Physician (Primary Care)

Full Job Description

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. 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: Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills in a team environment.

Preferred Experience: Board certified and/ or have completed residency in Internal Medicine or Family Practice/Family Medicine.

Experience in outpatient primary care 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 mostly 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.

The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients/residents 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 stakeholder needs. Major Duties:

Primary Care Physicians within Ambulatory Care will be responsible for the performance of and documentation of health care delivery for Veterans according to Veteran's Health Administration (VHA) and Durham Health Care System (HCS) standards.

This physician will be fully qualified and certified to function in both a clinical and administrative role and in accordance with the guidelines and policies of the Durham Veterans Affairs Health Care System.

This individual is delegated the authority and responsibility in his/her area of expertise to assume major clinical, consultative, educational, research, and administrative duties and assignments related to Veteran care.

Duties include but are not limited to: Clinical: Primary focus of practice is the independent clinical evaluation of Veterans through their panel of patients including prevention and patient self -management.

Comprehensive primary care will be provided to male and female Veterans.

Comprehensive primary care includes but is not limited to evaluating patients in an outpatient clinical setting to diagnose and treat acute and or chronic diseases, educating on health promotion and disease prevention and ensuring that health maintenance is up to date.

Completes physical examinations, which maybe comprehensive, focused or gender specific to formulate treatment plans.

Treatment plans are evidence based and engages in shared medical decision making of treatment plans.

Maintains clinical knowledge and skills to provide comprehensive primary care services to male and female patients.

Care may be provided in many modalities, from direct face to face care, virtual care (including telephonic, video, secured messaging and others) Promotes, directs, evaluates and is responsible for referrals of clinical concerns that are found during these evaluations.

Functions as a member of a Patient Aligned Care Team, collaborating with clinical and administrative support to provide timely, quality, coordinated care for Veterans.

Utilizes and promotes approved standards of care, procedures, methods and techniques, safety precautions and protocols in their application to this population in all settings.

Collaborates with other health care resources to ensure continuity of care.

Keeps abreast of latest trends, skills, procedures, and protocols relevant to primary care and serves as a resource person for the medical center staff.

Participates in continuous medical education as per requirements with topics included but not limited to opioid prescribing and trainings to fulfill and maintain designated women's health primary care provider.

Provide coverage for other providers in clinic or other primary care clinics if needed or assigned. Exemplifies the ICARE core values of-Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence.

Administrative: Assists with arranging continuity of care across the VHA system as needed. Works to provide leadership on site to ensure care is completed in required timeframes.

Participates in Quality Improvement activities.

Participates and attends medical center committees as assigned by the Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) Ambulatory Care Service VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.

VHA Physician Total Rewards. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.

Contact Byron Collins at Byron.Collins@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 Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30p, Monday-Friday