PHYSICIAN SPECIALIST (NON-MEGAFLEX) (VARIOUS SPECIALTIES)

Filing period: November 24, 2020 at 8:00 A.M. (PT) until the needs of the service are met, subject to closure without prior notice.

Los Angeles County is offering a 20% recruitment and retention bonus for full-time Physician Specialist positions in the following specialties: Emergency Medicine, Family Practice, Infectious Disease, OB/GYN General, and Internal Medicine hired by Correctional Health Services and working on-site in a designated facility. Physician Specialists with the Psychiatric specialty hired at the Office of Diversion and Re-Entry will start at step 7.

About the Department

The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (DHS) is the second largest municipal health system in the nation. Through its unified system of 23 health centers and four hospitals—and an expanded network of community partner clinics—DHS annually provides direct care for over 500,000 patients, employs over 23,000 staff, and has an annual budget of over $8.4 billion.

DHS hospitals serve as training sites for physicians completing their Graduate Medical Education through academic affiliations with the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), the University of Southern California (USC), and the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Sciences (CDU), covering nearly every medical specialty and subspecialty.

In addition to direct clinical services, DHS operates the Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Agency and the County's 911 emergency response system, as well as programs like Housing for Health and the Office of Diversion and Re-entry, which connect vulnerable populations—including those released from correctional and institutional settings—to supportive housing.

Mission: To advance the health of our patients and our communities by providing extraordinary care.

About the Role

Incumbents in these positions are licensed physicians who provide specialized professional medical services in a specific field.

Responsibilities

• Performs medical work in a specialized field, including specialized surgical procedures.
• Prescribes drugs and/or therapy; monitors patients' progress, records observations and changes, and adjusts treatments as required.
• Conducts or assists in the training of interns and resident physicians.
• Consults with staff physicians and para-medical personnel regarding patient care and medical/diagnostic work.
• Provides consultation to other medical services, including specialists in other fields.
• Conducts difficult postmortem examinations, provides training, and may supervise other physicians in these activities.
• Confers with medical and professional personnel in related fields (e.g., toxicology) to determine causes of death.
• Certifies causes of death and testifies in court as an expert witness.
• Performs or assists in administrative responsibilities, such as budget preparation, equipment and supply needs, personnel functions, or revising work procedures.
• Assists in planning and directing health programs within the specialty.
• Develops new techniques within the medical specialty.
• Maintains varied hours on a rotated schedule to ensure 24/7 physician coverage during non-business hours.
• May conduct specialized research, studies, and services, including preventive and educational strategies.

Requirements

• Completion of a residency program approved by an American Specialty Board in one or more designated specialties* or equivalent training**.
• California State Physician and Surgeon's Certificate authorized by the Board of Medical Examiners of the State of California.
• A valid California Class C Driver License or the ability to utilize an alternative method of transportation for job-related essential functions.

Physical Requirements: Moderate physical activity, including standing or walking most of the time, with bending, stooping, squatting, twisting, and reaching. Involves occasionally lifting objects over 25 pounds and frequent lifting of 10-25 pounds.

Special Requirements

• Applicants who will complete their residency within 12 months of filing may compete but must submit a recommendation letter from the Residency Program Director confirming good standing and anticipated completion date. A copy of the residency completion certificate must be submitted before final appointment.
• Applicants without a California State Physician and Surgeon's Certificate at the time of filing may compete, but their names will be withheld from the certification list until the certificate is provided. The certificate must be current and unrestricted; conditional, provisional, probationary, or restricted certificates will not be accepted.

Specialties

Accepted residency specialties include:

• Anesthesiology
• Dermatology
• Emergency Medicine
• Family Practice
• Internal Medicine (General, Endocrinology, Cardiology – Invasive/Non-Invasive, Critical Care, Gastroenterology – Invasive/Non-Invasive, Hematology/Oncology, Infectious Disease, Nephrology, Pulmonary – Invasive/Non-Invasive, Rheumatology)
• Neurology
• Nuclear Medicine
• OB/GYN (General, Gynecologic Oncology, Maternal/Fetal Medicine)
• Otolaryngology
• Pathology (General, Forensic)
• Pediatrics (General, Neonatal/Critical Care)
• Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• Preventive Medicine (General, Public Health)
• Psychiatry
• Radiology (General/Diagnostic, Vascular/Interventional Diagnostic)
• Surgery (Cardio Thoracic, Critical Care, General, Neurological, Ophthalmology, Orthopedics, Pediatric, Plastic, Urologic, Vascular)

*Equivalent training is defined as training formally recognized in writing by the appropriate American Certifying Board. For Emergency Medicine, equivalent training/experience must be approved by the Director of Health Services.

Examination and Eligibility

• The examination consists of a self-assessment based on a supplemental questionnaire covering experience, professional development, and collaboration, weighted 100%. A passing score of 70% or higher is required.
• Applications are processed on an "as-received" basis, and only the most qualified candidates are placed on the eligible register.
• Candidates remain on the register for 12 months following eligibility. No person may compete in this examination more than once every 12 months.

Additional Information

• Appointees may be required to work any shift, including evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays.
• Vacancies will be filled throughout the Department of Health Services as they occur.