Summary The Spinal Cord Injuries Outpatient Clinic Program at West Haven VA is recruiting a physician who has experience with caring for patients with spinal cord injury or disorders, or with other chronic disabilities. Responsibilities 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 candidate must have completed a residency in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, or Neurology, and have some experience treating spinal cord patients, including those with traumatic spinal cord injuries, as well as disorders that affect the spinal cord such as multiple sclerosis, ALS, and myelopathies. A fellowship in Geriatrics or spinal cord disorders would be beneficial but is not required. The Program provides comprehensive outpatient services to over 100 Spinal cord Disorders patients. The responsibilities of the Spinal Cord Physician include: Providing SCI outpatient, specialty care to Veteran patients as well as primary care when needed. Participating in a multidisciplinary team including nursing, social work, physical and occupational therapy Developing, implementing and documenting the outpatient treatment plan for patients Providing chronic wound care expertise for patients when necessary Assuming complete and professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessment findings, patient care decisions and documentation Providing education to patients, families and caregivers Seeking to develop and implement best practices with the SCI Service Complying with all established customer service protocols and demonstrating professionalism in terms of good judgment, ethical behavior, and professional demeanor always, in contact with patients, peers and other employees. Engaging in quality improvement project targeting the SCI population Working closely with the West Roxbury VA comprehensive SCI center, which may include visits for training/education. Oversee the full time APRN assigned to the service Investigating issues that arise within the outpatient services and formulate action plans to resolve these issues. Complying with all established customer service protocols and demonstrating professionalism in terms of good judgment, ethical behavior, and professional demeanor always, in contact with patients, peers and other employees. Being attentive to the unique requirements of the age of the patient, and the development capabilities of the individual, patients in all considerations of the @type of care provided. The SCI physician needs to be or Board Eligible in their specialty. Certification in the sub-specialty of Spinal Cord Injury Medicine is desirable but not required. The candidate must prove successful completion of an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or American Osteopathic Association approved post-graduate residency in one of the following: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Internal Medicine, Family Practice, or Neurology. Physicians must meet the qualification requirements stated in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G2, Physician Qualification Standards, pp II-G2-1 through 4. The SCI physician will report to the Medical Chief of the Geriatric and Extended Care Service. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, schedule to be determined by Supervisor. 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: Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR 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. Additional Requirement: Must be Board Eligible (or Certified) in their Specialty. Must have successfully completed an ACGME or AOA post-graduate residency in one of the following: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Internal Medicine, Family Practice, or Neuroogy. Preferred Experience: A fellowship in Geriatrics or spinal cord disorders would be beneficial but is not required. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (6 hours); Standing (6 hours); Kneeling; Repeated bending (24 hours); Both eyes required; Ability to distinguish basic colors; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid may be permitted); Mental/Emotional stability; Ability to perform privileges; Ability to perform privileges; Independently performs; Cognitive stability; Physical exam as appropriate to position. 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.
