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 VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. The Spokane VA Healthcare System is dedicated to providing Veterans high- quality patient care. The Pulmonologist will primarily deliver care in an outpatient clinic setting, focusing on diagnosing and managing respiratory disorders, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, interstitial lung disease, and other pulmonary conditions. Duties include but are not limited to: Diagnosing and managing a variety of pulmonology diseases in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Provides comprehensive evaluation and management of respiratory conditions, including asthma, COPD, pneumonia, interstitial lung disease, and sleep-related disorders Determine when it is necessary to refer patients for additional assessments, tests, or procedures to establish the diagnosis of sleep and pulmonary disorders, including but not limited to polysomnography, home sleep testing, pulmonary function testing and nocturnal oximetry testing. Ensures timely access to pulmonology specialists through telehealth services and community care options, improving availability for veterans in rural areas. Developing and implementing individualized treatment plans for patients with pulmonary disorders, including complex pulmonology diseases. Providing consultations and expert guidance to other healthcare providers on pulmonology cases. Monitoring patient progress and adjusting treatment plans as necessary based on clinical findings and diagnostic results. Educating healthcare staff on best practices for pulmonology prevention and control. Engaging in clinical research and quality improvement projects to advance the understanding and treatment of pulmonology diseases. Implementing evidence-based practices and contributing to the development of clinical guidelines and protocols. Participating in staff meetings, hospital committees, and the peer review process. Maintaining VA training requirements, timely completion of documentation, and upkeep of credentials required for privileging and re-privileging. Participating in the Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE)/Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE) process. Adhering to employee health requirements and participating in Clinical Pertinence Reviews. Is qualified to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with pulmonology diseases disorders according to standard, usual, and acceptable methods and techniques. Cooperates with and participates in medical duties or functions related to quality of care, peer review and with other performance improvement activities as directed. Attend assigned meetings or process action teams. Expert in history taking, physical examination, test interpretation, patient counseling and differential diagnosis and medical therapeutics of these conditions Documents observation, assessments, and changes in patient's condition; collaborating with health team members to facilitate positive patient care outcomes. Demonstrating leadership within interdisciplinary teams, fostering collaborative decision-making. Ordering, interpreting, and utilizing laboratories, radiologic, and other diagnostic studies to guide clinical management. Prescribing appropriate pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions. Providing comprehensive patient and family education regarding pulmonology diseases and treatment plans. Ensuring practice-based learning and improvement by using scientific evidence and methods to investigate, evaluate, and improve patient care. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): up to 25% of the total annual salary every one (1) year for three (3) years. Relocation Incentive: $20,000 to be paid in lump sum to eligible candidate EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator 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 8:00a.m.- 4:00p.m. 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. 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, Pushing (5 hours), Reaching above shoulder, Use of fingers, Both hands required, Walking (5 hours), Standing (5 hours), Both legs required, Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, Depth Perception, Ability to distinguish basic colors, Hearing (aid may be permitted) Environmental Factors: Working closely with others, Working alone, Protracted or irregular hours of work 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.
