This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences. Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs. Proficiency in spoken and written English. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard. Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity. This position requires mostly periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required. The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations. The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients/residents who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders. The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on stakeholder needs. ["VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Authorized, Learn more. Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification) Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM The functions or scope of assigned duties include, but are not limited to the following: Provides a full range of services including assessment and using the most appropriate techniques in providing quality care in urologic surgery. Performs appropriate urologic surgery evaluations for patients. Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions to units/programs in the medical center to which they are assigned and has clinical privileges to practice including diagnostic assessment, medication evaluation and management. Participates effectively in team meetings and treatment planning conferences and collaborates with multidisciplinary team members in a manner that enhances coordination of comprehensive patient care. Orders appropriate diagnostic tests and discriminates between normal and abnormal findings and makes appropriate treatment decisions. Ensures that the practice of medicine is consistent with Joint Commission, CARF, VA policies and procedures, VISN standards, National statutes and regulations, medical record documentation, mandatory continuing education and HIPAA policies. Specific tasks are itemized in each physicians Credentialing and Privileging package Involved in performance improvement and quality assurance initiatives. Provides leadership guidance and consultation to staff on units to which assigned. Is involved in the supervision and teaching of residents training in urologic surgery and other trainees assigned as appropriate. Serves as a consultant to other staff, advance practicing nurses, physician assistants and trainees and assist in implementation of treatment plan as appropriate regarding urologic surgery patients. Is responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the medical center and/or healthcare system, as appropriate. The incumbent reports to the Section Chief, Surgery FxHCC, who provides administrative direction in the form of overall program goals and requirements. The incumbent operates with broad delegation of authority and independence of action to manage the Urologic Surgery department. Based on personal knowledge, training, and experience, the incumbent plans, directs and performs the work needed for effective program operations. Guidelines include the body of professional knowledge in urologic surgery. He/she is accountable for program compliance with all applicable laws and VA policies. The Lead must apply these requirements to the Urologic Surgery section, consistent with existing circumstances, and act independently in resolving day-to-day problems. The incumbent operates with wide latitude in the use of clinical methods and modern technology. Work is reviewed based on performance outcomes, stakeholder satisfaction, achievement of program goals, and external review reports."]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.