Physician (Rheumatologist - Intermittent appointment)

Why live in Providence, Rhode Island? Ranked #105 in Best Places to Live and #47 in Best Places to Retire by US News & World Report, Providence, RI has a variety metro area homes to young professionals and artists, characterized by a quaint New England vibe. The city has a budding economy fueled by the health care, education, tourism and financial sectors. Providence's renaissance is now evident throughout the metro area, from the carefully restored urban landscape of downtown to the hip coffee shops and thriving community gardens of the trendy West End. In more recent years, this renaissance has helped foster an exceptional culinary scene, numerous arts venues and thoughtfully planned urban spaces throughout the city center. Factor in the presence of top-notch institutions like Brown University and the Rhode Island School of Design as well as a proximity to some of New England's most beautiful beaches, and you'll see what makes Providence an appealing place to live.

Key Responsibilities:

• Evaluate, diagnose, provide consultation, medically manage and treat rheumatology patients including systemic diseases with rheumatic manifestations. Privileges include medical management of general medical conditions which are encountered in the course of caring for the rheumatology patient. Admit to inpatient or appropriate level of care Perform history and physical examinations Ordering and Preliminary interpretation of EKG and Imaging and Laboratory Studies
• Diagnostic aspiration and analysis of synovial fluid under light and compensated polarized light microscopy. Therapeutic injection of diarthrodial joints, bursae, tenosynovial structures, and entheses Biopsies of tissues relevant to the diagnosis of rheumatic diseases Synovial biopsy.
• Ultrasound examination of the joints

Comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards.
Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases.
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: Intermittent Work Schedule to be Discussed during Interview.
Telework: Not Authorized.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Financial Disclosure Report: Not required.

• This position is in the Excepted Service.

• 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.

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 identification 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.