uncompromising commitment to donor safety, informed consent, and program integrity. 

• Strategic Vision: Ability to build and grow a high-performing, nationally competitive LDLT program. 

• Collaboration: Skill in working across multidisciplinary teams, administrative partners, and external stakeholders. 

• Mentorship: Dedication to education, fellow development, and the next generation of transplant surgeons. 

• Data-Driven Decision Making: Proficiency in outcomes analysis, benchmarking, and quality improvement methodology. 

WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS 

• Frequent standing and fine motor activity during prolonged surgical procedures. 

• Availability for after-hours, on-call, and emergency surgical coverage as required by program volume. 

• Exposure to standard operating room and hospital clinical environments. 

• Travel may be required for professional society meetings, donor/recipient outreach, and external collaborations.