Staff Physician - Spinal Cord Injury PM&R

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.

02Preferred Experience

Prefer Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation background with Spinal Cord Injury Medicine fellowship training and subspecialty board certification/board eligibility. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

03Physical Requirements

Light lifting, under 15 pounds; Light carrying under 15 pounds; Use of fingers; Walking (4-hrs); Standing (4-hrs); Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Ability to distinguish shades of colors. Ability to perform privileges. Mental and emotional stability. Ability to independently perform physical exam as appropriate to position.

Environmental Factors include protracted or irregular hours of work.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. The VA Saint Louis Health Care System (VASTLHCS) Spinal Cord Injury and Disorders (SCI/D) Center provides acute rehabilitation and lifelong comprehensive care, including primary care, for Veterans with SCI/D. The SCI/D Center consists of up to 27 staffed inpatient rehabilitation beds at the Jefferson Barracks Division and 6 acute-care beds at the John Cochran Division.

As a designated specialty referral hub, the Saint Louis SCI/D Center supports VA SCI/D outpatient spoke sites throughout the Midwest region. The SCI/D Center is affiliated with Washington University in Saint Louis, and SCI/D physicians have ongoing opportunities to teach and mentor residents. A successful candidate may seek a faculty appointment with Washington University.

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 selected candidate will be a member of the VA St.

Louis medical staff. Duties include: Provide evidence-based medical care to Veterans in inpatient and outpatient settings, delivering comprehensive, SCI/D-specific medical services. Admit, evaluate, diagnose, and manage Veterans whose conditions fall within the scope of the SCI/D service, addressing acute, chronic, and rehabilitation-related needs while coordinating care across specialties. Perform and supervise medical procedures within the provider's training and credentialed scope of practice.

Participate in weekend, evening, and holiday call on a rotating basis and contribute to reciprocal coverage with physician colleagues. Complete clinical documentation, consultations, orders, and required clinical reminders and tasks accurately and in a timely manner. Provide consultation, leadership, and guidance to the interdisciplinary SCI team to support treatment planning, rehabilitation goals, and continuity of care.

Participate in team conferences, family meetings, and care coordination rounds, contributing clinical expertise and facilitating shared decision-making. Develop, implement, and document individualized rehabilitation treatment plans in collaboration with Veterans, families, caregivers, and interdisciplinary team members. Educate Veterans, families, and caregivers regarding diagnoses, treatment plans, rehabilitation goals, prevention strategies, and ongoing self-management.

Demonstrate professionalism, collegiality, ethical conduct, and a commitment to patient-centered care in all interactions with Veterans and staff. Advocate for Veterans with SCI/D by promoting access to appropriate medical, rehabilitative, psychosocial, and supportive services, and by addressing barriers to comprehensive care.

Contribute to the academic mission of the VASTLHCS through educational lectures, mentoring of trainees, professional development, quality and patient-safety improvement initiatives, and scholarly or research activities related to SCI/D care. Comply with applicable national and local performance measures, clinical standards, administrative requirements, and VA policies governing patient care and clinical documentation.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with on-call duties (evenings/weekends/holidays) shared on a rotating basis with other SCI/D providers.