Physician - Primary Care

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.

01Basic 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

02Physical Requirements

You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Major Duties and Responsibilities of the Physician for Primary Care include: The Physician works as a leader of a multi-disciplinary health care team, collaborating with and directing other members of the team to provide Primary Care to care for Veterans enrolled to the team.

The physician is expected to demonstrate advanced competencies and skills in assessing the physical and psychosocial status of patients and family members, play an active role in the multi-disciplinary health care team, promote preventive health measures, manage the acute and chronic conditions of his/her assigned panel of patients and those patients assigned to other team members when circumstances require.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: Primary Care of a panel of Primary Care patients (male and female). Provide comprehensive assessment, diagnostic work-up and clinic intervention, including comprehensive patient assessment, health history, physical examination, and patient education to Veterans in the Primary Care team setting; outpatient include both scheduled and unscheduled Veterans. Function as an integral part of a Primary Care multi-disciplinary team.

Establish a diagnosis and initiate appropriate response to emergency health problems. Initiate appropriate referrals and consultations to other clinical services. Order and evaluate diagnostic tests as appropriate, recommend treatment and/or referral. Validate the effectiveness of previously implemented medical treatment. Initiate, evaluate, and change orders for medications. Include patient and family in planning care and establishing realistic measurable goals for health maintenance/improvement.

Record/document health appraisal information, clinical assessments, treatment decision, plan of care, ongoing management and therapeutic outcomes, order medications, diagnostic test and referral consultations where needed for every patient encounter; recording will be accomplished using the electronic comprehensive patient record system (CPRS) and will be completed on the day of the encounter.

Respond to computerized "alerts" indicating diagnostic test abnormalities and to health line request from Veterans/family members within recommended time periods as per policy. Follow Performance Measure guidelines, including completion of clinical reminders in CPRS; access and timeliness standards; prescription order entry, National VA formulary requirements, and customer service standards. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards.

Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized for a highly qualified candidate. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], 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: Monday through Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm