Physician - Service Chief Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
Summary
The position of Chief - PM&RS - is a full-time position. A board-certified physician in Physical Medicine & Rehab - with extensive experience in the specialty - and with demonstrated administrative leadership skills - is desired. The PM&R Service is based at the Palo Alto Campus of VAPAHCS. This service supports Veterans Health Administration's (VHA) mission to promote and maintain the health - independence - quality of life - and productivity - of individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities.
About the Role
This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 14 - 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be July 20 - 2026, with subsequent cut-off dates every 2 weeks. Eligible applications received after that date will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available.
Responsibilities
Provide medical and rehabilitation care to patients served across the continuum of care within rehabilitation - including consultative.
Oversee outpatient and inpatient clinical operations - within PM&R/Polytrauma - ensuring standards of care consistent with CARF - CMS - OIG and TJC.
Directly oversee PM&R care delivery of the physicians in PM&R and Polytrauma.
Serve as the primary point of contact for all PM&R physicians regarding clinical and administrative matters.
Supervise - organize - and monitor duty assignments - tours of duty - leave requests of all PM&R physicians to ensure daily physician services within all clinical settings of Rehabilitation are available to provide patient care according to clinic schedules.
Ensure continuous physician services are provided twenty-four hours a day - 7 days a week - inclusive of holidays within the inpatient services/units.
Conduct review of referrals or consults for admission to the various programs within the Rehabilitation Service.
Facilitate collaboration with other medical/clinical/ancillary services to ensure patient care is coordinated and interdisciplinary.
Ensure adequate resources are available to provide coverage of PM&RS responsibilities across the continuum of care.
Develop and implement PM&RS strategic plans in partnership with the VAPAHCS rehabilitation leadership - inclusive of gathering input from internal and external stakeholders.
Contribute and assist with Stanford PM&R Grand Rounds and Resident Research Day Conferences.
Collaborate with the Chief of Stanford PM&R/Dept of Orthopedics to ensure that the VA PM&R Service maintains the integrity - standards - and development of the Stanford PM&R program.
Maintain and enhance the research activities within PM&RS and Polytrauma.
Monitor the research activities within PM&RS and Polytrauma.
Encourage participation in and promotion of research within the department.
Avoid conflicts of interest and ensure compliance with all relevant policies and regulations.
Participate in the annual performance evaluations for all PM&R staff.
Ensure that a QI or Total Quality Improvement (TQI) committee meets at least quarterly to identify important aspects of care and to monitor areas of service delivery which are identified as high-risk - high-volume (such as preventive health maintenance program) - or problem prone.
Ensure performance measures are met - e.g. - access to care - patient satisfaction - patient outcomes - and risk management shall be addressed.
Use a systematic plan for collecting and analyzing data - taking corrective action - and reporting results.
Ensure that the PM&RS and the preventive health maintenance program actively participate in the PI/QI Programs of VAPAHCS.
Requirements
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.
Board certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.
At least two years experience as a service chief overseeing a medical staff.
At least two years experience as an attending physician.
Qualifications
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 are: (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 OR (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 OR (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.
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).
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).
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.
Proficiency in spoken and written English.
Preferred Experience: At least two years experience as a service chief overseeing a medical staff.
At least two years experience as an attending physician.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/Physical
Benefits
Comprehensive total rewards package including traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
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).
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.
No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting.
Pay
Competitive salary - annual performance bonus - regular salary increases.
Schedule
Full-time
Application Instructions
VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package including traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA.