<p>A high-volume inpatient Neurosurgery NP or PA opportunity is open at a prestigious academic medical center and Level I Trauma Center in Columbia, Missouri. This position places an experienced advanced practice provider at the center of a comprehensive neurosurgery program — first-assisting on cranial and spinal cases, managing complex inpatient consults, and collaborating daily with fellowship-trained neurosurgeons within one of the Midwest's top university health systems. The schedule is a true four-day, 10-hour workweek with no nights built into the base structure, and the institution's PSLF eligibility and 8% retirement match make the total compensation package exceptionally strong for an academic role.</p>
<h3>Perks and Benefits</h3> <ul> <li>Competitive base salary plus sign-on bonus</li> <li>Optional weekend shift bonus of $50 per day for additional shifts</li> <li>Relocation allowance available</li> <li>Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible institution — significant value for APPs carrying student debt</li> <li>Retirement plan with up to 8% employer match across both 403(b) and 457(b) accounts</li> <li>Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance</li> <li>Malpractice insurance provided</li> <li>Tuition discount extended to employee and immediate family members</li> <li>Four 10-hour shifts per week, Monday through Friday base schedule</li> </ul>
<h3>Practice Highlights</h3> <ul> <li>Academic medical center and Level I Trauma Center — full-acuity neurosurgical volume including emergent trauma, elective cranial, and complex spinal cases</li> <li>First-assist role in neurosurgical procedures spanning cranial and spinal surgery</li> <li>Manage inpatient neurosurgery consults, admissions, and discharges across the service</li> <li>Perform lumbar punctures, drain management (EVD and lumbar drains), suturing, and minor bedside procedures</li> <li>Round on neurosurgery inpatients and coordinate multidisciplinary care teams</li> <li>Telemedicine coverage and stroke call support integrated into the APP role</li> <li>Order and interpret diagnostic studies and laboratory work</li> <li>Active participation in clinical research and quality improvement initiatives within the neurosurgery program</li> <li>Collaborative environment with fellowship-trained neurosurgeons at a major university health system</li> </ul>
<h3>Qualifications</h3> <ul> <li>Minimum 3 years of inpatient neurosurgery APP experience required</li> <li>Nurse Practitioners: Active Missouri RN and APRN licensure with a Document of Recognition (collaborative practice agreement) required</li> <li>Physician Assistants: Graduation from an AMA-accredited PA program with active NCCPA certification required</li> <li>Active Missouri NP or PA licensure, or eligibility to obtain prior to start</li> <li>BLS certification required</li> <li>Comfort with the full procedural scope of inpatient neurosurgery, including first-assist in the OR and bedside neurosurgical procedures</li> </ul>
<h3>About the Community</h3> <p>Columbia is a vibrant university city of 130,000 residents situated squarely between Kansas City and St. Louis — each roughly two hours away — offering genuine big-city cultural access without the cost or congestion. Home to the University of Missouri, the city delivers a thriving downtown with locally owned restaurants, craft breweries, live music, and a year-round farmers market, alongside SEC athletics and world-class arts programming. The cost of living runs 15–20% below the national average, public schools rank among the best in Missouri, and outdoor recreation is abundant — more than 60 miles of trails including the MKT Trail, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, and easy weekend access to the Lake of the Ozarks make Columbia a compelling destination for clinicians who want both career depth and quality of life.</p>