Division Head, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine, BC Children’s Hospital - Department of Pediatrics & The University of British Columbia

Division Head, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine
Department of Pediatrics & The University of British Columbia
BC Children’s Hospital
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Regular Full Time

The University of British Columbia (UBC) & BC Children’s Hospital are seeking a Division Head to provide leadership to the clinical and academic services of Pediatric Emergency Medicine. The Emergency Department serves 45,000-50,000 children per year and provides an outstanding environment for clinical research and teaching of learners from multiple healthcare disciplines. The BCCH ED has more than 50 acute and fast-track beds including 2 state-of-the-art trauma/resuscitation rooms, specialized procedure rooms, and a dedicated mental wellness area.

The Emergency Department is staffed by subspecialists in Pediatric Emergency Medicine, including >30 members of the Children’s Hospital Emergency Physicians Association (CHEPA), as well as a diverse group of per diem and part time non-member physicians. The majority of physicians are PEM subspeciality trained, with excellent support from EM and Pediatric specialists to do this important work. We pride ourselves in having an interdisciplinary approach to children in need of emergent care, and the physicians work closely with Divisional nurse practitioners, nurses, mental health nurses, respiratory therapists, child-life specialists, social workers, and administrative staff as well as hospital pediatricians and pediatric subspecialists.

The Children’s Hospital Emergency Physicians Associates (CHEPA) is a democratic association of Pediatric Emergency Physicians that provides clinical services to the Emergency Department of BCCH, is collectively responsible for staffing responsibilities, and is dedicated to excellence in clinical care, equity, research, quality, patient safety, and education. A fully equipped simulation center within the hospital and the UBC Centre for Health Educational Scholarship (CHES) present opportunities for growth and development of faculty interested in educational research, while the BCCHR supports opportunities for the clinician-scientists and investigators.

The Division Head works withina shared leadership structure with the ED Medical Director and the CHEPA Practice Director, supporting alignment between the academic Division, clinical operations, and the physician practice group. The role is accountable through BCCH/PHSA and the Department of Pediatrics, and includes leadership in Divisional strategy, physician resource planning, longitudinal and academic recruitment, credentialing and reappointment, professional development, quality and standards of care, education, and research. Furthermore, the Division Head provides representation of Pediatric Emergency Medicine within the hospital, university, and broader health system. Given the Division’s shared academic, clinical, operational, and contractual context, the successful candidate will be expected to build clear, collaborative working relationships across BCCH/PHSA, UBC, CHEPA, nursing and interprofessional partners, while contributing to ongoing work to strengthen governance, role clarity, accountability, and sustainable physician leadership.

As the successful candidate for the Division Head position, you will have demonstrated a commitment to academic and clinical excellence in emergency medicine and have the demonstrated leadership and management skills to ensure high quality clinical service and academic productivity. You will encourage a multidisciplinary collaborative teamwork and support an equitable, diverse, and inclusive vision for pediatric emergency medicine, support growth and career development all while promoting patient safety in a family centered environment.

Applicants for this position must have passed or be eligible for the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada certification in Pediatrics or comparable qualifications and will have completed a recognized training program in Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Applicants must be eligible for a specialist license, as determined by the College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia.

UBC Clinical Faculty Rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

Applications will be reviewed on July 15, 2026 and will continue until the position is filled.

Qualified candidates should send their cover letter, CV, teaching dossier and the name, title and contact information for four references to:

Search committee chair:

Dawn Gano, MD, MAS, FRCPC
Division Head, Pediatric Neurology, BC Children’s Hospital Professor,
Department of Pediatrics, University of British Columbia
Via email: [email protected]

PHSA, BCCH, BCCHR and UBC hire on the basis of merit and are committed to employment equity. All qualified persons are encouraged to apply. We especially welcome applications from members of visible minority groups, women, Aboriginal persons, persons with disabilities, persons of minority sexual orientations and gender identities, and others with the skills and knowledge to engage productively with diverse communities. Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion

PHSA, BCCH, BCCHR and UBC are committed to equity, diversity, inclusion, and reconciliation. We encourage applications from all qualified individuals, including Indigenous Peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities, people of diverse gender identities or expressions, and members of other equity-seeking groups.

The successful candidate will also demonstrate a commitment to beginning and continuing their personal learning journey related to Indigenous-specific racism and dismantling systems of oppression, as well as addressing racism more broadly. Shows willingness to articulate and share their learning experiences to contribute to a culture of motivation and inspiration among peers.

As a strong asset for consideration, we are looking for our successful candidate to have: Foundational knowledge of the social, economic, and political realities of settler-colonialism and its impacts on Indigenous peoples and equity-deserving groups within social and health contexts. Understands the impact of social determinants of health-on-health outcomes. Shows a commitment to learning about and upholding legislative obligations and provincial commitments outlined in foundational documents such as the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place: Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan, Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study, the BC Human Rights Code, Anti-Racism Data Act, and the Distinctions Based Approach.

What we do

British Columbia Children’s Hospital (BCCH) cares for the most acutely ill or injured children and youth in BC and serves as the only level 1 trauma pediatric trauma center for the province. BCCH also provides developmental and rehabilitation services to children and youth throughout BC and operates a wide number of specialized health programs. BCCH is the main pediatrics clinical training site for the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC) and conducts research to advance health and knowledge through the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHR), and collaborations with other institutions.

BCCH is a program of the Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) Services Authority (PHSA) which plans, manages and evaluates specialized health services with the BC health authorities to provide equitable and cost-effective health care for people throughout the province. Our values reflect our commitment to excellence and include: Respect people – Be compassionate – Dare to innovate – Create equity – Be courageous.

The University of British Columbia (UBC) is Canada’s third largest university and consistently ranks among the 40 best universities in the world. Primarily situated in Vancouver, UBC is a research-intensive university and has an economic impact of $4 billion to the provincial economy.

PHSA, BCCH, BCCHR and UBC are committed to anti-racism and equity in our hiring and employment practices. With learning and compassion, we are addressing existing inequities and barriers throughout our systems. PHSA is seeking to create a diverse workforce and to establish an inclusive and culturally safe environment. We invite applications and enquiries from all people, particularly those belonging to the historically, systemically, and/or persistently excluded groups identified under the B.C. Human Rights Code.

One of PHSA’s North Star priorities is to eradicate Indigenous-specific racism, which includes ongoing commitments to Indigenous recruitment and employee experience as well as dismantling barriers to health care employment at every level. We welcome Indigenous individuals to apply and/or contact the Sanya’k̓ula Team (Indigenous Recruitment & Employee Experience) for support at [email protected].

Indigenous-specific anti-racism initiatives are rooted in addressing the unique forms of discrimination, historical and ongoing injustices, and exclusion faced by Indigenous peoples. These initiatives align with an Indigenous rights-based approach, recognizing the inherent rights and title of BC First Nations and self-determination of all First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities. PHSA is mandated to uphold legislative obligations and provincial commitments found in the foundational documents including the Truth & Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action (2015), In Plain Sight (2020), BC's Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (2019), United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), Reclaiming Power and Place Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women & Girls Calls for Justice (2019), the Declaration Act Action Plan and Remembering Keegan: A First Nations Case Study.