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 The Associate Chief of Imaging Diagnostic Radiology is one of the strategic leaders of the Imaging Service within the VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System. Working in tandem with the Service Chief, Chief Technologist, Director of Health Science, and Imaging Administrative Leadership, this position coordinates and manages Imaging Service operations. The role encompasses optimal patient care, efficient resource utilization, adherence to established standards and protocols, and providing clinical care, specifically focusing on Diagnostic Radiology. Duties include but are not limited to: Collaborate closely with the Chief of Imaging Service to furnish expert medical leadership and guidance to the Imaging Service team. Serve as acting service chief in the chief's absence. Play a key role in departmental Quality Assurance/Compliance Participate in facility meetings where Imaging representation is required Participate in resource management and fiscal planning to optimize operational efficiency to include: assisting in strategic allocation of resources, encompassing staff, equipment, and facilities. Provide strategic guidance and oversight regarding high cost high tech equipment planning, SEPG/EER requests, and CPRC requests. Foster a culture of research/innovation within the Imaging Service. Work with other staff radiologists in facilitating and participating in interdisciplinary research. The Associate Service Chief will serve as one of the departmental subject matter experts for VA based research endeavors. Supervise staff radiologists, technologists, and administrative staff with the Chief of Imaging Service, participating in the scheduling and operational management of daily physician coverage as needed Function as a clinical radiologist and with responsibility for interpreting imaging studies and performing image guided procedures as defined by approved clinical privileges. Study modalities which the candidate may be responsible for include: CT, MRI, US, general radiography, fluoroscopy, mammography, and nuclear medicine. Examples of basic image guided procedures which the incumbent may perform include lumbar punctures, myelograms, biopsies, and joint injections. As stated above, the precise scope of imaging studies and procedures which may be assigned will be defined by the approved clinical privileges. Practice emphasis by subspecialty will be honored as service needs allow. Specific distribution of clinical responsibilities will be determined by departmental needs. Cross consultation between those with and without subspecialty expertise is expected. Review exam requests for appropriateness, prescribe exam protocols, provide oversight of technical image quality, provide clinical oversight of medication/contrast administration, and actively participate in various aspects of quality assurance including peer review. The incumbent will be required to work effectively with technologist and administrative staff in these tasks. Responsibilities in instructing/supervising trainees who are rotating through the imaging department. Participation in departmental meetings and institutional multi-disciplinary clinical conferences is required. Active engagement with the clinical community outside of imaging is also required and the candidate will be required to professionally consult with providers on various aspects of imaging such as exam selection, review of results and other support functions. Participation in the coordination of patient care is required. Make timely & definitive notification of time-sensitive results; this includes critical, actionable, and incidental findings. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be available for highly qualified applicants Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Authorized Learn more. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov 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 - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm (Participation in a shared weekly call pool is required) 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. Board Certified or Board Eligible Those on time limited Board certification must maintain eligibility for re-certification. Privileges are being maintained through performance measures including but not limited to peer reviews and ongoing professional performance evaluations (OPPE) that include criteria set and communicated by the Chief of Imaging Service. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The Physical Requirements of this position are concerned with the mental and physical ability of the applicant to satisfactorily perform the duties of the proposed assignment and may include requisite laboratory and other screening as required by Federal regulatory agencies. 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. VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the @context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. 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.
