Physician- General Surgeon

Full Job Description

The General Surgeon will be responsible for providing comprehensive surgical care to Veteran patients, including preoperative evaluation, performing operations, postoperative management in both inpatient and outpatient settings.

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: The Jackson VA is a VISN Center for bariatric surgery, experience with caring for morbidly obese and bariatric surgical patients is preferred.

Bariatric surgical fellowship for new staff interested in performing bariatric surgical procedures is required unless otherwise vetted through the Chief of Surgery and appropriate VA committee(s).

Proficiency in minimally invasive and robotic-assisted surgical techniques, including experience with robotic platforms (e.g., da Vinci system), is highly desirable to enhance the breadth of general surgical services provided to Veterans.

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

Physical Requirements: Functional Requirements: Heavy lifting (45 pounds and over); Straight pulling (1 hour); Pulling hand over hand (1 hour); Pushing (.25 hours); Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (8 hours); Standing (8 hours); Repeated bending (.25 hours); Both legs required; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Far vision correction in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other; Specific visual requirement (Repetition computer entry); Both eyes required; Depth perception, Ability to distinguish basic colors; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid may be permitted); Emotional & mental stability; General good health.

Environmental Factors: Working closely with others; Working alone. Major Duties:

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

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/Responsibilities: The General Surgeon provides comprehensive surgical care to Veterans, performing elective and emergent procedures and supporting the overall mission of the VA to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care.

Duties include, but are not limited to: Performing a broad range of general surgical procedures and managing patients in preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative settings, including the management of complications, common conditions affection of the alimentary tract, abdomen and its contents, breast skin and soft tissue, endocrine system, head and neck, and vascular system.

Responsible for admission/discharge of patient, ICU care, prescribing medication, interpretation of laboratory studies.

Conducting consultations with other VA specialists by evaluating surgical candidates and coordinating multidisciplinary treatment plans.

Providing ongoing inpatient and outpatient follow-up, ensuring continuity and quality of patient care. Ordering, interpreting, and integrating diagnostic studies into clinical decision-making.

Supporting telehealth and virtual surgical consultation initiatives to enhance access to surgical expertise.

The General Surgeon independently manages complex surgical conditions requiring advanced judgment and decision-making.

The incumbent functions within the scope of granted clinical privileges and adheres to all VA and facility standards of surgical practice. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8am-4:30pm