Physician (Radiology-Diagnostic)

About the role

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) and eligibility period (one to five years) — is determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply.

This is an open continuous announcement. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available. Applications will remain on file until September 30, 2027.

Qualifications

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. Approved residencies include:
  • Those approved by ACGME or AOA in the list published for the year the residency or fellowship was completed
  • 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
  • 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 applied for; United States fellowships are creditable toward this requirement, provided the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems the training appropriate and believes it exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences
• Exceptions: Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs who otherwise meet basic requirements are eligible for appointment as Physician Resident Providers (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (not a training license), may only be appointed on an intermittent basis, are not considered independent practitioners, will not be privileged, and have a scope of practice allowing restricted duties under supervision. Surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs.
• In rare and unusual circumstances, the Facility Director may submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer for approval of reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for physicians whose composite record of experience, accomplishments, performance, and qualifications warrant such action
• Proficiency in spoken and written English

Preferred Experience

• Experience in Nuclear Medicine
• Subspecialty experience in PET/CT, Theranostics, and Nuclear Cardiac Imaging

Physical Requirements

Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, 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.

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

Responsibilities

• Provide expertise and support in various facets of diagnostic, therapeutic, and therapy-monitoring nuclear medicine and patient care
• Review exam requests for appropriateness
• Prescribe exam protocols and modify as needed for specific clinical indications
• Provide clinical oversight of medication administration, including contrast, preps, and other medications relevant to performance of medical imaging
• Provide oversight of clinical radiation safety and serve as resource to the Radiation Safety Office (RSO)
• Provide oversight of technical image quality with feedback to technologists
• Provide oversight and serve as resource for infection control practices
• Participate in various aspects of quality assurance such as peer review, protocol review, appropriateness criteria, and performance improvement
• Interpret imaging exams, including comparison with relevant exams and correlation with clinical information in Computerized Patient Records System (CPRS)
• Generate reports that contain pertinent findings and measurements, descriptions of normal and abnormal structures and physiologies, and discussion of differential diagnoses, recommendations, and impressions
• Support patient care services with reports timely to the care being delivered using a method of communication appropriate to the level of clinical importance or acuity
• Consult providers on various aspects of imaging such as exam selection, review of results, and other support functions
• Participate in clinical conferences, particularly those that medically engage nuclear medicine significantly, such as Tumor Board and Cardiology Conference
• Participate in call duties
• Provide high quality, literature-based, unsealed-source therapy
• Work collaboratively in multidisciplinary teams to optimize patient care
• Facilitate dosimetry of appropriate therapy patients
• Interact with patients to obtain relevant clinical history and physical exam findings within the scope of practice in Nuclear Medicine; provide patient education and support; obtain informed consents; issue disclosures when appropriate; document activities appropriately in CPRS; enter orders in CPRS; and perform appropriately other relevant aspects of physician practice
• Integrate resources to provide current, optimal care
• Consult colleagues, research literature, and other sources of current practice
• Pursue and complete continuing education requirements
• Participate in Imaging and general medical staff meetings, committee assignments, compliance requirements, and other components of an organized medical staff
• Assist Nuclear Medicine administration in execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the clinical program
• Assist with team coordination (e.g., leave calendars, consult rotation, call rotation)
• Provide supervisor regular updates on team progress, functioning, and challenges
• Develop, with Nuclear Medicine administration, timelines for completion of team tasks
• Support academic-affiliate programs in training of technologists, radiologic assistants, medical students, residents, fellows, physician assistants, and other trainees in educational programs that involve imaging and/or other relevant medical knowledge
• Guide clinical experiences, cognitive development, and other aspects of learning for staff and trainees
• Research is encouraged by the VA and supported as feasible to allow the opportunity for study design, data collection, analysis, publication, and other aspects of research

Benefits

• VHA Physician Total Rewards package
• EDRP Authorized (former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive)
• Paid Time Off: 50–55 days per year (26 days annual leave, 13 days 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, and long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
• Licensure: One full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory accepted
• 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, and regular salary increases.

Schedule

• Work Schedule: 7:00 AM to 5:00 PM, four days per week
• Telework: