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 Fredericksburg Veterans Affairs Health Care Center (FxHCC) Section Chief of Geriatrics & Extended Care (GEC) provides administrative, clinical, and programmatic leadership for the geriatric and extended care programs at FxHCC to ensure achievement of the clinical, research, and education goals. The incumbent reports directly to Central Virginia VA Health Care System (CVHCS) Associate Chief of Staff, GEC and will be expected to work closely in conjunction with the GEC & FxHCC leadership to ensure collaboration and alignment to reach collective goals of Central Virginia VA Health Care System. The Fredericksburg Veterans Affairs Health Care Center offers a comprehensive range of outpatient services for Veterans in the Northern Virginia and Central Virginia area, including Primary Care, Rehabilitation, Dental, Medical and Surgical specialty care, and Mental Health services. The establishment of this new health care center is part of the Central Virginia VA Health Care System and the Veterans Health Administration's initiative to enhance access to care for Veterans, thereby providing them with more healthcare options within their communities and fulfilling the mission to deliver exemplary care to our Nation's Heroes. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): The position is eligible for EDRP. Learn more. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact Ms. Monique Head at monique.head@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 The duties and responsibilities of the Geriatrics & Extended Care Section Chief include, but are not limited to the following: Performs day-to-day clinical activities, which may include providing patient care in Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) clinics, Geriatrics consultation and management in outpatient clinics, Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC), all telehealth modalities, e-consults, Hospice & Palliative Care services, Non-Institutional Care programs, and transitional care team. Collaborate daily with the interdisciplinary team (IDT), referral sources and all stakeholders. Participates in program development, quality improvement, and systems redesign projects. Provides effective collaboration and leadership to interdisciplinary teams and administrative staff Completes home visits independently when assigned to Home-Based Primary Care (HBPC). Supervises clinical staff, including a nurse navigator, nurse practitioner and physician assistant, and administrative staff. Provides collaborative physician coverage in GEC programs including non-institutional care programs and contract community nursing home programs. Provides guidance and coaching as needed to other Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Physician Assistants and other interdisciplinary staff in GEC and referral sources. Completes medical records and encounters timely and accurately. Communicate with patients, family members and treatment teams, including community partners and vendors. Participates in educational activities for all trainees, i.e., curriculum development, bedside teaching, formal didactics, and just-in-time teaching. Periodic travel to other clinics and Richmond Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC). Work Schedule: Monday to Friday; 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. 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: Experience in GEC program management and quality improvement. Geriatrics or HPM fellowship completion. 2 years experience in Geriatrics Primary Care/Home-Based Primary Care. Physician supervisor experience. Physicians must have successfully completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, in an accredited core specialty training program as outlined in the title 38 qualification standard for the Physician, 0602, occupation. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The physical requirements of this position include lifting, prolonged standing, sitting, frequent bending, stooping, walking, reaching, repetitive motion, and climbing stairs. The mental/sensory requirements include logical thinking, processing, and retaining information, reading, recall, reasoning, complex problem solving, hearing, clear distinct speech, writing, keyboarding, use of a telephone, and use of video connectivity. This position requires face-to-face patient care, use of available IT software and equipment for virtual visits, and timely and accurate navigation of and documentation in electronic medical records. The environment's pace can vary from steady to fast-paced requiring handling multiple priorities in a single day, frequent, sometimes intense customer interactions, and the ability to adapt to frequent changes in a sometimes-noisy environment. There may be the need to use personal protective equipment to prevent exposure to disease, illness, and hazardous materials. This position involved working with patients who have communication difficulties, cognitive loss including dementia, behavioral challenges, altered mentation and caregivers that are stressed. When assigned HBPC panel, this position requires holding a valid drivers license, completing home visits independently, and driving up to 2 hours one way in a government car. Periodic travel to other CVHCS site is required. 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.
