Physician (Chief of Radiology)

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2027. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applicants will be October 23, 2026 with subsequent cut-off dates every week. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until position is filled.

The Chief of Radiology serves as the executive medical leader of the Diagnostic Imaging Service at VA Augusta Health Care System, providing clinical, administrative, educational, and research oversight for all radiology and imaging operations across both the Downtown
and Uptown campuses and supporting Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) at Athens, Statesboro, and Aiken. The incumbent is responsible for the delivery of highquality, timely, and safe imaging services to Veterans in accordance with VHA policy, ACR
(American College of Radiology) standards, The Joint Commission requirements, and federal law. The Chief reports directly to the Chief of Sta?? and serves as a member of the Medical Executive Committee (MEC).

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

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized to highly qualified candidates
Relocation Incentive: 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 moonlighting

Clinical Duties:

• Provides direct patient care through interpretation of diagnostic imaging studies (radiography, CT, MRI, ultrasound, fluoroscopy, nuclear medicine, and interventional procedures) commensurate with credentialed privileges and subspecialty training.
• Maintains active clinical practice with productivity consistent with VHA Directive 1065 (Productivity and Staffing Guidance for Specialty Provider Group Practice) and RVU expectations for Radiology as defined by VHA Support Service Center (VSSC).
• Provides on-call and after-hours coverage as required by the service coverage plan; coordinates with the National Teleradiology Program (NTP) for supplemental coverage and contingency operations.
• Interprets, communicates, and documents critical and non-routine findings in accordance with ACR practice parameters, VHA policy, and VA Augusta local policy on critical results reporting.
• Ensures compliance with radiation safety standards, MRI safety zones, contrast administration protocols, and moderate/deep sedation policies where applicable.

Administrative & Managerial Duties:

• Serves as the accountable executive for the Diagnostic Imaging Service, including budget formulation and execution, staffing, position management, equipment lifecycle planning, and space utilization across both campuses.
• Provides day-to-day supervisory oversight of staff radiologists, radiology residents, fellows, and (in coordination with the Chief Radiologic Technologist and Administrative Officer) all imaging technologists, nursing staff, schedulers, and support personnel assigned to the service.
• Establishes, monitors, and enforces the Radiology Service coverage schedule to ensure continuity of clinical operations, including subspecialty coverage, weekend and holiday coverage, and after-hours reads.
• Coordinates equitable workload distribution across staff radiologists using RVU tracking, PACS workload data, and subspecialty assignment methodology; addresses productivity and workload equity concerns proactively.
• Serves as the liaison between the Chief of Staff, the Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) for specialty services, the ADPCS for imaging nursing coordination, and other clinical service chiefs on all matters affecting imaging operations.
• Manages contracts and service agreements affecting the Imaging Service, includingteleradiology services and interpretation agreements per VHA Directive 1916 (Teleradiology) and VHA Handbook 1100.19 (Credentialing and Privileging).
• Coordinates capital equipment planning with Biomedical Engineering and Facilities Management for CT, MRI, ultrasound, and interventional imaging platforms.

Educational & Research Duties:

• Serves as accountable executive for the Radiology graduate medical education (GME) program in collaboration with Academic Affiliations, the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, and the ACGME-accredited residency program director.
• Supports research and quality improvement projects within the service in coordination with the ACOS for Research & Development.
• Provides mentorship and career development for staff radiologists, fellows, and residents.

Work Schedule: 7:30 am - 4:00 pm Subject to change based on the needs of the agency.

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.
• Board certified by the American Board of Radiology (ABR) or American Osteopathic Board of Radiology (AOBR).
• Minimum five (5) years of post-residency clinical practice as a radiologist.
• Minimum three (3) years of progressively responsible administrative experience, including supervisory experience.

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

Physical Requirements: Standing, walking, lifting light loads, assisting patients with positioning and transfers. Must be able to use a computer to input orders, review reports etc. Must be able to communicate directions and patient orders. Light lifting (under 15lbs), light carrying (under 15lbs), use of fingers, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other, hearing (aid permitted), emotional stability, mental stability, working closely with others, working alone, and working with biohazardous materials.

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.