Physician (Pulmonary Diseases)

The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

West Palm Beach VA Medical Center is seeking a Physician (Pulmonologist/Intensivist/Sleep Physician) to provide patient care for further growth and development of the pulmonology/critical care/sleep department within the context of the emerging, competitive, health care environment.

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT. Eligible applicants will be referred until all vacancies are filled.

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

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized
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 moonlightingI conjunction with the Surgical or Medical attending physician and other consultants, the Pulmonologist/Intensivist (PI) directs the care of all patients in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). The PI provides continuous vigilance, early intervention, and ongoing care with the goal to decrease ICU related morbidity and mortality. In addition, the PI proactively communicates with the other members of the team to assure optimal results.

The PI also provides outpatient and inpatient consultation services for pulmonary and sleep patients during dedicated clinic and inpatient time, as well as provides reading of Sleep Studies, including home sleep studies.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Perform and/or supervise procedures including central line placement, intubation, bronchoscopy, EBUS, thoracentesis and others as required.
• Examine and evaluate each patient for admission to the ICU and notify the admitting physician of assessment and recommendations.
• Perform and document subsequent evaluation of all patients in the ICU on daily rounds once every twenty-four hours and as needed.
• Respond to all cardiac and respiratory arrests in the ICU, assuming the role of the Code Team Leader.
• Sign out to the oncoming physician to assure an informed transition of care. Complete off-duty summary notes when leaving ICU service.
• Participate in patient care rounds daily with the charge nurse, pharmacy, dietary, case management, respiratory care, pastoral care ICU nursing staff.
• Perform outpatient Consultations in Pulmonary Clinic (8 to 15 patients per day).
• Provide inpatient Pulmonary Consultations.
• May admit ICU patients critically ill with pulmonary diseases and/or requiring assisted ventilation.

Performs the administrative components of patient care management, such as:

• Will be actively involved in teaching residents and students, and will periodically direct Noon Conferences for their didactic training.
• Participate in the educational programs for the critical care unit personnel as well as the medical staff.
• Participate in monitoring the quality, safety and appropriateness of patient care.
• Attend ICU Committee meetings. Develop/update ICU policies and procedures.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.(Note: Work schedules are determined and approved by the supervisor. The incumbent may be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis based on facility/patient care needs).

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: BOARD CERTIFICATION IN PULMONARY DISEASES OR CRITICAL CARE PREFERRED.

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

Physical Requirements: Must pass a pre-employment physical examination as required by VA Handbook 5019. This examination is administered by VA Occupational Health. This position requires: light to moderate lifting (15 - 44 lbs.); light carrying (15 lbs. and under); reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking (up to 2 hours); standing (up to 2 hours); kneeling (up to 1 hour); ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable at 13" to 16"; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; depth perception; ability to distinguish basic colors; ability to distinguish shades of colors; hearing (aid permitted); emotional stability; mental stability; working closely with others; and working alone.

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.