Physician

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.

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

Assessment & Diagnosis

• Obtain comprehensive medical histories and perform physical examinations specific to musculoskeletal, orthopedic, and traumatic conditions.
• Order and interpret appropriate diagnostic tests, including imaging and laboratory investigations.
• Develop differential diagnoses and individualized treatment plans for orthopedic disorders.

Procedural & Surgical Interventions

• Perform a full range of orthopedic surgical procedures within credentialed privileges, including but not limited to:
  • Total joint arthroplast
  • Arthroscopy
  • Fracture care
  • Soft tissue repairs
  • Peripheral nerve decompression
  • Hand surgery
  • Spine procedures as privileged
  • Infection management
  • Amputations
  • Application/removal of casts, splints, external fixation
• Perform minor procedures such as joint aspirations/injections, incision and drainage, wound care, and debridement.

Perioperative & Postoperative Management

• Conduct preoperative risk assessments, evaluation, and counseling.
• Manage intraoperative patient care, ensuring adherence to safety and quality protocols.
• Provide postoperative care, including pain management, wound assessment, infection prevention, complication recognition, and coordination with rehabilitation.

Consultative Services

• Provide orthopedic consultations to inpatients, outpatients, Emergency Department, and other disciplines.
• Collaborate effectively with interdisciplinary teams.

Documentation and Orders

• Complete all documentation in the VA's electronic medical record (CPRS) promptly and accurately in accordance with facility and VHA standards.
• Write medication prescriptions, durable medical equipment orders, and specialty referrals under current licensure and privileges.

Administrative Leadership

• Lead and supervise all physicians, residents, Nurse Practitioners/Physician Assistants, and staff assigned to Orthopedic Surgery.
• Develop and implement service policies, procedures, and programmatic goals in coordination with Surgery Service leadership.
• Manage clinic and OR scheduling to ensure efficient, timely, and high-quality delivery of orthopedic care.
• Responsible for recruitment, onboarding, orientation, mentoring, evaluation, and performance reviews of orthopedic staff.
• Review and participate in credentialing and privileging of section members.
• Promote evidence-based practice, patient safety, and process improvement initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with Joint Commission, OIG, VHA, and other regulatory standards.
• Oversee and resolve patient complaints and incidents involving orthopedic care.

Education & Professional Development

• Provide teaching, supervision, and mentorship for residents, fellows, and medical students affiliated with academic partners.
• Participate in and support scholarly activities, clinical research initiatives, and continuing education relevant to orthopedic surgery.
• Attend required VA orientations, competency validations, licensure, and annual mandatory training.

Quality Improvement & Compliance

• Participate in ongoing quality assurance, peer review, root-cause analysis, and mortality and morbidity conferences.
• Collaborate in development/maintenance of clinical practice guidelines and pathways for orthopedic care.
• Utilize data and evidence to monitor and improve section performance metrics.

Patient Population

• Serve a diverse adult veteran population, including geriatric, polytrauma, and medically complex patients, while adapting care to meet individual needs and disabilities.

Limitations

• All duties should be performed within the boundaries of granted privileges, applicable laws, and available institutional resources.
• The Chief may not independently perform procedures for which they are not specifically privileged.
• Refers complex cases to outside consultants or higher level of care when indicated.

Continuity & Coverage

• Ensure appropriate cross-coverage for planned and unplanned absences.
• Coordinate with the Surgery Service for on-call responsibilities as per call schedule.

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 is required for this position

Preferred Experience:

• Board certified in orthopedic surgery.
• Prior experience leading an orthopedic service or department, preferably in a hospital or healthcare system serving diverse populations
• Demonstrated experience with administrative duties such as staffing, compliance, program development, performance improvement, patient experience complaints, and quality improvement initiatives

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

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

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.