Summary The VA South Texas Health Care System is seeking to fill the role of Physician - PM&R Deputy Service Chief in San Antonio, TX. Recruitment or Relocation Incentive May be available for highly qualified individual. This position is also announced as a Podiatrist. Podiatrists should apply to CAZM-12789904-25-JMS Responsibilities This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT & will remain open until January 27, 2026 or until all positions are filled. The first cut-off date is September 09, 2025. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. Applicants will remain active for 3 months after their initial application is received and/or updated. After that time, you must update your application through your USAJobs account if you would like to be made active again for possible consideration during the open period. ----- The Deputy Service Chief is responsible for patient care, performance measures, and participation in clinical research in the following sections: Outpatient Rehabilitation Section: This section includes oversight of activities in the outpatient PM&R clinics, to include Musculoskeletal, Electrodiagnostics, Neurorehab, and the Polytrauma Outpatient Clinic Comprehensive Pain Section: This section includes oversight of the outpatient multidisciplinary pain program, interventional pain clinic, and Pain Medication and Opioid Prescription (PMOP) Program. Whole Health Section: This section is dedicated to the integrative medicine and complementary medicine programs in providing health coaching and wellness to the traditional medical model. The majority of the Deputy Service Chief's time is devoted to supervision, patient care, and education with the remaining time set aside for performance improvement activities and creative research to improve patient care and activities sufficient to maintain proficiency in state-of-the-art rehabilitation/medical care. Most of the work takes place at Audie L. Murphy VAMC, though some travel may be required. The Deputy Service Chief must be certified by either the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR), or the American Osteopathic Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AOBPMR). He/she should have made contributions in PM&R medical care, education and research to be suitable for an academic appointment at the affiliated medical school and possess leadership skills in coordination of activities of various ancillary staff, house staff, therapists, other rehabilitation professionals, and students. The Deputy Service Chief should have experience in managing and rehabilitating patients who have disorders of function across the spectrum of rehabilitation-related illnesses. Further, the Deputy Service Chief should demonstrate knowledge of the role of PM&R (e.g. products, equipment and systems that enhance learning, working and daily living for persons with disabilities). It is expected that he/she be a full-time employee, appointed on a career basis, with the expectation that tenure will span several years. This position is eligible for ad-hoc telework. Leadership competencies and understanding group dynamics is also important. Supervision of residents, medical students, physicians, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, chiropractors, acupuncturists, optometrists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, kinesiotherapists is required. The Deputy Service Chief must be currently licensed in a State, Territory, or the District of Columbia. Work Schedule: M-W0800/0830-1630/1700 Will include On-Call Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus) or Relocation Incentive: May be available for highly qualified Individual 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 Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). 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 Certified in PM&R w/subspecialty certification in Brain Injury Medicine, Electrodiagnostic Medicine, Pain Management, Spinal Cord Injury, or Spine/Sports Medicine. 2-5 yrs Formal VA Supervisory Experience 2-5yrs of Business/Practice Management Experience Prior experience as a Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation (CARF) Medical Director during a CARF accreditation visit 5+ years of Full Time Clinical Practice in the Field of PM&R Prior experience writing formal policy and position statements Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Light lifting, under 15 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Use of fingers; both hands required; Walking; Corrective lenses okay; Both eyes required; Hearing (aid may be permitted); Mental and emotional stability. Education 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 an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are: Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated.] NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
