OCA-FY26-Physician-Primary Care

This is an open continuous announcement until September 30, 2026. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available.

The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

A Puget Sound Healthcare System (VAPSHCS) is a Level 1a major interdisciplinary teaching healthcare system with two divisions and multiple community-based outpatient clinics (CBOC). It is considered the most complex VA healthcare system nationwide. VAPSHCS has Emergency services and a full complement of specialty medical, surgical, psychiatric, critical care, and rehabilitation service-lines. VAPSHCS houses two Community Living Centers, a Spinal Cord Injury Unit, Bone Marrow Transplant Unit, Blind Rehabilitation, Domiciliary, and Home-Based Primary Care Services

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

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): NOT Authorized
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more.
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@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

Incumbents may serve as a Physician in a Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) setting. He/she will be responsible for providing medical care in an outpatient setting following PACT principles. May provide medical care using Telehealth for remote patients, or travel to other CBOCs to cover provider shortage.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

Provides comprehensive Primary Care to a panel of assigned patients using the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) model of care delivery.

• Interfaces with NON-VA providers (DoD and Community) to ensure smooth transitions in care.
• Contributes to achieving Performance Measure clinical outcome targets in the area of access to care, quality of care, efficiency, process improvement, and patient satisfaction.
• Prescribe medications and enter consults to specialty clinics utilizing electronic medical records systems.
• Practice in accordance with professional standards, core values, and with a commitment to excellent service.
• Complete clinical reminders for chronic disease management and prevention when due.
• Complete progress notes, encounters, secure messages, and view alter notifications according to VHA timeliness standards.
• Prescribe medications and enter consults to specialty clinics utilizing electronic medical records systems.
• Provide and coordinate clinical related Employee Health services working in conjunction with the Human Resources department.
• Assist in completing Environmental Agents Registry exams
• Demonstrates proficiency in practice, planning, and self-direction in goal setting for managing each Veteran's medical needs, pursuant to scope of practice for Primary Care (PA-C).
• Communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner.
• Provides customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures.
• Handles conflict and problems in dealing with customers constructively and appropriately.
• Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy; protect the data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion; follow applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc., as set out in the computer access agreement signed by the incumbent.
• Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes and policy, and VHA policy; VAPAHCS April 2008 protect the data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion; follow applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc., as set out in the computer access agreement signed by the incumbent.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7am - 5pm; variable tours

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: Primary care provider, Board certified

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

???????Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting (45lbs & over); straight pulling (6hrs); pushing (2hrs); use of fingers; walking (6hrs); standing (2hrs); repeated bending (6hrs); specific visual requirement (see computer screen); ability to distinguish colors; hearing (aid may be 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.