Assistant Chief - Pathologist Anatomical Clinical

Full Job Description

The Anatomic and Clinical Staff Pathologist provides diagnostic services within the Department of Pathology to include potential for subspecialty coverage as training permits (examples include hematopathology).

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.

Additional Requirement: Board Certified AP/CP Pathologist Preferred Experience: Possess a minimum of five years of experience actively participating in the technical, clinical, and administrative laboratory operations of a high complex laboratory while serving the role of a medical laboratory director in addition to prior experience as a surgical pathologist.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity, keen hearing, clear distinctive speech, and manual dexterity.

This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking, standing, stooping, sitting, bending, pulling, and pushing. Transferring patients and objects may be required.

The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to don protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures.

The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium, dementia, or psychiatric disorders.

The incumbent must be a mature, flexible, sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations, able to shift priorities based on patient needs.

Must complete annual Employee Health requirements, such as annual TB screening or testing, as a condition of employment. Major Duties:

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards.

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized 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: Primary tour of duty will be 7:30 am-4:00 pm Monday-Friday; Evening and Night, and Weekend Call coverage, some of the clinical activities will occur outside VA administrative hours.

Pathology coverage duties for anatomic and clinical pathology, and general surgical pathology, autopsy and cytopathology.

Major duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to: The combined anatomic and clinical pathologist is able to perform the following services required in the practice of Pathology.

Incumbent makes judgments about the medical significance of clinical lab data and communicates effectively in interpreting and correlating lab data to providers; provides consultation to clinicians when appropriate.

Provide cost-effective and efficient administration of the P&LMS, including budget planning and responsible fiscal management.

Application of accepted criteria in formulation and reporting diagnostic information on various anatomic pathology specimens to include surgical pathology including bone marrow, cytopathology and autopsy pathology.

Responsible for P&LMS representation on committees such as Tumor Conference, Transfusion Review, Inpatient Care Board, Ancillary Testing, etc.; provides for expert consultation for transfusion related problems.

Ensure test requests are made by authorized providers; ensure requests provide all necessary patient and specimen information; ensure proper instructions are issued for specimen collection, handling, and processing