Orthopedical Clinical Officer

Position Overview

The Orthopedical Clinical Officer (OCO) provides essential orthopedic care in a pediatric hospital setting focused on the treatment of treatable disabilities. This role supports the clinical and surgical teams by providing pre- and post-operative care, minor surgical procedures, ward management, and participating in outreach and training activities. The OCO ensures continuity of care, effective documentation, and high standards of patient safety and satisfaction.

Key Responsibilities:

Clinical Duties:

• Provide 24-hour on-call coverage on a rotational basis.
• Conduct clinical rounds and manage private and general orthopedic fracture clinics.
• Review all post-operative pediatric patients and selectively review inpatients based on clinical need.
• Document all on-call patient reviews accurately and promptly.
• Ensure high-quality patient handovers between shifts or departments.
• Perform pre-operative assessments in both hospital and outreach settings.
• Admit orthopedic patients and manage their care in accordance with hospital protocols.
• Perform minor surgical procedures assigned by the orthopedic team leader.
• Prescribe medications for orthopedic conditions within scope of practice.
• Conduct daily ward rounds and manage patient care alongside the surgical and nursing teams.
• Review and respond to key post-operative investigations (e.g., labs, imaging).

Training and Education:

• Actively participate in internal training programs, including the training of OCO and BSc Clinical Officer interns, and plaster room attendants.
• Attend morbidity and mortality (M&M) meetings and follow up on assigned action items.
• Participate in Continuous Professional Development (CPD) activities and remain up to date with developments in pediatric orthopedics.

Administrative and Outreach Duties:

• Support advocacy and awareness initiatives in collaboration with the Line Manager and other departments.
• Perform any other duties as assigned by the Line Manager or Senior Management Team.

Required Qualifications and Experience:

• Diploma or Degree in Clinical Medicine with a specialization in Orthopedics from a recognized institution.
• Valid registration and license to practice with the Malawi Medical Council.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience working in a hospital or clinic setting, preferably in pediatric orthopedics.
• Previous experience performing minor surgical procedures is required.
• Familiarity with rural/outreach healthcare settings is an added advantage.

Key Competencies:

• Continuous Learning: Demonstrates commitment to professional growth and skill development, including learning from surgeons and participating in training.
• Commitment to Task: Takes ownership of responsibilities and follows through with persistence and reliability.
• Communication Skills: Strong verbal and written communication; able to document clinical data clearly and communicate effectively with patients and team members.
• Attention to Detail: Maintains accuracy in documentation, data collection, and patient monitoring.
• Patient Focus: Prioritizes patient care and well-being, ensuring high standards of service and responsiveness to patient needs.

Interested individuals are requested to submit applications as soon as possible. Application for this position will be reviewed on rolling basis as such we will close this advert when we are in receipt of sufficient applicants. 

Beit-CURE Children's Hospital Malawi is a Christian (BCHM) mission hospital based in Blantyre that provides free orthopedic as well as plastic and reconstructive surgeries for children with correctable physical disabilities in Malawi. The integral mission for BCHM is “Healing the sick and proclaiming the Kingdom of God“