Opportunity Details
Department of Anesthesiology
Pediatric
Clinician
Commensurate w/Experience
Medical Director, Pediatric Anesthesiology Children’s Specialty Care Center at CoxHealth – Springfield, Missouri
The Washington University Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology, in partnership with St. Louis Children’s Hospital and CoxHealth, is seeking a Board-Certified Pediatric Anesthesiologist to serve as the Medical Director of Anesthesiology for the newly established St. Louis Children’s Specialty Care Center at CoxHealth in Springfield, Missouri. This state-of-the-art outpatient clinic and surgery center will be the largest pediatric surgery center in Southwest Missouri, offering ambulatory surgery, imaging, laboratory services, infusion services, and pediatric specialty clinics. The Medical Director will provide clinical and administrative leadership to establish and grow pediatric anesthesiology services while ensuring exceptional patient care, operational excellence, and collaboration across departments.
The Department of Anesthesiology seeks a collaborative physician leader who is committed to advancing its mission of delivering exceptional, patient-centered care; providing outstanding education and mentorship; advancing the science and clinical practice of anesthesiology; and fostering the professional development, engagement, and well-being of faculty and staff.
The Pediatric Anesthesiology Medical Director will hold a primary faculty appointment in the Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology. The Medical Director will report to the Clinical Director and the Division Chief of Pediatric Anesthesiology; the Medical Director will oversee operations and anesthesia scheduling for the Pediatric operating room, the Ambulatory Procedure Center at St. Louis Children’s Specialty Care Center at CoxHealth, and Inpatient Pediatric Anesthesiology and sedation services at Cox Health. The individual will play a key role in developing clinical programs, establishing operational processes, promoting quality and patient safety initiatives, and strengthening partnerships among Washington University, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and clinical leadership at CoxHealth to support the continued growth and success of the center.
Key Responsibilities
• Provide clinical and administrative leadership for pediatric anesthesiology services at the Children’s Specialty Care Center.
• Deliver high-quality, evidence-based pediatric anesthesia care while maintaining the highest standards of patient safety and clinical excellence.
• Collaborate with surgeons, nursing leaders, administrators, and multidisciplinary teams to support coordinated patient care and operational success.
• Oversee clinical operations, including scheduling and operating room block-time planning.
• Develop, implement, and monitor local clinical protocols and quality improvement initiatives.
• Partner with executive leadership to support strategic planning, operational efficiency, and program growth.
• Foster a culture of innovation, teamwork, professional development, and continuous improvement.
• Support the educational and clinical missions of Washington University, St. Louis Children’s Hospital, and CoxHealth.
• Promote physician engagement, staff well-being, and a positive work environment.
• Ensure compliance with applicable regulatory, accreditation, and institutional standards.
Quality and Safety
• Provide leadership for quality, safety, and service initiatives to ensure the delivery of safe, high-quality, patient-centered pediatric anesthesiology care.
• Support alignment of Washington University Department of Anesthesiology (WUDA) with BJC HealthCare and Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM) perioperative patient safety and quality initiatives.
• Ensure WUDA achieves Safety, Quality, and Service metrics as outlined in the Contracted Services Agreement.
• Partner with clinical and operational leaders to ensure anesthesiology services support WUDA Patient Safety, Quality (PSQ), and Green initiatives.
• Develop, implement, and maintain a comprehensive Quality Assurance/Quality Improvement (QA/QI) program for the Children's Specialty Care Center in collaboration with the Division Chief.
• Monitor clinical quality, patient safety, and operational performance through data-driven quality improvement initiatives, performance metrics, and ongoing program evaluation.
• Standardize clinical policies, protocols, and procedures across relevant perioperative services to promote consistent, evidence-based, high-quality care.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, patient safety, transparency, and accountability by engaging physicians, advanced practice providers, nursing, and multidisciplinary teams in quality and safety initiatives.
About Washington University School of Medicine
WashU Medicine is a global leader in biomedical research, patient care, and medical education, with more than 3,000 faculty members. Its National Institutes of Health (NIH) research funding portfolio is among the largest of U.S. medical schools, supporting groundbreaking discoveries and innovation across biomedical science.
WashU Medicine continues to advance healthcare through significant investments in research, education, clinical training, and physician development. Its faculty physicians provide care at leading academic and community healthcare facilities throughout the region.
About St. Louis Children’s Hospital
St. Louis Children’s Hospital, part of BJC HealthCare, has provided exceptional pediatric care for more than 140 years and serves children from all 50 states and more than 80 countries worldwide.
In partnership with WashU Medicine, St. Louis Children’s Hospital is consistently ranked among the nation’s best pediatric hospitals and is recognized for excellence in comprehensive pediatric services, including heart care, cancer care, neurology, orthopedics, and trauma services. The
hospital is among the few pediatric hospitals in the Midwest recognized by the American College of Surgeons as a Level 1 Pediatric Trauma Center.
About Springfield, Missouri
Springfield offers an outstanding quality of life with a welcoming community, affordable living, excellent schools, and abundant opportunities for recreation and entertainment. Located in the heart of the Ozarks, the region provides access to outdoor activities, cultural attractions, and a vibrant community environment.
Required Qualifications:
• M.D. or D.O. degree.
• Board Certification in Anesthesiology.
• Board Certification in Pediatric Anesthesiology.
• Missouri medical license (or eligibility).
• Missouri BNDD license.
• DEA registration.
• PALS certification.
• Specialty certification maintained through the MOCA program.
• U.S. citizenship or authorization to work in the United States.
The ideal candidate is a highly skilled pediatric anesthesiologist with demonstrated leadership abilities, strong communication and collaboration skills, and a commitment to clinical excellence. The successful candidate will be a collaborative leader and innovative thinker, with proven results and benchmarks, who is dedicated to advancing pediatric anesthesiology care while supporting colleagues, trainees, and staff.
About the Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology at WashU Medicine
The Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology at WashU Medicine is nationally recognized for excellence in clinical care, education, research, and innovation. As part of the Department of Anesthesiology, the division provides comprehensive anesthetic care for infants, children, and adolescents across a wide range of surgical and procedural specialties.
Faculty members are dedicated to advancing the field through innovative research, educating the next generation of anesthesiologists, and delivering exceptional patient-centered care. The division fosters a collaborative and supportive environment that values professional development, clinical excellence, innovation, and the well-being of its faculty and staff.
Application Process
Interested candidates should submit:
• One-page cover letter
• Curriculum Vitae (CV)
• Names and contact information for three professional references
Applications may be submitted through the Washington University Faculty Opportunities portal https://facultyopportunities.wustl.edu/apply
Contact Information
Dolores Njoku, MD The Wise Professor of Anesthesiology Division Chief, Pediatric Anesthesiology and Vice Chair Department of Anesthesiology Washington University School of Medicine Pediatric Anesthesiologist-in-Chief St. Louis Children’s Hospital
Email: [email protected]
Dolores Njoku
8/27/2026
No end date
EEO Statement