The posting
We are hiring doctors to join Carnival's fleet of North American brands, including Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, and Seabourn.
Doctors provide individualized outpatient, inpatient, and critical care for guests and crew, delivering timely, safe, and evidence-based assessments, formulating differential diagnoses and treatment plans, performing clinical interventions and procedures, and coordinating the logistics of referrals and evacuations. They manage the crew's preventative health and wellness programs and are responsible for adhering to public health practices.
Doctors will also perform various technical and non-clinical administrative tasks that support the efficient and safe operation of the medical center. Additional duties include participation in drills, audits, inspections, and training of other crew members. Technical skills are learned and practiced on board, including X-ray acquisition and performing a wide range of laboratory tests and other procedures. Doctors work closely with shipboard nurses and paramedics and report to the ship's Senior Doctor.
All medical staff provide a high level of customer service, maintaining a professional, dignified, friendly, assertive, and polite manner at all times towards guests and fellow crew members and demonstrating performance consistent with the organization's Vision, Mission, and Strategic Plan.
Successful candidates will be assigned to work four-month contracts onboard our fleet of cruise ships operating worldwide, with two-month intermissions.
IMPORTANT: please download the Procedural Skills List PDF file listed on the documents section of this page before clicking apply. You will need it in the next step before submitting your application.
Doctor position key responsibilities
Patient Care Responsibilities
- Delivers safe, evidence-informed patient care - without the need for ongoing clinical supervision, following current clinical guidelines.
- Obtains complete and accurate patient histories, including pertinent positives and negatives, performs appropriate physical exam and orders appropriate tests.
- Develops appropriate assessments, differential diagnoses, treatment plans, referrals, and follow-up plans.
- Performs diagnostic testing, such as laboratory tests, EKGs, and X-rays.
- Ensures patients are aware of alternate treatment options and includes family and caregivers in shared decision making.
- Effectively communicates sound clinical reasoning, decision options, with consideration of ethical principles, to patients, caregivers, and colleagues.
- Assumes responsibility for effective medical response to medical emergencies, mass casualty incidents, and other medical related calls, in the absence of the Senior Doctor.
- Responds to routine and emergency calls, attends clinics, and consults with patients promptly in accordance with triage priorities.
- Demonstrates level-appropriate procedural skills.
- Operates medical equipment appropriately and safely, reports discrepancies to Senior Nurse.
- Ensures health records are accurate, concise, timely and complete.
- Demonstrates safe medicines management and prescribing habits.
Patient Experience
- Interacts and communicates with guests and crew in a professional and empathetic manner.
- Consistently demonstrates sensitivity to every patient’s culture, age, gender identity, ability, and socioeconomic status.
- Adheres to Company's Procedures on safeguarding children and vulnerable individuals. Reports any concerns to the Senior Doctor.
- Listens attentively, is respectful and considerate, and uses non-technical language when communicating with patients and caregivers.
- Adheres to Company Privacy policies for handling of personal and sensitive health information.
- Participates in regular reviews of patient feedback to continually improve patient satisfaction.
- Promptly and effectively assists in the evaluation of patient complaints; participates productively in service recovery strategies.
- Maintains excellent customer focus in all interactions, makes themselves available to consult with patients as required by first responders.
Professional Responsibilities
- Notifies the Senior Doctor in a timely manner of any significant clinical cases, cases that may affect the operation of the ship, and cases with potential communicable disease risks.
- Routinely demonstrates appropriate time management and organizational skills.
- Recognizes limits of own abilities and knowledge, asks for help, and escalates as needed.
- Seeks, and readily accepts feedback. Changes practice and behavior as appropriate in response to feedback, suggestions, audit findings and performance reviews.
- Handles conflict constructively and effectively; recognizes own strengths and opportunities to improve.
- Stays up to date and provides evidence for Company required credentials; uses Company Learning platforms to complete Company mandated training and competencies (PDR's)
- Shares knowledge with others; assists with teaching team members in meeting required competencies.
- Analyzes own self learning needs and develops personal learning plan; is receptive to learning new skills; uses online learning and reference resources; participates in on board learning opportunities.
- Complies with continuous quality improvement standards of the medical service.
Leadership Responsibilities
- Actively and regularly participates in meetings to build trust and establish effective relationships
- Promptly completes and assists when needed in performance reviews that are fair, objective, and accurate.
- Coaches and develops skilled, engaged team members.
Public Health and Infection Prevention and Control Responsibilities
- Works with the Senior Doctor and Public Health Officer on the management, investigation, documentation, and reporting of communicable diseases.
- Maintains accurate and timely public health records in accordance with Company policy.
- Adheres to public health practices, including all medical center infection prevention and control practices that protect the health of crew and guests.
- Assists with coordination and management of the medical response to infectious disease outbreaks onboard.
- Assists with departmental participation in Public Health audits and investigations.
- Manages preventative health and educational programs for crew and monitors crew participation in wellness programs where applicable.
Medical Center Administration
- Reviews patient bills in compliance with Company procedures.
- Suggests cost savings and revenue-enhancing initiatives to the Senior Doctor
- Consistently integrates responsible financial practices into medical decision making and demonstrates fiscal compliance.
- Proficient in the use of all IT (Information Technology) systems applicable to the medical service and role requirements.
Safety and Compliance
- Adheres to the guidelines, policies, and principles of his or her applicable professional registration body.
- Routinely performs General Emergency Organization duties as directed in the Ship's Emergency Response Plan
- Ensures compliance with MLC hours of Rest; demonstrates flexibility with on-call rosters and workload adjustments to meet operational needs.
- Stays up to date and complies with all applicable Company Procedures and standards in Global HESS, Operating Line procedures, other Company policies and relevant governmental regulations, and integrates them into practice.
- Identifies and reports any potential patient safety risks, and assists with investigations to analyze root cause, identify learning opportunities, and recommends corrective actions where necessary.
- Participates productively in audits and inspections and assists with development and implementation of corrective actions as needed.
Corporate Culture
- Acts as a Company representative and portrays a positive image to all guests and crew.
- Establishes and maintains professional, effective, and motivated working relationships across all functions and disciplines, considering differences in cultures, backgrounds, and individual personalities.
- Monitors morale and encourages the highest levels of motivation within the department in response to relevant metrics (such as the results of periodic climate surveys).
- Actively promotes a safe and harassment free culture within the department.
Application requirements
Successful candidates must hold the following:
- A degree qualification in medicine
- A current registration and license with an appropriate governmental or national regulatory body
- A minimum of three years of experience after graduation
- Experience in acute care, emergency medicine, or intensive care
- The most recent work experience should be in a clinical setting
- Experience and certification in point-of-care ultrasound are preferred
- A valid ALS/ACLS certificate before joining a vessel
- A valid PALS certificate before joining a vessel
- A Valid passport
- Eligibility to be issued a United States C1/D Visa (not applicable for US and Canadian citizens)
- Verbal and written fluency in English, both conversational and technical
- Computer literacy and experience with Microsoft Windows and Microsoft 365 productivity suite
- Experience with the use of electronic health records is preferred
- Outstanding interpersonal, customer service, and communication skills
- Additional training in advanced airway management, intensive care, Primary Emergency Care, Immediate Medical Care, ECG, Advanced Trauma Life Support, and Advanced Pediatric Life Support is highly recommended, and experience working in private healthcare settings is preferred
Job highlights
As a shipboard Doctor, you can travel the world and practice your medical profession at sea in an exciting, challenging, and unique environment. The shipboard medical department prides itself in delivering high-quality, patient-centered, evidence-based healthcare to guests and crew. Within this diverse and welcoming environment, doctors provide a broad range of medical care supported by a highly skilled medical team in modern and well-equipped facilities.
Benefits include:
- Single cabin accommodation with a private bathroom
- Stewarding services
- Access to the ship's amenities and entertainment
- Discounted prices onboard shops and SPA
- Free gym access and crew welfare program
- Cruise benefits for self and friends and family
