Career Center

Summary

The Tennessee Valley Healthcare System is seeking an Ophthalmologist to join our team in providing comprehensive Ophthalmology care to our patients. We are a large - vibrant - academic VA practice and many of us are associated with Vanderbilt University Medical Center. We provide routine and complex clinical & surgical care for a growing veteran population extending from Kentucky to Alabama.

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
• Education: 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
• License: 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) - 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
• Preferred Experience: All specialties will be considered Glaucoma - Retina and Oculoplastics - etc
• Must qualify for faculty appointment at Vanderbilt
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The work is largely office based and in a sedentary setting
• No manual labor is required above ordinary situations
• Incumbent must be capable of using a computer given that all clinical charting is electronic
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• Must be able to function as an ophthalmologist.

Duties

• This is OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until March 31 - 2026
• The initial cut-off date for referrals of eligible application will be October 30 - 2025
• Eligible applications received after that date will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): 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) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application
• Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply
• Learn more
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VISN9HREDRP@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance 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 FUNCTIONS OR SCOPES OF PRACTICE: Physician will function as a physician surgeon in the ophthalmology clinic and operating room
• SUPERVISORY CONTROLS: This position reports to the Chief of Ophthalmology and has no direct reports
• CUSTOMER SERVICE REQUIREMENT: Meets the needs of all customers while supporting the Medical Center and Service missions
• Consistently communicates and treats customers (patients - visitors - volunteers - and all Medical Center staff) in a courteous - tactful - and respectful manner
• Provides the customers with consistent information according to established policies and procedures
• Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately
• AGE - DEVELOPMENT AND CULTURAL NEEDS OF PATIENTS: Provides care and/or services appropriate to the age of the patients being served - and which is appropriate to the cognitive
• emotional - and chronological maturation of the patient
• Assesses data reflective of the patient's status and interpret the information needed to identify each patient's requirements relative to their age specific needs and to provide care needed as described in the services' policies and procedures
• Takes into consideration age-related differences of the various veteran populations with this institution
• The incumbent must demonstrate the knowledge of the changes associated with aging and possess the ability to provide care/support based upon age related factors
• Ensures staff receives training in these categories
• Sensitivity to the special needs of all patients in respect to age - developmental requirements - and culturally related factors must be consistently achieved
• COMPUTER SECURITY REQUIREMENT: Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws - federal regulations - VA statutes and policy - and VHA guidelines
• Protects the data from unauthorized release or from loss - alteration - or unauthorized deletion
• Follows applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files - release of access codes - etc. - as set out in the computer access agreement that the employee signs
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday Tour will be determined based on needs of the service