Physician will provide consultation services and follow up of medical subspecialty patients, in his or her designated field, in the inpatient and outpatient setting, at the VA Medical center in Des Moines, or one of the affiliated CBOCs (Community Based Outpatient Clinics). Physician should have expertise in Gastroenterology and be able to treat and manage patients who have illnesses related to General Internal Medicine and Gastroenterology.

Duties

The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. Duties of the provider: Physician should also be proficient and privileged in procedures related to Gastroenterology. Physician will have responsibilities for teaching house staff, medical residents and students. During the course of employment, participation in special projects pertinent to assigned sub-specialty may be necessary as the projects become available with strategic or other initiatives. Examples of such projects may be palliative care program, multidisciplinary cancer care program, and chronic disease management program. When working with inpatients provider is expected to participate in discharge planning and other interdisciplinary patient care plan activities. During this time, information regarding patient status should be discussed with the hospitalists and other team members and ensure proper hand off at the end of the shift as necessary. Physicians may be assigned duty as a supervising or collaborating physician for a mid-level provider. Physicians are expected to provide clinical oversight and review. Supervising or collaborating responsibilities and performance will be noted in the physician's performance evaluation. Most providers will need to act as surrogates for the patients of their colleagues, when one or more of their colleagues are on leave. All physicians need to follow departmental and VHA policies for leave and attendance and will work within Title 38 appointment guidelines. Currently VHA guidelines do not permit comp time or overtime pay for physicians. However, physicians who are asked to work outside their normal assigned tour of duty may request administrative leave for rest and relaxation. Leaves should be requested in as much advance as possible to minimize disruption to patient care services. All unscheduled absences must be properly communicated. A progress note must be entered on all inpatients on which the physician rounds during day tour on a weekday, and on weekends or holidays. Timely documentation is necessary in all areas in accordance with departmental policy. All administrative work should be completed in a timely fashion. The discharge summary may be dictated, all other inpatient documentation should be entered by the physician into the medical record directly. Prohibited abbreviations should not to be used. Quality of care should be able to meet professional standards at all times. All physicians will work within their privileges at all times, unless necessitated by an emergency. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Work Hours: Typical work hours are Monday to Friday 8-4.30 PM. Alternative work hours, if desired, should be agreed upon at the time of joining. Each full time provider is required to work a minimum of 80 hrs per pay period (every two weeks) unless on leave status. Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of annual paid time offer 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 Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting EDRP Authorized: Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance 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. 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. Learn more

Requirements

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. 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. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination. Periods of long standing. Occasional lifting of moderately heavy objects. Long periods of sitting at a computer station. The need for high degree of accuracy, high stress situations, and the ability to adapt work plans based on patient status.

Education

1. Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or
2. 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.
3. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated.]

Contacts

• Address VA Central Iowa Health Care System 3600 30th St Des Moines, IA 50310 US
• Name: Nicole Howell
• Phone: (612) 629-7814
• Email: [email protected]