Physician (Primary Care) - Recruitment/Relocation Incentive May be Authorized, EDRP Authorized

The South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) is seeking a Primary Care Physician for Victoria VA Clinic in Victoria, TX. Primary Care Physicians are responsible for providing Comprehensive Primary Care for Veterans.

Recruitment or Relocation may be authorized for highly qualified individual.
Education Debt Reduction Program is authorized for this position.

Position Location: Victoria VA Clinic, 311 Spring Green Boulevard Victoria, TX 77904.

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until December 30, 2026, or until the position is filled. The first cut-off date is July 27, 2026. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled.

Applicants will remain active for 3 months after their initial application is received and/or updated. After that time, you must update your application through your USAJobs account if you would like to be made active again for possible consideration during the open period.

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

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8- 4:30pm
Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for highly qualified individual
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): This position is eligible for EDRP, a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of your start date. Program approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. 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

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• The primary care provider should, in the context of a longitudinal relationship, fulfill all primary care needs, including acute and chronic illness, gender-specific PC, mental health (Screen for conditions such as depression, substance use/abuse, military sexual trauma and PTSD, and evaluate and treat uncomplicated mental health disorders as well as substance use disorders and refer patients appropriately for further evaluation and treatment of sexual assault and military sexual trauma, mental health disorders and substance use disorders) and preventative care (age-appropriate cancer screening e.g., colon, breast and cervical cancer - as well as weight management counseling, Chlamydia screening (when indicated), smoking cessation and immunizations, etc.) along with coordination of care delivery (when specialty care is needed, the primary care provider will coordinate this care and communicate with the specialty provider regarding the evaluation and treatment plan to ensure continuity of care). All Physicians are responsible to read and comply with the Medical Staff Bylaws. All physicians are responsible to timely complete all mandatory training.
• As a member of the team, the Veteran patient is an active participant in decisions while being provided information and encouragement to exercise ownership of his/her health. The Veteran patient, with support from other members of the team, becomes engaged in his or her health care, ensuring the health care system best serves his/her individual needs.
• Alternative or collateral duties may include management of a subsection of primary care patients, the subsection may be defined either by a disease status, or demographic status (e.g., women veterans, OIF/OEF veterans, employees, etc.). Typically, these duties are designated at the time of joining but occasionally during the course of employment, participation in special projects pertinent to assigned section may be necessary as the projects become available through strategic or other initiatives.
• Physicians may be assigned duty as a supervising or collaborating physician for one or more mid-level providers. Physicians are expected to provide clinical oversight and review the care provided by mid-level practitioners.

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.
• 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 an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are:
  • Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or
  • Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted.
  • For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must confirm that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated.
• License and Registration:
  • Physicians must possess a 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. The Physician must maintain current registration in the state of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active, current licensure.
  • Waiver of Licensure. Licensure requirements may be waived by the Under Secretary for Health or designee in the VHA Central Office for individuals in research, academic, or administrative assignments involving no direct patient care responsibilities in accordance with current regulations. In addition, the Facility Director may waive this licensure requirement if the Physician is to serve in a country other than the United States and the Physician has licensure in that country. (See VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section B, paragraph 14, on waiver of licensure provisions.) NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetence or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the state for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C. § 7402(f)). This requirement does not apply to licensed Physicians on VA rolls as of November 30, 1999, provided they maintain continuous appointment and are not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of state license, registration, or certification.
  • Loss of Credential. Management officials, in collaboration with HR Office staff must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain the required licensure of the duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation which may also result in separation from employment.
    HR Office staff must appoint Physicians according to the provisions in VA Handbook, Part II, Chapter 3, Section B, paragraph 14, who have, or have ever had, their licensure revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status.
• Residency Training: Physicians must have successfully completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in an accredited core specialty training program (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 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) leading to eligibility for board certification,
    OR
    (2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) leading to eligibility for board certification,
    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 experiences.
  • Exceptions:
    • Residents currently enrolled in ACGME or 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 (that is, 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. For more information, see paragraph 4b below.
    • 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.
• English Language Proficiency: Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Preferred Experience:

• Board Certified in Internal Medicine/Family Medicine
• Experience after Family/Internal Medicine Residency Program
• Recent Primary Care Experience
• Experience with Veteran Affairs or DoD
• Women's Health Experience
• Can hire out of Family/Internal Residency Program

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

Physical Requirements: Pre-Employment/Post-Employment Physical Examination: May be required, depending on the needs of the organization.

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.