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. 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 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 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
• Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Additional Requirement: Must be Board Certified/Board Eligible Must be Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology Fellowship trained or have proof of equivalent experience Must have Fellowship Subspecialty training in Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE) or have proof of equivalent experience Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position - with or without reasonable accommodation - without hazard to themselves or others
• Depending on the essential duties of a specific position - usable vision - color vision - hearing or speech may be required
• however - in most cases - a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid.

Duties

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be available for highly qualified candidates
• 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
• 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
• Former EDRP Participants are ineligible to apply for the program
• Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov 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 Cardiac Anesthesiologist Duties Include: This position is a blend of general anesthesia and cardiac anesthesia Administer anesthesia to patients rendering them insensitive to pain during surgery/procedures Provide continuous and vigilant monitoring of the patient's physical response to the anesthetic - sedatives - analgesics - and related anesthetic agents Maintain excellence in endotracheal intubation and extubation - airway management - and be skilled in the usage of all various airway adjuncts
• Make a reasonable anesthetic plan for patients with severe comorbidities perform all appropriate techniques of the anesthetic plan such as - but not limited to - insertion of intravenous lines - arterial lines - central lines - insertion of other invasive monitoring catheters - regional anesthesia - and TEE Interpretation of arterial blood gases - EKG's and all relevant pre - intra - and postoperative laboratory results Use precautions to minimize risks of infection to patients and other health care professionals Perform pre-anesthetic evaluation of the patients Develop and anesthetic plan and make the selection of anesthetic agents and techniques Manage the anesthesia process to include induction - maintenance - and emergence from general - regional - monitored anesthesia cases - and satellite anesthesia care Manage postoperative pain needs for any anesthetized patient Recognize abnormal patient responses to and to initiate corrective measures Determine the need for additional laboratory tests Provide resuscitative care as necessary Evaluate and manage the patient in the immediate post-operative period Administer IV fluids relative to the patient's medical history and surgical procedure
• Administer blood products and monitor for adverse responses Appropriately document the patient status in the anesthesia record Perform all required safety and performance checks on anesthesia-related equipment and verify the appropriate supplies before initiating care Participate in surgical and regional time-outs Maintain the appropriate confidentiality of patient information at all times Hand-off appropriately with all individuals involved in the peri-operative and post-operative care In a life-threatening emergency - function responsibly by providing anesthesia and resuscitative care Maintain ACLS certification Teach and evaluate residents and students Supervise CRNA's Assume responsibility and be accountable for controlled substances according to department and hospital policy - as well as state and federal guidelines Maintain all required continuing education credits - credentialing - professional licensure Become board certified within 3 years Utilize the EMR system as required by VACO Participate in after-hours \"call\" as scheduled by the chief of the section Be dependable - reliable - responsible in attendance - and in the fulfillment of obligations to patients - committees - co-workers - and during periods of \"call\" Comport oneself professionally - congenially - collegially - and with an attitude of optimism Maintain a focus on safety for both patients and coworkers--- specifically in the area of infection control - accidental needle sticks - radiation exposure - and potential physical injuries when moving patients Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:00am-3:30pm - with on call during some weekdays and weekends