Summary

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.

Qualifications

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
• Education: Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine
• The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed
• Approved schools are: (1) Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted - or (2) Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted
• For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above - facility officials must confirm that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated
• NOTE: The Under Secretary for Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research - academic - or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities
• The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area
• Licensure: Physicians must possess a 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
• The Physician must maintain current registration in the state of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active - current licensure
• Residency Training
• Physicians must have successfully completed residency training - approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs - in an accredited core specialty training program (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) leading to eligibility for board certification - OR (2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) leading to eligibility for board certification - OR (3) One year of post medical school training (internship - first year of residency - or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States - OR (4) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement) - 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
• (5) EXCEPTIONS
• (a) Residents currently enrolled in ACGME or 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 (that is - not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent 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
• For more information - see paragraph 4b below
• (b) In rare and unusual circumstances - the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer - who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience - accomplishments - performance - and qualifications warrant such action
• Board Certification
• Physicians are generally not required to be board certified for employment in VA
• however - three circumstances in VA require Physician board certification: (1) If the position being filled is required to be a supervisor for medical students or Physician residents (including fellows) - the LCME - ACGME - or AOA standards requiring a particular board certification credential will apply
• (2) If the position being filled will have faculty status with an affiliated medical school (for example - in joint recruitments with affiliated medical schools) - then a medical school requirement for board certification will apply to the jointly recruited position
• (3) If the position being filled is required to be board certified by virtue of specific VHA policy (for example - as director of a cardiac catheterization laboratory or Director of Clinical Laboratory Medicine) - then VHA policy requiring board certification will apply
• Grandfathering Provision
• Employees in VHA in this occupation - under a permanent - appropriate - and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard - are considered to have met all basic requirements for the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed - the following provisions apply: (1) Such employees are considered to have met the basic qualification requirements for the purposes of transferring or reassignment to another Physician position within VA
• (2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• (3) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation
• (4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional certification that meet all the basic or assignment-specific qualification requirements of this standard must maintain the required credential as a condition of employment in the assignment
• NOTE: This provision is not intended to correct erroneous appointments and placements
• Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Preferred Experience: 3 years primary care experience
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019

Duties

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact lacey.adkins2@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance 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 Duties include - but are not limited to: One hundred percent (100%) of time working PACT Participate in the educational programs for service personnel as well as medical staff
• Participate in monitoring the quality - safety and appropriateness of patientcare in Primary Care
• Miscellaneous activities of Primary Care Service inclusive - but not limited to special projects that help fulfill and/or enhance the mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs as assigned by the Chief of Primary Care and/or Chief of Staff
• Demonstrate ethical conduct and serve as a positive role model to others at all levels of the organization
• Participate in quality assurance programs - peer reviews - and chart reviews
• Attend Primary Care Service monthly management meetings - COS quarterly meetings as per bylaws and others as assigned by Chief of Primary Care
• Complete medical records in accordance with Bylaws and Rules and Regulations of the Primary Care Staff
• Participate in Primary Care Staff committee assignments
• Perform other duties assigned by the Chief of Primary Care
• Participate in - and attend - CME activities and VA continuing educational activities
• Represent Primary Care Service in communications - consultations and conferences with other clinical - ancillary and administrative services
• Current BLS required /ACLS desirable Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 0800-1630