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 W.G. (Bill) Hefner Veterans Affairs Medical Center is seeking a staff Physician-Gastroenterologist for the Specialty Care section within Medicine Service at the Health Clinic in Kernersville, North Carolina. The physician will establish and maintain professional relationships within Medicine Service, and with other services and facility management which result in improved patient care. Duties include but are not limited to: I. Administrative: Provides guidance and support to the nurse practitioners assigned to Medicine Service. Participates in and attends medical center committees and/or teams as assigned. Participates in various facility programs designed to enhance and improve the delivery of patient care services, such as Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) teams (as applicable) Identifies individual professional learning needs and participates in formal programs, workshops, seminars, conferences, as well as self-directed learning activities, completes facility wide mandatory education yearly II. Clinical: Provides quality patient-centered patient care to both inpatients and outpatients for adults age l 8 65 and older adults age 65+ Facilitate the delivery of appropriate patient care in collaboration with other health professionals, medical center staff, and management Serves as staff attending for sub-specialty consult service as assigned Participates as a peer reviewer process when requested Participates in multidisciplinary activities involving the treatment plan and discharge plans of patients admitted to the Medicine bed services Systematically evaluates patient care programs in all Medicine venues Exhibits leadership in initiating changes in patient care programs based on current concepts and finding from research and studies Integrates patient care activities on Medicine Services and other patient care programs at the medical center and in the community such as Social Work, Prosthetics, Home Based Health Care (HBHC), and private nursing homes. Demonstrates expertise in diagnosing and treating seriously ill, multi-symptomatic patients Completes all medical record documentation in CPRS in a timely manner, including view alerts and encounter completion Includes patient/family/significant other/health care provider in establishing realistic, measurable goals related to health education and treatment plan and in planning care on a continuum; assists staff in the process of mutual goal setting Plans implements, and evaluates care based on age specific requirements of the patient. Develops the initial plan of care and updates the plan, serving as a resource person to less experienced staff, and acts as a leader in developing standards of care Assesses veterans by utilizing advanced clinical judgment and physical assessment skills. III. Academic: (Applies only to staff physicians assigned official teaching responsibilities) Participates in the formal education of the residents, fellows and medical students by presenting teaching rounds, lectures, conferences, etc. Demonstrates and trains medical students/resident, fellows in medical procedures that are required to provide optimal patient care . Assists in the development and implementation of education and training programs for medical students and fellows and residents, rotating through Medicine Service and accountable Clinical Services. IV. Research: Supports the medical center-wide research mission. Assists in conducting studies regarding treatment modalities, outcomes, and other aspects of patient care Encourages participation in clinical research among other staff members. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment/ Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for highly qualified applicants Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact james.grimm@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 7:30-4:00pm 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. VA may consider Non-US Citizens (e.g. J-1 visa holders) for employment when no qualified US Citizens are available for a position. VA has supported requests to USCIS for waiver of the 2-year home residency requirement that is typically required of J-1 visa holders. 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 identification 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 allopathic 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 accrediting bodies for graduate medical education, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA), in the list published for the year the residency, or fellowship if applicable, was completed; OR (2) One year of post medical school training (internship, first year of residency, or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States; OR (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement), 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. Exceptions: 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 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. In rare and unusual circumstances, the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer, who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience, accomplishments, performance, and qualifications warrant such action. Proficiency in spoken and written English. Preferred Experience: Be board eligible/board certified in Internal Medicine or Family Practice Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Must pass a pre-employment physical examination in accordance with 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. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, confirmation must be made that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirement for year 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.
