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. 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. Preferred Experience: Board Certification in Geriatrics, Will consider Internal and Family Medicine specialties. Hospice and Palliative Care experience. Working with elderly and or elderly Veterans. 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 pounds light carrying, under 15 pounds reaching above shoulder use of fingers both hands required walking (1 hour) kneeling (1 hour) Crawling (1 hour) repeated bending (1/2 hour) Both legs required Ability for rapid mental and muscular co-ordination simultaneously near vision correctable to 13"-16" Far Vision correctable in one eye to20/20 and 20/40in the other hearing (aids may be permitted) Environmental Factors: Out side and inside working closely with others. Working alone ["The Gulf Coast Veterans Health Care System is looking for a full time Geriatric Physician VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more. EDRP Authorized: Contact Brandilyn.Wasson@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. Key duties and responsibilities: Perform duties as a physician. Staff physicians may also be available to train physician residents assigned in facilities with residency programs, geriatric care, hospice, palliative and as a consultant. - Core duties include obtaining patient histories, performing physical exams, formulating a working diagnosis and developing/implementing a treatment plan according to clinical guidelines. Determining disposition to the emergency department, hospital, Assisted Living Facility, Community Nursing Home, Home Health, Home Based Primary Care, and Hospice Care. Other routine duties are ordering lab tests, x-rays, EKG's and other diagnostic procedures, initiating and expediting requests to medical or surgical specialty consults. - The Staff Physician may collaborate with other providers, and specialists in and outside of the VA system to manage or co-manage patients' health. Mental health, medical and surgical specialty services are available on-site. Other medical and surgical subspecialties services are available through community contracts. - The physician will be responsible for providing hospice and palliative care services as well as providing direct patient care to residents of the community living center. The physician will routinely manage at least one CLC neighborhood and will cover other neighborhoods when other providers are absent. The physician will also furnish outpatient care to Veterans in the GEC Palliative Care Clinic as well as an outpatient hospice clinic. The physician will answer, manage, and provide clinical care for hospice and palliative care consults. - The physician will run monthly hospice and palliative care meetings as required. The physician will attend regular meetings of the VISN 16 Community of Practice (COP) Meeting for hospice and palliative care. The physician will provide training on hospice and palliative care at the monthly New Employee Orientation. Other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday from 7:00 to 3:30 PM with rotating on call duties."]
The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
