Physician (Diagnostic Radiologist)

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

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

The VAMC in Lexington, Kentucky is recruiting for a Diagnostic Radiologist to serve as a full-time medical service physician. The position is accountable to the Chief of Radiology, for assuring the most effective delivery of state-of-the-art care by meeting or exceeding compliance standards.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• The physician will provide general and specialized diagnostic Radiology services and procedures to VA patients as privileged. These diagnostic services include patient assessment and diagnosis prior to performance of any diagnostic test or therapy, including assisting/intervening with the referring physician for the proper test/treatment selection and protocol.
• Radiology scan interpretation and report generation, using voice recognition software, including interpretation of general diagnostic radiographs, CT, US, MRI, nuclear medicine exams and other diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
  • The National Radiology Office has developed anticipated wRVU productivity for Radiologists at 1b institutions. The expectation for full time Radiologists is 6,084 per fiscal year. Alternate arrangements may be necessary to maintain productivity in the event of equipment downtime.
  • Quality of dictations will be reviewed by physicians with comparable privileges via the VISN09 Peer Review Program.
• Administration/supervision of all drugs as needed for the performance and interpretation of imaging examinations.
• Supervision of technical aspects of all aspects of radiology practiced at VA HCS Lexington.
• Performance of additional duties in such a manner as to comply with all requirements of VAHCS Medical Staff Bylaws.
• Physician is encouraged to participate in research activity.
• Shares in call responsibilities as assigned.
• Willing to serve as clinical director of a section of radiology if needed.
• Drafts protocols and procedures.
• Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions.
  • Consistently communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner.
  • Provides the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures.
  • Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately.

Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more.
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact Betsy Quin, betsy.quinn@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, 8:00 am - 4:30 pm.

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: Moderate Lifting (15-44 lbs); Moderate Carrying (15-44 lbs); Straight Pulling (up to 2-3 hours); Pushing (up to 2-3 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Walking (up to 2-3 hours); Standing (up to 6-8 hours); Kneeling (up to 2-3 hours); Repeated bending (up to 4-6 hours); Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable; Far vision correctable; Depth perception; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Hearing (aid permitted).

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:

1. Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or
2. 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.
3. 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.