VMG Clinical Genetics Nurse Practitioner

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center:  Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health is committed to an environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your uniqueness is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.

Organization:

Pediatric Genetics

Job Summary:

Join a supportive, growing, multidisciplinary program caring for children and adults with heritable connective tissue disorders (HCTDs); including Ehlers–Danlos syndromes (HEDS/EDS subtypes), Marfan syndrome, Loeys–Dietz syndrome, arterial tortuosity, and related hypermobility and aortopathy conditions. You’ll be a billing provider for new and follow-up patients, own longitudinal care plans, and coordinate surveillance and supportive management across specialties.

Division Summary:

The Division of Medical Genetics & Genomic Medicine in the Department of Pediatrics at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) is a well-established, nationally recognized program providing comprehensive genetic care to patients from Tennessee and six surrounding states. Our multidisciplinary team includes eight clinical/metabolic geneticists, one PhD scientist, nine genetic counselors, 3 genetic counseling assistants, five nurse practitioners, and two metabolic dietitians. We are supported by strong state partnerships and work closely with colleagues across pediatric and adult medicine to deliver both outpatient and inpatient consultations.

The division is an NIH Undiagnosed Diseases Network clinical site and a NORD-designated Rare Disease Center of Excellence. We are active in precision medicine initiatives, including leadership roles in the All of Us Research Program and the eMERGE network, and we host an ACGME-accredited clinical genetics fellowship, a combined Pediatrics/Genetics training program, and an ACGC-accredited genetic counseling master’s program. Our environment offers rich opportunities for collaboration in clinical care, research, and teaching, including participation in a robust clinical trials program. We are committed to professional development and provide a supportive, collegial setting for all team members to thrive.

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What you’ll do

Clinical care (primary focus)
• Evaluate new and follow-up patients with suspected or confirmed HCTDs: targeted history, focused exam (e.g., Beighton/5-point hypermobility screen, skin/soft tissue, musculoskeletal), and risk stratification
•    Order and interpret appropriate testing: genetic panels/WES/WGS (with genetics team), echocardiography/aortic imaging, ophthalmologic and orthopedic studies per protocol
•    Initiate and manage care plans: joint protection and activity guidance, PT/OT referrals, bracing/orthotics, pain and dysautonomia symptom pathways (in collaboration with Cardiology/PM&R/Pain/Rheum/Neuro)
•    Provide longitudinal surveillance (e.g., aortic measurements, scoliosis, hernias, pelvic floor, skin wound-healing issues) and close-loop follow-up
•    Deliver pre/post-test education and shared decision-making for genetic testing and clinical surveillance
•    Triage referrals and urgent patient issues; coordinate transitions between pediatric and adult care
Care coordination & clinic operations
•    Coordinate across specialties (Cardiology, Orthopedics, PT/OT, Pain, Rheumatology, Ophthalmology, Neurosurgery, Vascular Surgery) to align appointments and plans
•    Manage in-basket messages, medication refills, prior auths for imaging/testing, and structured patient education materials
•    Maintain accurate documentation in the EHR and ensure timely communication with patients/families and referring providers
•    Help refine clinical pathways, order sets, and surveillance protocols for HCTDs
•    May cross-cover general genetics clinic as needed
Teaching, quality, and scholarship
•    Teach residents, fellows, and students in clinic; contribute to patient education resources
•    Lead or participate in QI projects (e.g., time-to-diagnosis, imaging adherence, pain function metrics)
•    Option to participate in registries/clinical studies and guideline implementation
Professionalism & safety
•    Maintain required competencies and certifications; champion