Physician - Urologist

Duties

The incumbent serves as Staff Urologist under the immediate supervision of the Chief of Urology service line within the Surgical Care service line within the Salem VA Healthcare System. The physician will maintain licensure and credentials sufficient to extend to the incumbent the authority to practice Urology inclusive of all diagnostic and medical therapeutic modalities for the treatment of diseases, conditions and injuries related to the field of Urology.

The incumbent Urologist must maintain an active knowledge of the patient care process of the department of Veterans Affairs, the medical center and its clinics. The Urologist is expected to maintain his/her skills at the highest level in all the areas of work which include outpatient clinics, inpatient wards, as a consultant, in procedurals areas, as well as the operating room.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Evaluate patients who are presented for care or whose condition requires evaluation by a physician. Evaluation will include the following: a detailed and complete history and physical, plans for follow-up care including appropriate consultations and appointments, and effective communication of plan of care with patient and/or family.

Perform inpatient and ambulatory surgical procedures, to include, but not limited to: cystoscopies, stent placement, TURP, open and/or laparoscopic and/or robotic prostatectomy and nephrectomy, bladder resection, urethral dilations, and transrectal needle biopsies of prostate (ultrasound assistance with technician, with the expectation that urologist will obtain biopsy specimens).

Utilize flexible and rigid Storz instrumentation.

Utilize endoscopic techniques and surgical robotics as appropriate.

Appropriately utilize and process Reusable Medical Equipment (RME). All personnel who are involved with the reprocessing of RME are responsible for knowing what reusable instruments, equipment, medical devices or supplies are utilized (inventory) in their clinical area.

Write orders including initial admission orders as well as changes in current treatment plan). Write progress notes. Order and interpret appropriate diagnostic studies. Write prescriptions (restricted to formulary). Order diagnostic laboratory procedures.

Order diagnostic tests and discriminate between normal and abnormal findings and make appropriate treatment decisions.

Refer, when indicated, patients with complex health problems to other providers within the medical center or to other VA Medical Centers. Consult with physicians and others, when requested, to augment the care of their patients.

Actively participate in the co-management of patients in consultation with and under the supervision of the attending physician.

Provide a full range of therapeutic interventions to units/programs in the Medical Center.

Be fully involved in the supervision and teaching of residents, house staff and other trainees assigned to unit as appropriate.

Maintain admission privileges through full-time staff.

Maintain ICU privileges.

Participate effectively in team meetings and treatment planning conferences and collaborate with multidisciplinary team members.

15.Undergo and perform peer review of selected cases when assigned.

Participate in shared rotation of night and weekend On-Call coverage.

May have joint appointment with our academic affiliate University of Virginia, School of Medicine.

Ensure that the practice of medicine is consistent with Joint Commission, CARF, VA policies and procedures, clinical practice psychiatric guidelines, VISN standards, National statutes and regulations, medical record documentation, mandatory continuing education and HIPAA policies.

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

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): $25,000 (2yr service agreement for highly qualified candidates)
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more .
EDRP Authorized: Contact Christopher.Cullen@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

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am - 2:30pm

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.

Additional Requirement:
Preferred Experience: Board Certification in Urologic Specialty

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: The position requires the operation of multiple devices for the examination of patients. Dexterity of hand-eye and hand-eye-foot coordination is essential and testing may involve standing for extended periods of time with arms at shoulder height. Frequent stooping, bending, or kneeling is required. You must have excellent corrected binocular vision to perform the complex duties required.

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.