Summary

The Section chief supervises the section - under the Chief of Medicine for the Medicine Service. Although the supervisor provides defined objectives and priorities to the employee - the supervisor must function independently with minimal direct supervision.

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: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Must be able to physically and mentally perform the duties of Physician under normal and emergent conditions
• Moderate lifting 15-44lbs and over with assistive devices - heavy carrying of 15-44lbs and over with assistive devices
• reaching above shoulder
• use of fingers - both hands required - walking or standing up to 4 hours per day
• repeated bending up to 1-2 hours per day
• ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination
• near vision correctable
• hearing aid permitted
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Duties

• Duties: The employee uses established policies and procedures to handle problems encountered during the normal working day
• The supervisor evaluates completed work for technical soundness and appropriateness of judgments as well as overall efficiency of service rendered by employee
• Accountable to the Chief of Medicine for all professional and administrative activities within the Section including selection - orientation - continuing education of staff - the coordination and integration of interdepartmental and intradepartmental services - the development and implementation of policies and procedures that guide and support the provisions of services - recommendations for a sufficient number of qualified and competent persons to provide care/service - recommendations for space and other resources needed by the department/service into the primary functions of the organization
• Responsible for the quality of patient care rendered by members of the Section including access - efficiency - effectiveness - and appropriateness of care and treatment of patients served by the Section
• Responsible for the continuous maintenance - assessment - and improvement of quality of care and services provided
• This includes the development of a written QA plan - drug usage evaluations medical record review - pharmacy and therapeutics review - risk management - and utilization review as reported by committees tasked with these functions and/or direct evaluation of the service chief
• Transmit to the Professional Standards Board recommendations concerning classification - appointment - and delineation of clinical privileges for all staff and others requesting privileges in Section after development and approval of such criteria by the Section members
• Maintain continuing surveillance of the professional performance of staff members with clinical privileges in the Section - and report thereon to the Professional Standards Board - when required or indicated - thus assuring that individuals with clinical privileges competently provide service within the scope of privileges granted
• Responsible for the determination of the qualifications and competence of Section personnel who provide patient care services
• This will include the assessment of collected performance data to ensure the continuing competence of these individuals
• Responsible for assessing and recommending to center management off-site sources for needed patient care services not provided by the Section or the hospital
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): 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 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 - 8:00am-4:30pm - Ad-hoc Telework