Physician (Allergist-Section Chief) with Recruitment/Relocation Incentive & EDRP

Job Summary

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.

Program 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 This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT & will remain open until December 31, 2024 or until positions are filled.

Eligible applications received will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur. The South Texas Veterans Health Care System is seeking a full-time Section Chief for Allergy & Clinical Immunology. This provider provides direct expert patient care to these patients. In addition to patient care, this physician may have responsibilities in other areas such as, education and research.

Administrative Duties:

• Leads subspecialty clinic staff meetings, projects, and policy development and participates in hospital committees and the peer review process.
• Demonstrates effective communication to staff and leadership, to include heads up (for acute patient bad outcomes) and issue briefs.
• Acts as Section Chief in Section Chiefs absence.

Leadership Responsibilities:

Leads subspecialty clinic staff meetings, projects, and policy development and participates in hospital committees and the peer review process.

Demonstrates effective communication to staff and leadership, to include heads up (for acute patient bad outcomes) and issue briefs.

HR:

• Maintains VA training requirements, timely completion of documentation and upkeep of credentials required for privileging and re-privileging.

Staff Management:

• Participates in the FPPE/OPPE process.
• Adheres to employee health requirements.
• Participates in Clinical Pertinence Reviews (routine medical record reviews).

Time/Leave Management:

• Adheres to Tour of Duties, timely requests for leave in VISTA system and for clinic cancellations.

Clinical Duties:

• Practitioners are expected to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the promotion of health, prevention of illness, treatment of disease, and care at the end of life.
• Incumbent may provide consultations throughout the Medical Center as required.

Medical/Clinical Knowledge:

• Practitioners are expected to demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical and social sciences, and the application of knowledge to patient care and the education of others.

Clinical Judgment:

• To ensure practice-based learning and improvement, practitioners are expected to use scientific evidence and methods to investigate, evaluate, and improve patient care.

Interpersonal & Communication Skills:

• Practitioners are expected to demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that enable them to establish and maintain professional relationships with patients, families and members of the health care team.

Education:

• Practitioners are expected to show effectiveness in teaching, monitor and coordinate educational activities, and comply with necessary trainee supervision.
• Teach house staff, medical students and other health professionals while providing supervisory control and professional direction for specialized diagnostic units in their field of expertise, e.g., cardiac evaluation, pulmonary function, dialysis, etc.
• Supervision of residents is a major duty of this position.

Benefits:

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards.
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized
• Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more
• EDRP Authorized:
• Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.
• Contact, 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, 8:00am-4:30pm

Requirements:

• 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)

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
• Education:
• 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.
• License:
• 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

Approved Residencies:

• Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME)
• Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA)
• Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States)

Preferred Experience:

• ABAI board certified or board eligible
• At least 1 years' experience in the practice of Allergy and Clinical Immunology
• Prior supervisory experience or skills in outpatient clinic management
• Prior experience in training nursing personnel in Allergy clinic nursing skills
• Physician should be a veteran or have experience working with veterans through training or prior employment

Reference:

• For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

Physical Requirements:

• This position may require potentially long periods of continued Moderate of 15-44 pounds, Light carrying under 15 pounds, Reaching above shoulder, Walking for 1 hour, Standing for 1 hour, Both eyes required, Depth perception, Ability to distinguish basic colors, Ability to distinguish shades of colors, Hearing (aid may be permitted), Mental/emotional stability, Sitting for 8 hours.

Education:

• 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:

• 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 of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted

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.
• Pursuant to VHA Directive, 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.
• 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.

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