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 Responsibilities Primary Care Physicians perform a wide variety of tasks and are expected to have a wide degree of creativity and latitude. The provider will work for Primary Care Service within the Salisbury VA Healthcare System (VAHCS). Primary Care Physicians are required to be familiar with the concepts, tools, and technology within the field of Family Practice. It is required each Physician holds a Medical Degree (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathy(DO) from an approved college or university and have completed an ACGME accredited residency in Family Medicine or Internal Medicine. Each provider must meet the physical standards and meet credentialing and privileging criteria outlined in VHA SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES: In addition to compliance with national and local regulatory policy, and accreditation requirements governing this health care system, this position encompasses the following responsibilities in partnership with his/her Administrative Officer and the support of the section chiefs and supervisors. The incumbent ensures appropriate time mapping and resources to ensure they are empowered to meet expected proficiencies in administration, clinical practice, education, and research. Administrative Duties: a. Obligations/Responsibilities: Providers must attend staff meeting, communicate with PACT team staff and administrative personnel to help facilitate quality care and access to a panel of Veterans and to help in preparation of issue briefs related to adverse patient outcomes, congressional inquiries or any other non-judicial investigation/summary. b. Clinical Management including indirect patient care: Open encounter and open consult maintenance, CPRS documentation requirements, monitoring of clinic management. Maintains involvement in matters concerning clinic productivity, relevant performance, Quality and Patient Safety oversight, as well as process improvements (system redesigns). Clinical Duties: the incumbent is expected to remain privileged and practicing in their specialty field. The exact privileges and procedures for a particular provider will be approved by the Professional Standards Board. All physicians must meet the following qualifications: a. Patient Care: Practitioners are expected to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the promotion of health, prevention of illness, treatment of disease, and care at the end of life. b. Medical/Clinical Knowledge: Practitioners are expected to demonstrate knowledge of established evolving biomedical, clinical and social sciences and the application of that knowledge to patient care and the education of others. c. Clinical Judgement: To ensure practice-based learning and improvement, practitioners are expected to be able to use scientific evidence and methods to investigate, evaluate, and improve patient care. d. Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Practitioners are expected to demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that enable them to establish and maintain professional relationships with patients, families, and other members of the healthcare team. e. Professionalism: Practitioners are expected to demonstrate behaviors that reflect commitment to continuous professional development, ethical practice, and understanding and sensitivity to diversity, and a responsible attitude toward patients and the profession. f. Systems-Based Practice: Practitioners are expected to demonstrate an understanding of the @contexts and systems in which healthcare is provided, and an ability to apply this knowledge to improve optimizing health. Education Practitioners are expected to show effectiveness in teaching, monitor and coordinate educations activities, and comply with necessary trainee supervision requirements. Research and Development If the incumbent is involved in research, he/she will show an ability to identify and define significant Research and Development problems, to plan and execute a precise research program, and to generate effective reports and results worthy of publication. SUPERVISORY CONTROLS: The physician is accountable, based on location, to either the ACOS of Primary Care or the HCC (Healthcare Center) Medical Director and will keep the administrative team abreast of any situation that affects patient care or access. He or she is responsible for providing the most effective delivery of Primary Care throughout the medical center while meeting and exceeding compliance standards. 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. 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). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. 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. Additional Requirement: Completed ACGME accredited residency in Family Medicine or Internal Medicine Preferred Experience: It is preferable that the incumbent be a full-time employee, appointed on a career basis, with expectation that tenure will span several years. Reference: See VA Handbook, Part II, Appendix G 2.For more information on this qualification standard, please visit. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Must be able to physically and mentally perform the duties of Physician under normal and emergent conditions. Moderate lifting 15-44 lbs and over with assistive devices, heavy carrying of 15-44 lbs and over with assistive devices; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers, both hands required, walking or standing up to 4 hours per day; repeated bending up to 1-2 hours per day; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination; near vision correctable; hearing aid permitted. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. 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 VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package: VHA Physician Total Rewards Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): May be available for well-qualified applicants. EDRP Authorized: This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more. Contract Buy Out Program: This position may be eligible for the Physician / Provider Contract Buy Out Program (CBOP), which authorizes VHA to buy out service contracts (Locum agreements, loan repayments, sign-on bonus contracts, Physician-owned practices) in exchange for employment at certain rural or highly rural facilities for a period of obligated service (minimum 4 years). For additional information and eligibility requirements, contact the VHA Contract Buy Out Program Manager at vacontractbuyoutprog@va.gov. Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of annual paid time offer 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 $2,500 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification) Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided Contract: No Physician Employment Contract 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.
