Physician (Chief of Diagnostic Imaging)

• the highest quality primary, secondary and tertiary health care to its beneficiaries through a compassionate, innovative health care system
• excellent training and education of health care professionals
• effective use of available resources

The NMVAHCS is committed to training radiology professionals and producing high quality research.

The UNM SOM and NMVAHCS operate an ACGME-accredited Radiology residency and interventional Radiology and Neuroradiology fellowships.

Growth in academic and research programs is highly placed on the NMVAHCS strategic plan and is a focus of the incumbent.

The major duties of this position are, but are not limited to:

• Supervises on-board personnel, evaluate prospective new hires, oversee compliance with all applicable regulations, addressing patient complaints, credentialing and peer-review issues, and inquiries and investigations from Congress, the White House, VA Central Office, and national investigative bodies.
• Participates as a member and/or leader of Imaging and NMVAHCS-wide committees responsible for peer review, accreditation, and systems redesign and quality improvement projects, as assigned by the Office of the Chief of Staff.
• Carries out administrative duties as assigned in a timely, resourceful, and efficient manner. He or she will demonstrate interpersonal and verbal and written communication skills that enable him/her to establish and maintain professional relationships with other professionals, whether they are supervisees, peers, or supervisors and leaders both at NMVAHCS and at higher levels.
• Provides direct patient care in his/her specialty area approximately 25-40% of the time; which includes, evaluating and prioritizing radiology orders, ordering and evaluating appropriate laboratory studies, protocoling and approving complex imaging exams, notifying providers of critical imaging results.
• Completes all VA reports on each patient examined to include appropriate CPT codes and diagnosis.
• Fosters an environment of mutual respect and free communication and promote a culture of safety in which individuals will feel free to point out problems and deficiencies without fear of retaliation.
• Works to impart an expectation of individual sacrifice for the good of the Veterans served by the Imaging HCG itself.

• 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.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

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.