Chief of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine Service (Physician)

The Chief of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) reports directly to the Chief of Staff and is responsible for the overall clinical, administrative, and programmatic leadership of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service to ensure achievement of the Medical Center's clinical, research, and educational goals.

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2026 or until all positions are filled. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be 15 June 2026, with subsequent cut-off dates every two weeks. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred to at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.

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

Major Duties and Responsibilities to include but not be limited to:

• Maintains licensure and credentials sufficient to support the incumbent's authority to practice pathology within the following scope of practice: full range of Chemistry, Hematology, Coagulation, Urinalysis, Blood Bank, Immunology, Serology, Microbiology testing, and Phlebotomy services.
• Performs clinical duties related to patient care activities for a minimum of 25 percent of duty hours.
• ensures that program services meet accreditation requirements and are compliant with regulatory and accountability standards such as those set forth by the Joint Commission, American Association of Blood Banks, OSHA, and FDA, the Office of the Inspector General (OIG), and VA Central Office (VACO).
• Oversee the development of program activities, services, record-keeping, schedules, policies, evaluation procedures, marketing brochures, educational resources, etc.
• Convenes service staff meetings and other meetings to promote effective functioning of the service area.
• Works closely with executive leadership, managerial and clinical leaders in formulating local policies, resource planning for manpower, equipment, and space. The Chief also works with Human Resources to meet labor management partnership obligations in planning policy changes that impact work conditions.
• Addresses coverage issues, manages day-to-day operations, liaises with administrative staff both internal and external to ensure full clinical operations.
• Serve as a mentor and/or teacher for residents, trainees, providers, and staff. Plans and guides educational activities to meet the individual needs of the learner. May develop courses, lectures, and/or programs to facilitate objectives.
• Maintains confidentiality of patients and relatives through competence and interpersonal skills. Act as a consultant involving patients as related to treatment and management plans. Works collaboratively with other professionals in support of evaluating, treating or arranging Veteran's disposition. Provides patient education as it relates to the collection of pathology and laboratory specimens.

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: A recruitment incentive may be authorized for highly qualified applicants.
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
Work Schedule: 8:00AM-4:30PM - Monday - Friday, 40 hours/per week

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.

Additional Requirement: Board Certification or eligible by the American Board of Pathology

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

Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others. Depending on the essential duties of a specific position, usable vision, color vision, hearing or speech may be required. however, in most cases, a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid.

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.