The VA San Diego Spinal Cord Injuries and Disorders (SCI/D) Staff Physician is primarily responsible for providing medical care for Veterans with SCI/D and coordinating multidisciplinary services for Veterans with SCI/D throughout their lifespan.

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 The Staff Physician sees patients in both the inpatient and outpatient clinical setting. The majority time is devoted to patient care, with the remaining time set aside for allied health provider supervision, education, performance improvement activities, and research to improve patient care and activities sufficient to maintain proficiency in state-of-the-art rehabilitation/medical care. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Evaluates inpatient (Long-Term Care and Acute/Sustaining units) and outpatients. Conducts initial history and physical exams, Annual Evaluations, and hospital consultations. Performs basic procedures (joint injections, etc.) and relevant tests. Collaborates with other healthcare professionals for comprehensive care. Educates and counsels patients on diagnoses, treatment, and medication. Manages on-call duties including weekend inpatient coverage. Conducts SCI/D telehealth consultations. Educates patients, families, and staff on SCI/D topics. Supervises allied health professionals, residents, and medical students. Participates in performance measures, accreditation activities, peer review, and quality management initiatives. Participates in research projects with guidance from the SCI/D Chief. Obtains consent, document procedures, and provide health promotion/disease prevention counseling. Completes veteran medication refills and equipment prescriptions, and other documentation needed to maximize community integration and participation. Performs assigned administrative duties such as timekeeping and participates in emergency preparedness. Performs additional duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:45am - 4:15pm (This position is not eligible for telework.) The SCI/D staff physician also provides home call coverage for the SCI/D provider group, approximately 1 week in every 8 weeks, and 1 weekend half-day on-site.

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. Additional Requirement: Experience working with general neurology, multiple sclerosis, ALS or any form of neuro rehabilitation (spinal cord injury and/or disorder) in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Experience or clinical interest in new interdisciplinary neurological/neuro-rehab programs. Experience or clinical interest in interdisciplinary care of individuals with neurological conditions. Preferred Experience: ABMS and SCIM sub-specialty board certification preferred. Experience working with people with SCI/D, multiple sclerosis, ALS and neurorehabilitation in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Experience or clinical interest in leading interdisciplinary neuro-rehabilitation programs. Experience or interest in research related to SCI/D. 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: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; Light carrying, under 15 pounds; Reaching above shoulder; Use of fingers; Both hands required; Walking (6 hours); Standing (6 hours); Repeated bending (24 hours); Ability to distinguish basic colors; Ability to distinguish shades of colors; Hearing (aid may be permitted); Mental/Emotional stability; Ability to perform privileges; Independently performs; Cognitive stability; Physical exam as appropriate to position.

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 San Diego VA Medical Center 3350 La Jolla Village Drive San Diego, CA 92161 US
• Name: Stacey Johnson
• Phone: 515-435-0382
• Email: [email protected]