Summary

The Staff Physician - Rheumatology's primary role is to provide clinical care in Rheumatology and to oversee the education of Residents and Medical Students within his/her practice area. All physicians will be board eligible/board certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology. The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information - refer to Required Documents below.

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
• Preferred Experience: Board eligible/board certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Per VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - a physical examination will be conducted based on the physical requirements of the position
• A physical examination prior to placement is required
• Long periods of standing or walking in the operating room setting and outpatient clinic will be encountered
• The mental/sensory requirements include recall - reasoning - problem-solving - hearing - speaking clearly - writing legibly - reading - and logical thinking
• The environment's pace can vary from steady to a sometimes-fast pace requiring handling of multiple priorities - frequent - sometimes intense customer - intense customer interactions - and the ability to adapt to frequent changes in a sometimes-noisy environment.

Duties

• Duties include - but are not limited to: Participates in and attends medical center committees as assigned by the Section Chief and/or Chief Medical Service and in his/her absence when requested
• Revises work schedules and assignments to meet frequent - abrupt - and unpredictable changes in prescribed workloads and deadlines to meet patient care - healthcare - and agency needs
• Follows agency and Service level expectations for time/attendance and modification of clinical duties for planned leave
• Participates in various facility programs designed to enhance and improve the delivery of patient care services - such as Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) teams - as assigned by Section Chief and/or Chief of Medical Service
• Provides quality patient-centered care to both inpatients and outpatients for adults age 18-65 and older adults age 65+ as assigned by Chief - Medical Service
• Has approved clinical privileges in Rheumatology and all areas required to carry out the duties of his/her assignments/responsibilities within Medical Services
• Maintains required mandatory training for privileges
• Serves as staff attending for rheumatology consult service as assigned
• Participates as a peer reviewer process when requested
• Consistently demonstrates expertise in diagnosing and treating seriously ill - multi-symptomatic patients when clinical assignments so dictate
• Completes all medical record documentation - encounters - and trainee supervision attestations in the electronic medical record within prescribed timeframes
• Develops the initial plan of care and updates the plan - serving as a resource person to less experienced staff - and acts as a leader in developing standards of care
• Works without direct supervision but is administratively and clinically responsible to the Chief - Medical Service or designated Section Chief
• Demonstrates and trains medical trainees (Students/Residents/Fellows) in medical procedures that are required to provide optimal patient care appropriate to their expertise
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday
• 8:00 am- 4:30 pm
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• 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 The VA has been named as one of the Top 5 Best Places to Work in the federal government
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