Summary The VA Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System, Harlingen, TX is seeking a Radiologist to provide a spectrum of image interpretation and patient care services within the specialty of Diagnostic Radiology and possess additional subspecialty expertise. Our healthcare system operates Monday - Friday from 0800 - 1630, with no weekends or on-call. Our clinical setting is strictly outpatient. This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) Responsibilities The Radiologist will contribute to quality assurance and performance improvement, oversight of technical quality, education of staff and trainees, committee assignments and other activities that support clinical operations and the mission, values and goals of the VA and the Medical Center. Oversight of quality and safety: Review exam requests for appropriateness. Prescribe exam protocols and modify as needed for specific clinical indications. Provide oversight of technical image quality feedback to technologists. Provide clinical oversight of medical administration, including contrast, preps and other medication relevant to the Imaging Service. Provide oversight and serve as resource for radiation and MRI safety. Provide oversight and serve as resource for infection control practices. Participate in various aspects of quality assurance such as peer review, protocol review, appropriateness criteria and performance improvement. Image Interpretation and Consultation: Interpret imaging exams including relevant exam comparison and correlation with clinical information CPRS. Generate reports that contain pertinent findings and measurements, a description of normal and abnormal structures, discussion of differential diagnoses, recommendations and impressions. Support patient care services with reports timely to the care of being delivered with the method of communication appropriate to the level of clinical importance acuity. Consult with provides on various aspects of imaging such as exam selection, review of results and other support functions. Patient Care: Interact with patients to obtain relevant clinical history and physical exam findings with the scope of radiology practice, provide education to patients and support, obtain informed consent, issue disclosures when appropriate, document in CPRS, enter orders in CPRS, and other aspects of physician practice. Participate in the coordination of patient care: Contact clinical providers as relevant to assure effective patient care, discuss evaluation, manage, follow-up and other aspects of coordinated, patient-centered care. Integrate resources to provide current, optimal care: consult colleagues, research literature, maintain continuing education and other sources of current practice. Education: Support academic affiliations in technologists, medical students, residents and other teaching programs that involve the Imaging Service. Provide clinical experience, cognitive development, and other aspects of effective teaching. Research: Research is not required. Research is encouraged by the VA, and supported as feasible to allow the opportunity for study design, data collection, analysis, publication and other aspects of research. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.) VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more. 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. 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. Preferred Experience: Capable of MRI study interpretations in multiple body regions. Fellowship training in MRI sub-specialty. Capable of mammography interpretations; MQSA eligible or certified. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The position requires light to moderate lifting (up to 44 pounds), light carrying (under 15 pounds), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking (6 hours), standing (6 hours), both legs required, both eyes required, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors, hearing (aid permitted), mental/emotional stability, ability to perform privileges, and independently performs physical exam as appropriate. 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.
