Career Center

Summary

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.

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:

• Citizenship: The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) encourages any eligible non-citizens to apply
• Non-citizens may 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
• Licensure: 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: Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) OR Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) - OR 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
• Language: Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Experience: The individual must qualify to perform duties as a physician - have completed an accredited residency and/or possess experience which has qualified the individual to perform general duties and some specialized functions and procedures without supervision
• Staff physicians may also include attendings who train physician residents assigned in facilities with residency training programs - and consultants who are capable of giving authoritative views and opinions on subjects in their field of medicine
• Preferred Experience: Board Eligible/Board Certified
• Electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies - evoked potential multi-modality studies - electroencephalography - (EEG) - Multiple sleep latency test - Scoring and interpretation of polysomnograms Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service

Duties

• This position is authorized to provide the right candidate with pay up to $200 -000 toward education costs - and is approved to offer a sign-on bonus of up to 15% of annual salary per year for up to four years!!!! In addition - salary can go above the maximum amount shown if candidate meets annual performance metrics
• The Staff Physician - Neurologist is assigned to the VA Wilkes-Barre Health Care System - Medical Service providing comprehensive - efficient - compassionate - high-quality healthcare to all patients - functioning as a member of the inter-disciplinary team providing clinical care to the patients at VA Wilkes-Barre Healthcare System in both inpatient and outpatient settings
• As a staff Physician - Neurologist - the responsibilities include providing medical evaluation and directing overall management of patients in collaboration with other members of health care team
• Supervision and education of Internal Medicine Residents and medical students may be required
• Neurologist will conduct outpatient neurologic consultations and follow-up care - as well as nerve conduction testing - and botulinum toxin injections (preferred)
• This includes subspecialist for consultations in the fields of epilepsy - movement disorders - neuromuscular medicine - MS - and dementia
• Wilkes-Barre VA also has EEG testing - and neurology inpatient service
• The major duties and responsibilities include - but are not limited to: Participate in an effective clinical program with attention to patient outcome indicators Practice within the scope of assigned privileges Comply with the bylaws - rules and regulations of the facility and agency Meet medical staff criteria for initial appointment and reappointment - including ongoing CME Comply with prescribed record keeping practices in accordance with the rules - regulations and bylaws Comply with prescribed information security policy and procedures Work effectively with patients - families - staff - coworkers and other health care professionals Participate in Medical Service educational activities and scheduled meetings Participate in research activities with regard to the subspecialty of Internal Medicine - as assigned Comply with assigned Peer Reviews and maintaining quality assurance standards Complete all assigned health record reviews - peer reviews - MAOs - etc. - within the identified timeframes VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized (available as lump sum or annual installments up to 15% of annual pay per year for up to four years) Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Authorized Learn more
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• 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 Work Schedule: Monday to Friday - 8am to 430pm
• Rotating shared home call schedule.