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Physician Assistant- Canning Thoracic Institute (CTI)-Pulmonary Hypertension

Northwestern Medicine · Chicago, IL · Full time · Health Care Provider

Posted Sep 23, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

How do you teach a patient and family to manage a complex PAH medication regimen at home?

What they are checking: Whether they can make hard therapy understandable, which the posting names as a core part of the role.

Tell me about a time you disagreed with a supervising physician's plan. How did you handle it?

What they are checking: Whether they can speak up with clinical reasoning while respecting the collaborative agreement.

What experience do you have with research or quality improvement, and how would you contribute here?

What they are checking: Whether they would take part in research and QI, which the posting lists as an expectation.

How have you mentored PA students or other graduate students in clinic?

What they are checking: Whether they can teach while keeping clinic moving, since the role includes mentoring.

What would you do

A patient on a continuous prostacyclin infusion calls saying their pump alarmed and they feel lightheaded. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they recognize an interrupted infusion as a life-threatening emergency that needs immediate action.

Many PAH drugs need prior authorization and specialty pharmacy coordination. How have you kept patients from going without therapy?

What they are checking: Whether they can manage access barriers that often delay treatment in this specialty.

A patient's pregnancy test comes back positive while on an endothelin receptor antagonist. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they know the serious risks of certain PAH drugs and act quickly and compassionately.

About the work

Walk me through how you evaluate a new patient referred for suspected pulmonary hypertension.

What they are checking: Whether they know the workup, including echo, right heart catheterization and testing to sort out the WHO group.

How do the WHO groups of pulmonary hypertension change how you manage a patient?

What they are checking: Whether they understand that treatment depends on cause, and that some PAH drugs can harm patients in other groups.

Which findings on a follow-up visit tell you a PH patient is getting worse?

What they are checking: Whether they track risk markers such as functional class, six-minute walk, BNP and signs of right heart failure.

How would you decide when a PH patient should be referred for lung transplant evaluation?

What they are checking: Whether they understand disease progression and the timing of advanced options at a thoracic institute.

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The full job description

As published by Northwestern Medicine.

*This role is 5x8s* The Physician Assistant reflects the mission, vision, and values of NM, adheres to the organization’s Code of Ethics and Corporate Compliance Program, and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines, and all other regulatory and accreditation standards. The Physician Assistant performs procedures in accordance with clinical privileges and/or the written collaborative agreement and within the specialty of the supervising physician. This role functions autonomously and collaborates with other health professionals to provide high-quality, cost-effective health care to patients, manage health care systems, and influence health care decision-making through expert clinical reasoning, research, and theory-based practice. Responsibilities: • Provides direct care to patients which demonstrates clinical expertise and advanced knowledge. • Diagnoses and manages acute and chronic health problems within specialty area of practice. • Collaborates and consults with physicians and other health care professionals in clinical expertise. • Develops educational systems and strategies for teaching patients, families and staff on topics related to area of expertise. • Mentors graduate students in aspects of advanced practice. • Actively participates in and/or conducts research and quality improvement pertinent to area of expertise. Clinical • Conducts comprehensive assessments of patients’ health status by taking health histories and performing advanced physical examinations in specialty area. • Provides direct clinical care to patients. • Orders and interprets laboratory and diagnostic tests to establish diagnoses and develop a comprehensive treatment plan. • Orders/prescribes medications, therapies, interventions, and procedures according to clinical privileges and PA scope of practice within specialty. • Documents in the medical record all care provided and/or procedures performed for which the PA is responsible. Collaborates with all members of the multidisciplinary team to develop and direct an individualized and comprehensive treatment plan. • Coordinates the discharge planning process or after visit care with patients, families, and all members of the multidisciplinary team. • Consults with other specialties and disciplines as appropriate to meet all health care needs of patients. Leadership • Participates in unit/departmental/divisional or hospital committees/task forces and professional organizations. • Advocates for patients, families, nursing staff and other members of the healthcare community. • Assists in the development of policies and procedures in clinical area of expertise to establish standards for clinical practice. • Consults with NM leadership in the identification, evaluation and problem solving of clinical system and process issues. • Collaborates with NM leadership teams to develop, implement and evaluate strategic plans for quality improvement initiatives, utilizing evidenced based practice guidelines as appropriate. • Collaborates with physicians to lead changes in clinical practice. Education • Teaches and counsels patients and families in preventive care, medical conditions, plan of care, anticipated outcomes, and the use of prescribed treatments and drugs. • Develops and participates in programs to meet educational needs of the clinical team related to area of expertise • Serves as a role model for NM staff and preceptor for graduate students. • Provides formal and informal education to both internal and external groups pertinent to area of expertise. • Provides formal and informal educational programs to nursing staff graduate students and other healthcare professionals pertinent to specialty area. • Collaborates with academic institutions to provide and promote clinical learning experiences and educational programs for APRNs, PAs, physicians in training and all health care professionals. Research/Quality/Outcomes • Identifies relevant areas of clinical research and assists with development and coordination of research protocols and quality projects. • Participate in/review evidence-based research/guidelines and apply to clinical practice. • Collaborates with the multidisciplinary teams to conduct research and participate in clinical trials within area of expertise. • Participate in service-line specific quality initiatives and development of outcome metrics. • May perform other duties as assigned. Required: • Completion of an accredited Physician Assistant educational program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Physician Assistant Programs • Physician Assistant in Medicine, Licensed (IL) • Adult Gerontology Acute Care certification • Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation. • Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers (American Heart Association) certification • Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) certification required as specified by department • Controlled substance license and DEA registration required as specified by the department Preferred: • 2 years of clinical experience in area of specialty. Northwestern Medicine is an equal opportunity employer (disability, VETS) and does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of age, sex, race, color, religion, national origin, gender identity, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation or any other protected status. Background Check Northwestern Medicine conducts a background check that includes criminal history on newly hired team members and, at times, internal transfers. If you are offered a position with us, you will be required to complete an authorization and disclosure form that gives Northwestern Medicine permission to run the background check. Results are evaluated on a case-by-case basis, and we follow all local, state, and federal laws, including the Illinois Health Care Worker Background Check Act. Artificial Intelligence Disclosure Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position, however, all employment decisions will be made by a person. Benefits We offer a wide range of benefits that provide employees with tools and resources to improve their physical, emotional, and financial well-being while providing protection for unexpected life events. Click on or copy and paste URL to your browser to view detailed benefits information NorthwesternMedicine Career Page https://jobs.nm.org/benefits Please refer to the Benefits Eligibility by Employment Classification to determine benefits eligibility for job postings. If sign-on bonus is included in a job posting eligibility is as followed: Internal employees and rehires who left Northwestern Medicine within 1 year are not eligible for the sign-on bonus. Exception : New graduate internal employees seeking their first licensed clinical position as a Registered Nurse at NM may be eligible.

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