Associate Professor/ Professor- Spine Program

Date Posted: 05/30/2025
Closing Date: 07/05/2025, 11:59PM ET
Req ID: 43198
Job Category: Faculty - Clinical
Faculty/Division: Temerty Faculty of Medicine
Department: Surgery
Hospital Affiliation: UHN - Toronto General Hospital
Campus: St. George (Downtown Toronto)

Description:

The Sprott Department of Surgery at University Health Network (UHN) is conducting a search for the next Head of Spine Program. We are seeking an academic surgeon to lead and implement a vision for a comprehensive spine surgery program at UHN.  We invite applications for this full-time academic position at the academic rank of Associate Professor or Professor from Neurosurgeons or Orthopaedic surgeons, having clinical subspecialty training and expertise in spine surgery.  This appointment is for a five-year term, renewable once, following a successful review.

The effective date of this appointment is flexible; however, we hope to have this search completed by July 2025.

The Spine Program at UHN comprises neurosurgeons and orthopedic surgeons and is sited at Toronto Western Hospital. Excellent facilities for clinical care supported by state-of-the-art clinical, ICU and experimental imaging facilities provide an environment conducive to leading-edge research. There is opportunity for strong collaboration across the care continuum, including post-acute/rehabilitation teams. This appointment will coincide with additional opportunities with the opening of the new Surgical Tower at Toronto Western Hospital in 2028.

The successful applicant will have an academic role category of a clinician-scientist, a clinician-investigator, or a clinician-teacher. The position offers an extraordinary opportunity to work in a leading academic health sciences centre and lead and collaborate in clinical, research and educational programs in a multidisciplinary clinical environment emphasizing quality care, health outcomes, research and education. Duties will include patient care, teaching, trainee supervision, recruitment and research. Duties as Head of the Spine program will be to devise and implement a strategic vision and evaluate improvements for the Program that is focused on excellence in care, research and education. 

Qualifications include an MD with specialist certification in Neurosurgery or Orthopaedic surgery and eligibility for certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or hold equivalent international certificate, and for licensure by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario. A postgraduate degree (MSc or PhD) in basic or clinical research, fellowship training in spine surgery and a track record of commitment to expertise and excellence in teaching at all levels and research productivity as demonstrated by a portfolio of significant scholarly works are expected. The successful candidate will possess strong leadership skills encompassing integrative thinking and managerial tools, emotional and political intelligence evidenced by a strong track record. Leadership training is an asset; however, it is not a mandatory requirement.

Remuneration will be derived from a variety of sources, mainly from, but not limited to fee-for-service billings, and commensurate with rank as a member of the Clinical Faculty, qualifications, and experience. Academic start-up funds will be provided in alignment with the credentials and experience of the applicant, as well as the academic proposal envisioned by the candidate.  Additional compensation may be provided commensurate with qualifications and experience. 

University Health Network is comprised of the Toronto General Hospital (TGH), Toronto Western Hospital (TWH), Princess Margaret Cancer Centre (PM), the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, the Michener Institute of Education and West Park. UHN is an academic institution affiliated with the University of Toronto and is recognized internationally for excellence in patient care, research, innovation and education with strong values of safety, compassion, teamwork, integrity and stewardship.

Please forward your curriculum vitae along with your letter of intention, and the names of three referees by

July 5th, 2025 to:

Thomas L. Forbes MD, Surgeon-in-Chief, Sprott Department of Surgery, University Health Network, 190 Elizabeth Street, RFE-1-408, Toronto, Ontario, M5G 2C4 c/o Ms. Michelle Paiva at Michelle.Paiva@uhn.ca 

For more information about the Temerty Faculty of Medicine/Department of Surgery and the Sprott Department of Surgery, University Health Network, please visit http://surgery.utoronto.ca and https://www.uhn.ca/Sprott-Surgery 

 CAUTION: This ad is “posted only” to the U of T affiliated hospital job board. Please see the information directly above for the application instructions; applications submitted via the "Apply Now" button on this page will NOT be considered for this position.