Staff 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.

Preferred Experience: Board-certified in Internal Medicine, Family Medicine, and/or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine.

One year of primary care experience, including the full scope of women's health primary care.

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

Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform the essential functions of the position efficiently, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others.

Depending on the essential duties of a specific position, usable vision, color vision, hearing or speech may be required.

However, in most cases a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid. Major Duties:

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 vhaedrpprogramsupport@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 The incumbent serves as the PACT Physician Primary Care at the patient-focused Joseph Maxwell Cleland Atlanta VA Healthcare System (ATLVAMC) and Community-Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC).

The incumbent is directly supervised by the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Primary Care. Clinical Responsibilities:

Physician's primary responsibility is to provide primary care services for a panel patients assigned.

Physicians will perform exams according to performance guidelines and procedures and dictate/type notes according to policy/procedure. Physician reports directly to the Chief Medical Officer (CMO).

Other duties may include screening outpatients to determine the need for further care, evaluating unscheduled patients under the physician's care, ordering diagnostic studies, carrying out health promotion and disease prevention activities, initiating and expediting requests for consultations and scheduling special tests and studies.

Administrative Responsibilities:

Adheres to operational policies and procedures for the primary care team, established by the primary care service line manager.

Facilitates liaisons with other health care programs in order to effectively coordinate service.

Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders and encounters for all patients.

Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures, including timeliness standards for documentation and proper patient check out procedures (e.g. entering diagnostic and procedure codes).

Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by the Chief Medical Officer/Regional Director/Chief of Primary Care and facility Director.

Attends regular Service Line Staff meetings, Clinic Team meetings and complies with Primary Care Service Line peer review procedures.

Works effectively with team members to facilitate care including timely completion of medical forms, caring responses to patient complaints and other administrative duties.

Maintains current BLS certification and performs completion of mandatory educational classes.

Responds to the Patient Align Tracking System (PATS), White House and/or Congressional correspondences when assigned (patient complaints).

Assists the facility as a Physician Supervisory/Collaboration for a Restricted Practice Authority (NPs), when needed. Other Significant Responsibilities:

Academic/Teaching/Training opportunities are available at several clinics with residents and/or medical students. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. Subject to change based on the needs of the agency.