Physician - Cardiologist-Electrophysiology

The Central Virginia VA Health Care System (CVHCS) in Richmond, Virginia is recruiting a Full-Time Physician within the Cardiac Electrophysiology (EP) Unit. The incumbent Physician is expected to provide inpatient and outpatient evaluation and management of veterans with arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, syncope, and inherited channelopathies. Perform invasive EP procedures and oversee remote device monitoring and antiarrhythmic medication management.

The Richmond VA Medical Center is a level 1a 349-bed facility offering primary, secondary, and tertiary health care in medicine, surgery, neurology, rehabilitation medicine, intermediate care, acute and sustaining spinal cord injury, skilled nursing home care, and palliative care. There are four community-based outpatient clinics located in Charlottesville, Fredericksburg, Emporia and Spotsylvania County, Virginia, and a strong affiliation with the Medical College of Virginia.

Provides comprehensive patient care in the form of non-invasive, consultative, and inpatient/outpatient cardiology care. Expertise in the interpretation/reading of EKGs, Holter monitors, Zio, loop records, tilt testing, non-invasive ICD stimulation, pacer and ICD evaluation and programming, are required.

Invasive electrophysiology procedures including cardiac device implantation, catheter ablation of supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, and left atrial appendage occlusion.

Participate in management and supervision of the implanted cardiac rhythm device program and clinic, including CIED remote monitoring.

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

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

The duties and responsibilities of the Physician - Interventional Cardiology include, but are not limited to the following:

• Operates or directs the operation of diagnostic or interventional procedures which may include but are not limited to Basic Life Support/Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (BLS/ACLS), moderate sedation, fluoroscopy, central venous line insertion and management, intra-arterial line insertion and management, cardiac catheterization, coronary arterial stenting and angioplasty, peripheral arterial stenting and angioplasty, cardioversion, use of thrombolytic agents, pericardiocentesis, arterial puncture, temporary trans-venous pacemaker placement, and intra-aortic balloon pump insertion and management.
• Provides off tour on call services for emergency cardiac catheterization procedures one out of every four weeks.
• Provides inpatient attending cardiologist patient care services in intensive care unit, intermediate care (stepdown), and acute medical ward service.
• Interprets electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG), Holter monitor, and stress test results.
• Collaborates clearly and effectively with mid-level providers, Physician colleagues, and other applicable parties. Relationships with management, co-workers, patients, and the general public are consistently courteous, respectful, and cooperative in nature.
• Participates in educational programs for and of the section.
• Participates in monitoring quality, safety, and appropriateness of patient care, both at the section and facility level.
• Participates in quality assurance programs and chart reviews.
• Participates in special projects that help fulfill and/or enhance the mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Attends team/section meetings, Medical Service staff meetings, and Chief of Staff (COS) meetings, as per bylaws.
• Demonstrates ethical conduct and serves as a positive role model to others at all levels of the organization.
• Utilizes the Veterans Health Information and Technology Architecture (VistA) and Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) for patient care documentation and the Clinical Procedure (CP) software for documentation of patient procedures.
• Completes medical records in accordance with applicable policies and procedures, ensuring productivity is maintained at the established level.
• Possesses an understanding of and sensitivity to the special needs of all patients in respect to age, developmental requirements, and culturally related factors.
• Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, regulations, and policies.
• Utilizes word processing software to execute office automation functions such as storing and retrieving electronic documents and files; activating printers; inserting and deleting text; formatting letters, reports, and memoranda; and transmitting and receiving e-mail.

Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm, Monday through Friday

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:

• Must be board certified or board eligible in Cardiovascular Medicine/Interventional Cardiology
• Basic Life Support/Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (BLS/ACLS) Certification
• Moderate Sedation Privileges and Certification
• Fluoroscopy Privileges and Certification

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

Physical Requirements:
Applicants must meet physical standards for the position. A physical examination prior to placement is required. This is a designated drug testing position. After appointment, you will be subject to random testing for illegal drug use. Requires lifting 15-44 pounds; pushing (approx. 2 hours); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers and both hands; walking and standing from 3-5 hours and kneeling. Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously. Must have depth perception and ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors. Hearing aid is 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.
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.