Duties

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards .

The following duties are required of the position; they include, but are not limited it:

• Provide professional (physician) guidance for all necessary imaging services. Approximately 55,000 examinations are performed annually, including a customary mix of Computer Tomography (CT), Ultrasound 9 general and vascular), Plain Film and Fluoroscopy, Bone Density, Pet/CT, Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Mammography and Nuclear Medicine exams. The Incumbent shall provide reading, interpretation and submission of radiology reports as required by the VA, with supplemental support from on-site or remote teleradiology services.
• Provide routine and emergent radiology services to all VA patients referred by the VA regardless of diagnosis, race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, and place of residence.
• Provide all necessary consultative imaging services, including pre-procedural evaluations, informed consent, assessment, and documentation of findings and follow-up notes.
• Be available for consultation to Medical Center physicians for all cases performed
• Keep all information concerning VA beneficiaries confidential. Information will not be disclosed to any person, except as authorized in writing and according to all applicable laws.
• Interprets general radiology examinations (plain film) as provided.
• Performs fluoroscopic examinations (contrast and non-contrast) with the assistance of a licensed Technologist.
• Assists providers in performance of specialized examinations when requested.
• Possesses full interventional Radiologist training to perform Interventional Radiology procedures to include but not limited to balloon angioplasty, biliary drainage and stenting, vascular access, gastrostomy tube insertion, needle biopsies, insertion of stents, varicocele embolization and vertebroplasty.
• Interprets CT examinations of the head, neck, body, and some extremities including CT angiograms.
• Interprets ultrasound examinations of the internal organs, thyroid and scrotum.
• Interprets routine nuclear Medicine studies such as bone scan, HIDA, MUGA and thyroid; beneficial but not imperative.
• Interprets SPECT myocardial examinations, including stress tests; beneficial but not imperative.
• Interprets PET/CT; beneficial but not imperative.

EDRP Authorized: Contact Facility EDRP Coordinator: Lisa.Chabarria@VA.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
Recruitment Incentive: Authorized
Relocation Incentive: Authorized
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
Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided
Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 0730-1630, some evenings

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details.

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.
• 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: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting (15-44 lbs.); Light carrying (under 15 lbs.); Straight Pulling (up to 2 hours); Pushing (up to 2 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (up to 3 hours); Standing (up to 3 hours); Kneeling (up to 1.5 hours); Repeated bending (up to 2 hours); Near vision correctable at 13" to 16"; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Hearing (aid permitted); Clear speech.

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:

Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or

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 verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated.

NOTE: The Under Secretary of 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.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Financial Disclosure Report:Not required

Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.