Physician - Chief Pulmonologist

As a Pulmonary Critical Care Section Chief at the Department of Veteran Affairs, the responsibilities expand beyond clinical duties to include leadership, administrative, and oversight roles.

The major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Leadership and Management: Lead the pulmonary and critical care section, ensuring effective and efficient operations. Supervise and mentor staff physicians, advanced practice providers, and other healthcare professionals within the section. Oversee recruitment, training, and professional development of section staff. Ensure high standards of clinical care are maintained within the section.
• Clinical Oversight: Maintain active clinical practice in pulmonary and critical care medicine. Provide expert consultation and support to other medical staff regarding complex pulmonary and critical care cases. Ensure adherence to evidence-based practice guidelines and clinical protocols. Lead clinical rounds and case discussions.
• Program Development and Quality Improvement: Develop and implement clinical programs and initiatives to enhance patient care within the section. Lead quality improvement projects aimed at improving clinical outcomes and patient satisfaction. Monitor and evaluate clinical performance metrics, ensuring compliance with national standards (e.g., ORYX, HEDIS, SAIL measures). Collaborate with other departments to implement multi-disciplinary approaches to patient care.
• Research and Academic Activities: Promote and support clinical research initiatives within the section. Facilitate participation in research projects and clinical trials. Encourage academic writing and publication among the section staff. Establish relationships with affiliated academic institutions to support educational and research activities.
• Education and Training: Oversee the educational activities of the section, including the training of medical students, residents, and fellows. Provide continuing education opportunities for section personnel. Organize and participate in teaching rounds, lectures, and other educational sessions.
• Administrative Duties: Develop and manage the section's budget, ensuring efficient use of resources. Participate in hospital committees, task forces, and strategic planning activities. Ensure compliance with VA policies, procedures, and regulations.
• Patient Advocacy and Safety: Advocate for the needs and welfare of the patients under the care of the pulmonary and critical care section. Ensure that patient safety standards are maintained and that any incidents or concerns are appropriately addressed. Engage with patients and their families to provide education, support, and resources related to pulmonary and critical care.
• Serving as a Pulmonary Critical Care Section Chief at the Department of Veteran Affairs requires a combination of clinical expertise, leadership skills, and administrative acumen. The role demands a commitment to providing high-quality patient care, fostering a collaborative work environment, and contributing to the advancement of medical knowledge and practice within the VA system

• 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 allopathic 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 accrediting bodies for graduate medical education, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA), in the list published for the year the residency, or fellowship if applicable, was completed; OR
  • (2) One year of post medical school training (internship, first year of residency, or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States; OR
  • (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement), 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.
  • Exceptions:
    • 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 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.
    • In rare and unusual circumstances, the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer, who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience, accomplishments, performance, and qualifications warrant such action.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

• Board Certified or Board Eligible in Internal Medicine.

1. Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted.
2. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted.
3. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, confirmation must be made that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirement for year graduated.

• 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.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• 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).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.