Career Center

Summary

The VA Puget Sound is seeking an experienced and highly skilled Physician in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) to serve as the Director of the Regional Amputation Center (RAC) providing expert amputee rehabilitation care - directing regional systems of care - supervising RAC staff - and supporting education and research. The incumbent will ensure high-quality - coordinated services for Veterans across VISN 20 and 22 while advancing clinical standards and program excellence.

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
• 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
• 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) - b) 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: Experience working with Amputee Patients in Inpatient/Outpatient Setting Scholarly Work Experience (Research or Education) Amputee Fellowship Experience working with upper extremity amputees Experience providing full rehabilitative assessments to general rehabilitation population Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting - 45 pounds and over
• Moderate lifting - 15-44 pounds
• Moderate carrying - 15-44 pounds
• Light carrying - under 15 pounds
• Reaching above shoulder
• Use of fingers
• Both hands required
• Walking (0-1 hours)
• Standing (0-1 hours)
• Kneeling (0-1 hours)
• Repeated bending (0-4 hours)
• Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4
• Depth perception
• Ability to distinguish shades of colors
• Mental and emotional stability.

Duties

• The Director of the Regional Amputation Center is a PM&R physician trained in an accredited residency and board-certified or board-eligible - with licensure to practice in any U.S. state
• The role requires advanced expertise in amputee rehabilitation - including prosthetic evaluation - prescription - and outcome assessment
• An amputee fellowship is preferred
• The physician must demonstrate broad skills in diagnosing and treating acute and chronic rehabilitation conditions and providing consultative services
• Clinical Responsibilities Provide expert level clinical care in the PM&R specific evaluations - diagnoses and treatment of all aspects of amputee rehabilitation
• Included here is expertise in post amputation pain - amputation outcome assessment - prosthetic prescription - and gait evaluation of individuals with prosthetic devices
• Develop local and regional systems of care that will result in the highest quality of care for patients that are pending - or have undergone amputation
• Develop and utilize telehealth practices to enhance the regional care of amputee patients
• Provide expertise and leadership in the development of system wide standardized patient evaluations and standardized outcome assessment
• Utilize effective communication skills at all levels to enhance team functioning - patient care coordination - and leadership
• Provide clinical care for all general rehabilitation populations - including electro-diagnostic evaluations - as needed
• Provide consultation to professional staff within VAPSHCS & community providers concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate patient treatment plans
• Develop - implement and document the PM&R treatment plan for an assigned caseload of patients - including prompt completion of clinical reminders
• Functions independently as a member of the VAPSHCS Medical Staff - with full clinical privileges
• Provides education to patients - family members and significant others
• Teaching & Training Develops innovative educational materials and processes to enhance the expertise of providers from a wide array of backgrounds - within the medical center - university - and the community - within VISN 20 and VISN 22 - the geographic region defined by the RAC
• Active involvement in teaching and curriculum development in the UW PM&R Annual Review Module for Amputation Rehabilitation and Gait and the UW PM&R Resident Amputation and Prosthetics course annually
• Provides clinical supervision & instruction for UW PM&R Residents - as well as medical students as assigned
• Participates in educational programs - may provide presentations at local & national level conference & educational events
• Develops innovative educational materials and processes to enhance patient and family education
• Participates at a local - regional or national level in subspecialty societies or patient organizations
• Position will require a faculty appointment at the University of Washington - School of Medicine
• Administrative Responsibilities Develops and implements a strategic plan to accomplish the goals of the VA National Amputation System of Care
• Provides leadership to facilitate the development of a coordinated amputee rehabilitation care program throughout VISN 20 and VISN 22 - the region designated by the RAC
• Communicate effectively with leadership at all levels within VAPSHCS - VISN leadership in VISN s 20 and 22 - as well as - VA Central Office leadership
• Provides leadership in the development of team processes at the RAC program
• Puts systems in place to monitor the effectiveness of the amputation clinical program though quality improvement processes and ongoing program evaluation
• Provides leadership in the development and maintenance of CARF Specialty Certification as an Amputation Specialty Care Program
• Complies with national & local performance measures - including timely health care screenings and completion of clinical reminders for all patients
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Not authorized 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-Friday - 8:00am-4:30pm