Summary

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.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. 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 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
• See below for further clarification on education
• Licensure: 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
• Board Certification in Gastroenterology
• 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 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) - b) OR [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) -OR (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States) - 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
• 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
• English Language: Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Reference: VA Regulations - specifically VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard
• This can be found in the local Human Resources Office
• Physical Requirements: Reaching - standing - walking - lifting - fingering/hands - talking - hearing - vision (ability to distinguish colors) - balancing - bending - kneeling - crouching - pushing - pulling - grasping - feeling - sitting - carrying - tasting & smelling - climbing - crawling
• PHYSICAL DEMANDS: - Exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and/or up to 25 pounds of force frequently to move objects
• This could include moving objects such as pieces of equipment and assistance in moving clients
• May be required to travel to associated Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) and operating a government owned vehicle.

Duties

• AMENDED - Position is no longer part of a bargaining unit in response to President Trump's March 27 - 2025 - Executive Order (EO) - Exclusions from Federal Labor-Management Relations Programs
• The Gastroenterologist is to ensure the quality and timeliness of the services provided - customer satisfaction - as well as compliance with the standards of accrediting bodies such as the Joint Commission and the Inspector General's Combined Assessment Program
• The Gastroenterologist is to ensure appropriate use of the available resources and will be responsible for the state-of-the-art standards of care in Specialty Service as well as Surgery as well as collaborates with other Services as appropriate
• The Gastroenterologist may be asked to complete projects related to his/her area of specialty - expertise - and interests relevant to VA directives and policies
• Projects would likely be directly related to his/her training but may occasionally be indirectly related to the practice of gastroenterology - all within the scope of the medical and surgical departments
• An example of that would be leading administrative or clinical teams for VA and providing other project leaderships as appropriate
• The Gastroenterologist accomplishes health care delivery mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs in general
• The incumbent will travel to Community based outpatient clinics depending on the service needs for patient care
• FUNCTIONS: The Gastroenterologist is to be a physician - having completed an appropriate residency or fellowship
• Certification in Basic Cardiac Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support certification required
• The Gastroenterologist will be responsible for the following tasks:- Gastroenterology physicians evaluate - diagnose - treat - and provide consultation to adult patients with diseases and disorder of the gastrointestinal tract - including the esophagus - stomach - small and large intestines - pancreas - gallbladder/biliary system - as well as liver
• Ordering and providing interpretation of appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic modalities
• Evaluating - diagnosing - and developing management plans for new patients
• Performing routine internal medicine procedures including paracentesis and anoscopy
• Providing relevant patient education regarding diagnosis and medication management
• Privileges also include supervision - teaching - and involvement of medical students - trainees - and residents - in the same setting.- Core gastroenterology procedures include - but are not limited to: Moderate Sedation (providers must maintain active ACLS certification) Flexible sigmoidoscopy Colonoscopy with and without biopsy or polypectomy - dilation without fluoroscopy - control of bleeding EGD - with and without biopsy or polypectomy - dilation without fluoroscopy - control of bleeding EGD with PEG placement Basic enterostomy without fluoroscopy (not single or double balloon) Insertion of esophageal balloon to control variceal bleeding - Act as the consultant for patients referred to him/her for input about the needed gastroenterological care
• The Gastroenterologist will routinely follow patients who need regular or intensive follow up in both Specialty and Surgery clinics.- The Gastroenterologist will be responsible for the management of gastroenterological complications
• When indicated - the Gastroenterologist will facilitate transfer to a tertiary care center for risk reduction and to promote a safe outcome for the patient.- The Gastroenterologist will be involved teaching CMU Internal Medicine Residents - Family Medicine Residents and Medical Students when rotating at the Aleda E Lutz Medical Center - Saginaw Michigan
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact jeremy.hunt@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: Choice of two: 7:30am - 4:00pm or 8:00am - 4:30pm - Monday - Friday