AddressSummary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Responsibilities VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan reimbursement program. To participate in the program, you must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA Policy 1021 and submit your application within four months of appointment. The final award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) is determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services office. The EDRP Authorized: Contact VISN2EDRPCoordinators@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 Major duties and Responsibilities: Provides clinical support and surgical interventions to the Cardiothoracic and Thoracic Surgery programs in the Buffalo campus, and participates in the surgical and clinical care of eligible Veterans. The incumbent needs to have extensive experience in surgical interventions to include, but not limited to: CABG Mitral and Aortic valve repair Resections of tumors and strictures Thymectomy with VATS Insertion of ventricular assit device including ECMO Repair of Lung laceration of injury Thoracotomy for exploration and biopsy Must possess excellent interpersonal skills to work in an environment with other physicians serving a veteran population with significant pathology. Provides care to a high population of cardiothoracic patients and emergent surgical interventions. Must have expertise in the area of comprehensive cardiothoracic surgery. Patient care will be delivered in both inpatient and outpatient settings in examining and treating all types. This position will involve interaction with clinical and administrative departments of the facility. Must provide call coverage and urgent clinical services. Additional duties may include supervision of medical students and residents in both the out-patient clinic and during surgical procedures. Will work closely with midlevel providers including nurse practitioners and physician assistants. You will participate in quality improvement activities and foster a high level of patient and staff satisfaction. We have a robust research program. Duties include but are not limited to: Provide guidance, supervision and teaching for surgery residents and medical students, as well as provide education and training, in close collaboration with our University Affiliate. Participates in the weekly Morbidity and Mortality Surgical Conferences. Oversee and be responsible for participating in the attending call schedule Provides timely clinical evaluations of assigned staff members (OPPEs) and trainees (evaluations). Assures that in-patient and out-patient consultations are appropriately addressed and action taken is in a timely fashion, and that encounters are appropriately completed at the time of service by staff members. Provides appropriate and timely charting with documentation of patient assessments and plans, provides dictation of operative reports, dictation of discharge summaries, and documentation of trainee supervision. Participates in VAMC Committees as assigned by the Chief of Surgery. Participates in peer reviews. Provides and oversees comprehensive care of cardiothoracic and thoracic surgery patients in the outpatient, inpatient, and Emergency Department settings to include pre-operative evaluation, diagnostic work-up, surgical intervention, post-operative care, evaluation and treatment of complications, discharge planning. Actively involved in improvement of quality measures such as EPRP, timely access to care, OR efficiency, cancellation rates, length of stay, etc. Other related duties as assigned. Position reports directly to the Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery. Note: The incumbent is an active surgeon, who takes calls, and performs surgeries/operations. This position is mainly a clinical position with minimal administrative responsibilities. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday- Friday 08:00 AM to 04:30 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. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. 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). Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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: Must be Board Certified by the American Board of Cardiothoracic Surgery and be eligible for academic appointment with the VA affiliate, State University at Buffalo. Must have expertise in the area of comprehensive cardiothoracic surgery. Patient care will be delivered in both inpatient and outpatient settings in examining and treating all types. This position will involve interaction with clinical and administrative departments of the facility. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: 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, 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. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. 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.
