Physician - Hematology Section Chief

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.

This is an Open Continuous Announcement and will remain open until closing date and may be extended until the position is filled. Eligible applications will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis. Once a selection is made and offer is accepted the announcement may close pending no additional vacancies.

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

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be available to highly qualified applicants
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more.
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact lashala.goodman@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

This role is ideal for a Hematology/Oncology Physician with a strong background in both clinical care and teaching, combined with expertise in the latest advancements in the treatment of hematological malignancies and hematologic disorders including management of patients with bone marrow transplant and other cellular therapies such as CAR -T. The physician will be expected to provide comprehensive care, engage in research, and contribute to the education of the next generation of medical professionals. Duties included, but not limited to the following:

• Supervising Hematology/Oncology Section and clinical operations ensure high-quality, comprehensive care to include diagnosis, treatment, follow up and education of adult patients presenting with a variety of hematologic disorders in both outpatient and inpatient settings
• Overseeing schedules, budgets, and resource allocation to ensure compliance with regulations, policies, and administrative deadlines
• Recruit, train, mentor, and evaluate staff to ensure professional development and a collaborative work environment
• Coordinate workups, ensure appropriate preparation for treatment therapies, and manage follow-up care post-treatment with ongoing monitoring for complications
• Clinically supervise and guide fellows in performing bone marrow aspirates and biopsies, ensuring proper technique and providing feedback to ensure successful outcomes
• Participate in quality improvement activities to enhance patient care such as peer review, performance evaluations, and other administrative functions
• Actively participate in selected multi-disciplinary committees related to cancer care and tumor boards to ensure a coordinated and patient-centered approach to cancer treatment
• Provide mentorship and supervision to medical students, residents, and fellows to facilitate their learning and development in hematology/oncology
• Participate in quality improvement activities to enhance patient care such as peer review, performance evaluations, and other administrative functions
• Engage in clinical research as a principle investigator for studies focused on the development of new treatments and therapies
• Attend and actively participate in all required staff meetings

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm, Rotating weekends/holidays

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 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.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience in managing chemotherapy, targeted therapies, immunotherapy, and biologic agents used in the treatment of solid tumors and blood cancers
• Experience leading Quality Improvement projects and clinical trials as Principle Investigator
• Experience in program development, expansion, and oversight
• Experience in successful grant applications aiming to improve Veteran's health documented by obtaining funding
• Board Certification/Eligible in Hematology and Oncology
• Proficiency in performing bone marrow aspirates and biopsies
• Experience in leading clinical research initiatives, specifically focusing on hematologic malignancies, and mentoring fellows in research settings

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

Physical Requirements:
The work is generally sedentary and accomplished in an office environment, but will require some walking, bending, and lifting. They will need to be able to lift up to 25 lbs., stand for long periods of time, and speak at facility wide meetings for at minimum one hour. Walking to other service areas and UAMS may be necessary at times. This position requires entry into patient care areas to treat patients with various diseases so incumbent must be able to wear a mask as required.

• Moderate lifting, 15 - 44 lbs
• Moderate carrying, 15 - 44 lbs
• Pushing (8 hrs)
• Reaching above shoulder
• Use of fingers
• Both hands required
• Walking (8 hrs)
• Standing (8 hrs)
• Repeated bending (2 hrs)
• Both legs required
• Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
• Near vision correctable at 13 " to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4
• Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other
• Both eyes required
• Depth perception
• Ability to distinguish basic colors
• Ability to distinguish basic shades of color
• Hearing (aid may be permitted)
• Mental stability
• Emotional stability
• Mask wearing
• Sitting up to 8 hrs

Environmental Factors:

• Outside and inside
• Excessive noise, intermittent
• Working closely with others
• Working alone
• Protracted or irregular hours of work
• Working in direct patient care
• Use of computer

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.
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.

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.