Staff Physician (SCI/D Outpatient) - Recruitment/Relocation Incentive/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.

The Staff Physician, Spinal Cord Injury/Disorders Service (SCI/D) is responsible for patient care, patient/family education, and supervision of resident physicians. Participation in clinical research is optional. Primarily evaluates patients in an outpatient clinical setting. The majority time is devoted to patient care and education, with the remaining time set aside for performance improvement activities and research to improve patient care and activities sufficient to maintain proficiency in state-of-the-art rehabilitation/medical care. Most of the work takes place at Audie L. Murphy VAMC, though some travel may be required.

Administrative duties include but are not limited to:

• Reviewing SCI/D service consults for neuro rehab medical appropriateness
• Participating in managing facility wide performance measures such as access and utilization
• Participating in accreditation meetings or surveys as needed
  • May serve on hospital wide committees
  • May participate in Quality Management activities such as root cause analysis or Morbidity and Mortality conference
• Participating in peer review
• Maintaining medical licensing and Board certification requirements
• Obtaining resident supervisory privileges through medical school affiliate
• Operating computer technology/platforms

Clinical duties include but are not limited to:

• Performing a comprehensive, initial history and physical examination in compliance with national guidelines
• Performing electromyography (EMG), injections and other tests consistent with privileges
• Consulting 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,
  • psychosocial evaluation, etc.
• Carrying out whole health and disease prevention activities including education, shared decision-making, and recommending complementary medical services (health coaching/massage/acupuncture)
• Documenting care provided in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS)
• Documenting the detailed, targeted, initial history and physical examination required for evaluation in the electronic tool(s)
• Obtaining consent and documents procedures performed during clinic visits
• Providing education and counseling of patients with Neuro Rehab diagnoses including outcomes, medical conditions, and the use of prescribed treatments and drugs.
• Available to fulfill On call duties including weekend coverage on the inpatient rehab unit
• Consulting other medical specialties when necessary
• Providing SCI Neuro Rehab telehealth consultations, etc.

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be available for highly qualified individuals
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more.
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@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
Work Schedule: TBD (Typically M-F, 0730-1600 CST)

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

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.
• English Language Proficiency. 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).
• 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.
• 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 graduate medical education accrediting body, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) in the list published for the year the residency, or fellowship if applicable, was completed, OR
  • (2) Those approved by graduate medical education accrediting body, the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), in the list published for the year the residency, or fellowship if applicable, was completed, OR
  • (3) 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
  • (4) 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 experience.
• Licensure and Registration: 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 Exceptions Note:

• 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 or fee-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.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

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

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.