Duties

The Physician MD/DO will serve as a provider of the Primary Care team consisting of Registered Nurse Care Coordinator, Licensed Practical Nurse among other clinical and non-clinical members. This provider will work at the main Salem VA Medical Center providing patient care through face-to-face patient contact as well as non-traditional methods such as VVC and/or CVT.

This Primary Care (PACT) Physician (Attending Physician) will provide oversight and guidance for Interns, PGY-2 and PGY-3 Internal Medicine or Family Medicine residents from affiliate GME Programs. The Attending Physician will be responsible for providing didactic training as outlined by the Educational Affiliate as well as precepting Interns and Residents in Primary Care Continuity Clinic and Acute Care/Focus Clinic.

The PACT Physician may provide clinical care in other innovative settings intended to optimize Veteran care and access as well as to reduce hospital readmission rates. Examples include New Patient Intake Clinics and hospital follow-up clinics.

PACT Providers may have unique opportunities to participate in and champion other focused Veteran centered clinic and programs within Primary Care including Hypertension Clinic, Suboxone/Medication Assisted Therapy for Substance Abuse Disorder, and Women's Healthcare.

Functions OR Scope of Assigned Duties
1. Effectively evaluates and treats patients with more complex medical problems requiring a higher degree of clinical skill and competency.
2. Orders testing, consults, etc. as appropriate for the Veteran's condition.
3. Performs complete diagnostic and therapeutic procedures as applicable in the provision of primary care.
4. Documents in the medical record in keeping in with the Bylaws of the Medical Center.
5. Provide clinical care to Veterans and provides clinical oversight of the PACT team to which assigned.
6. Ensures that medical treatment or care plans consist of current best medical practices and are evidence based if possible.
7. Ensures practice of medicine is consistent with Joint Commission, CARF, VA policies and procedures, clinical practice guidelines, VISN standards, national statutes and regulations, medical record documentation, mandatory continuing education, and HIPAA policies.
8. Responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system, as appropriate.
9. Actively promotes a customer-oriented culture and promotes the hiring of persons who demonstrate the VA's iCARE values of integrity, commitment, advocacy, respect, and excellence.
10. Encourages an atmosphere of trust, psychological safety and empowerment in all functional areas under her/his oversight.
11. Completes projects or duties as assigned by the Chief, PCSL.

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

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): 25,000 with a 2 year service agreement.
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more .
EDRP Authorized: Contact Nicholas.Camilletti@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: 8:00am to 4:30pm

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: MUST HAVE COMPLETED INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENCY TO BE ELIGIBLE FOR THIS POSITION. EXPERIENCE WITH PRECEPTING MEDICAL STUDENTS AND/OR RESIDENTS

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: Must be able to pass a physical.
This position is primarily sedentary in a clinic setting requiring walking approximately 50%, standing 50%, lifting 25%. Daily tasks associated with performing patient assessments and exams 80%.

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.