Staff Physician, Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service - EDRP Authorized

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.

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

Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more.
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN17EDRP2@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

Duties and Responsibilities:
Administrative

• Leadership of interdisciplinary team activities.
• Writes Medical Orders and prescriptions for non-controlled substances, as necessary, for the care of the patient in accordance with Federal and State law and approval of the supervising PM&R Physician.
• Documents care provided in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) in accordance with South Texas Veterans Health Care System requirements.
• Documents the detailed, targeted, initial history and physical examination required for evaluation in the electronic tool(s) required by VA.
• Obtains consent and documents procedures performed for which the staff physician is responsible.
• Provides education and counseling of patients and families in preventive care, medical conditions, and the use of prescribed treatments and drugs.

Clinical:
Responds to and completes consults received for the evaluation of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation including:

• Performs a comprehensive, detailed, targeted, initial history and physical examination in compliance with national guidelines.
• Orders diagnostic studies such as laboratory tests, X-rays, electromyography (EMG), electrocardiograms (EKGs) and other tests as approved by the supervising PM&R Physician.
• Consults other disciplines, as necessary, to complete the patient examination; e.g. Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, neuropsychological testing, audiology and speech language pathology testing, vision testing, dental evaluation, psychosocial evaluation, etc.
• Carries out health promotion and disease prevention activities including education and shared decision-making.
• Writes Medical Orders and prescriptions for non-controlled substances, as necessary, for the care of the patient in accordance with Federal and State law and approval of the supervising PM&R Physician.
• Evaluation and treatment of clinical conditions associated with polytrauma and traumatic brain injuries, including specialty care.
• Participation in telehealth activities.
• Call coverage of inpatient rehabilitation unit.
• Documents care provided in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) in accordance with South Texas Veterans Health Care System requirements.
• Documents the detailed, targeted, initial history and physical examination required for evaluation in the electronic tool(s) required by VA.
• Provides education and counseling of patients and families in preventive care, medical conditions, and the use of prescribed treatments and drugs.

Emergency Duties:

• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and defibrillation (ACLS not required)

Additional Duties:

• May be required to perform administrative duties required for performance measures or improvement activities, compliance with accrediting organizations, or other duties as assigned.
• May be required to serve as preceptor for health care students/residents rotating through the outpatient clinics.
• May be required to lecture or make presentations on Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation to clinic staff.
• May be required to participate in clinical research.
• May be required to participate in emergency preparedness activities as a result of national health disasters.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

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.
• Education: 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. 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.
• License: 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:
  • Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) leading to eligibility for board certification, OR
  • Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) leading to eligibility for board certification; OR
  • 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
  • Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of 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 or 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 (that is, 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.
• English Language Proficiency: Proficiency in spoken and written English. Physicians appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d).

PHYSICIAN STAFF REQUIREMENTS:

Staff Physician: None beyond the basic requirements. The individual must qualify to perform duties as a Physician, have completed an accredited residency and/or possess experience which has qualified the individual to perform general duties and some specialized functions and procedures without supervision. Staff Physicians may also include attendings who train Physician residents assigned in facilities with residency training programs, and consultants who are capable of giving authoritative views and opinions on subjects in their field of medicine.

Preferred Experience:

• Board certified in PM&R; Subspecialty certification or fellowship completion.
• 1 year prior experience in the VA as an attending physician.
• Prior teaching experience in an ACGME accredited training program.
• Prior experience in interdisciplinary clinic or program development and management.
• Interest in multiple areas of PM&R and willingness to remain flexible in clinic coverage as evidenced by previous practice diversity or academic pursuits (if new trainee).

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

Physical Requirements: May be required, depending on the needs of the organization.

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.