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
• Preferred Experience: 2 years of specialty Geriatrics/Hospice & Palliative Medicine practice
• Completion of Hospice & Palliative Medicine fellowship
• Recent experience in leading quality improvement and process improvement
• Must be BLS certified and renewed every two (2) years
• Must register for a DEA number
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Be physically and mentally able to efficiently perform 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 - clear distinct speech - memory & recall - independent complex problem solving - use of available technology to complete patient care speech may be required
• However - in most cases - a specific physical condition or impairment will not automatically disqualify an applicant for appointment
• The loss or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthetic or mechanical aid.

Duties

• Hospice & Palliative Medicine (HPM) Physician may practice in all hospice and palliative care settings - including inpatient - outpatient - and telehealth modalities
• This physician may practice in all patient demographics - provide trainee education and participate in scholarly activity consistent with academic appointment with the university - and quality improvement measures
• The Richmond VA Medical Center is a level 1a 349-bed facility offering primary - secondary - and tertiary health care in medicine - surgery - neurology - rehabilitation medicine - intermediate care - acute and sustaining spinal cord injury - skilled nursing home care - and palliative care
• There are four community-based outpatient clinics located in Charlottesville - Fredericksburg - Emporia and Spotsylvania County - Virginia
• Richmond VA Medical Center has a strong academic affiliation with the Virginia Commonwealth University
• Department description: Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) service has programs in outpatient geriatrics - Community Living Center (CLC)/nursing home care - Home-Based Primary Care - Inpatient and Outpatient Palliative Care - hospice care - transitional care - non-institutional care - and State Veteran Home partnership
• Geriatrics and HPM fellows - Internal Medicine residents and medical students from Virginia Commonwealth University complete their rotations with GEC faculty
• We embrace work-life balance with professional growth amongst all of our team members
• You will be working with collaborative and collegial interdisciplinary team members
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Recruitment incentive may be authorized for highly qualified applicants
• Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): The position may be eligible for the EDRP
• Learn more
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact Monique Head at monique.head@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 Key Responsibilities: Performs day-to-day clinical activities - which may include primary attending for the Community Living Center (CLC) and/or hospice and palliative care neighborhood - inpatient consultation - and outpatient clinics - telehealth modalities and e-consults
• Collaborates daily with the interdisciplinary team (IDT) and referral sources
• Participates in program development - quality improvement - and Systems Redesign projects
• required to follow through with projects and show evidence of completed projects
• Completes medical records and encounters timely and accurately
• Participates in educational activities for all trainees - i.e. - curriculum development - bedside teaching - formal didactics - and just-in-time teaching
• Assist/lead strategic planning and initiatives including national/VISN/locally mandated projects
• Provides continuing educational activities to peers & staff
• Supervise Nurse Practitioner - Physician Assistants - healthcare trainees - and administrative/clerical staff
• Participates in Committees - Root Cause Analysis and Quality Improvement projects
• and Completes Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluations and all peer reviews by the due date
• Work Schedule: Monday to Friday from 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
• Shared on-call duty required during after-hours - federal holidays and weekends.