Physician (Geriatrics)

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 allopathic 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
• (1) Those approved by the accrediting bodies for graduate medical education - the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA) - in the list published for the year the residency - or fellowship if applicable - was completed
• (2) One year of post medical school training (internship - first year of residency - or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States
• (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement) - 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
• Exceptions: 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 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
• In rare and unusual circumstances - the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer - who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience - accomplishments - performance - and qualifications warrant such action

Preferred Experience

• Board Certified Geriatrician
• Experience providing inpatient geriatric consultation
• Clinical experience managing hospitalized older adults with delirium - frailty - multimorbidity - and post-operative complications
• Experience or strong interest in hip fracture co-management programs
• Comfort working within interdisciplinary - team-based inpatient care models

Physical Requirements

• Moderate lifting 15-44 lbs - straight pulling/pushing up to 2 hours per day
• reaching above shoulder
• use of fingers
• both hands required
• standing up to 5 hours per day
• kneeling up to 2 hours per day
• use of both arms and legs
• near vision correctable at 13"" to 16"" to Jaeger 1 to 4
• far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and up to 20/40 in the other
• hearing aid permitted

Duties

• Provide inpatient geriatric consultation services for hospitalized Veterans with complex medical - cognitive - and functional needs
• Serve as a core clinician for the Inpatient Hip Fracture Program - supporting co-management and interdisciplinary care of older Veterans with fragility fractures
• Conduct comprehensive geriatric assessments addressing: Delirium - dementia - and other cognitive disorder
• Falls - gait instability - and mobility limitations
• Polypharmacy and high-risk medication use
• Frailty - functional decline - and sarcopenia
• Goals of care - advance care planning - and capacity evaluations
• Participate in interdisciplinary rounds with hospital medicine - orthopedic surgery - nursing - pharmacy - rehabilitation services - social work - and case management
• Support safe transitions of care - including discharge planning and coordination with outpatient and home-based services
• Contribute to quality improvement - patient safety - and age-friendly health system initiatives within SAVAHCS
• Participate in teaching and clinical education of trainees and interdisciplinary staff - as applicable
• Maintain compliance with VA documentation - performance measures - and clinical practice standards
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
• No evenings - weekends or holidays

Benefits

• 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

Pay

Competitive salary - annual performance bonus - regular salary increases

Benefits

• 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

Application Process

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until August 10 - 2026

The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applicants will be May 22 - 2026 - with subsequent cut-off dates every two weeks

Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until position is filled

The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS) is seeking a Board-Certified or Board Eligible Geriatrician to join the Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) Service Line

This physician will play a key role in delivering high-quality - evidence-based inpatient geriatric care to Veterans and advancing age-friendly hospital initiatives

The selected Geriatrician will report directly to the Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) for Geriatrics and Extended Care and will provide clinical coverage for the Inpatient Geriatric Consultation Service and the Inpatient Hip Fracture Program

Va offers a comprehensive total rewards package

VHA Physician Total Rewards

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be approved for highly qualified applicants

Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): approved Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) Authorized: This position is eligible for 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 your start date

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

Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov for questions/assistance