Physician- Section Chief, Urology

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

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.

Additional Requirement:
Preferred Experience: Board Certified in Urologic Specialty. Experience with robotic surgery.

Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

Physical Requirements: Must be able to pass a physical.

Responsibilities:

The Chief of the Urology reports to the Chief of Surgery, Surgical Service. The section chief is required to manage the Urology Section within Surgical Service at the Salem VAMC, Salem, Virginia. He/she is responsible for managing clinical operations and supervising subordinate staff within the Urology Section. Incumbent will provide comprehensive Urological care services as well as follow-up care of existing conditions and management of emergency conditions in the specialty of Urology at the Salem VA Medical Center. The incumbent will maintain licensure and credentials sufficient to extend to the incumbent the authority to practice Urological Surgery inclusive of all diagnostic and medical therapeutic modalities for the treatment of diseases, conditions and injuries related to the field. Care services are provided primarily in the Urology Clinic and Operating Room, in addition to the ER or inpatient units as needed.

Functions or Scope of Assigned Duties
1. Provide Pre-Operative and Post-Operative Urological Services, including hospital rounds, for Urology patients.
2. Admit patients to the appropriate level of care (ICU, Stepdown, Acute care), or co-manage patients in consultation with and under the supervision of an attending physician.
3. Perform Urological Surgery in the Operating Room, averaging one to five (1-5) cases per day based on complexity, to include, but not limited to cystoscopies, stent placement, TURP, open and/or laparoscopic and/or robotic prostatectomy, nephrectomy, bladder resection, and urethral dilations.
4. Perform transrectal needle biopsies of prostate (ultrasound assistance with technician, with the expectation that urologist will obtain biopsy specimens).
5. Conduct weekly outpatient and inpatient clinics, averaging twenty to twenty-five (20-25) patients per day.
6. Document services through appropriate, notes, such as History and Physical, Progress notes, Operative notes, and Discharge Summaries.
7. Critique Morbidity and Mortality information and documentation.
8. Alternate On-Call coverage with other VAMC Urological Surgeons.
9. Educate residents and students in the principles and therapy of complex and basic Urological Surgery.
10. Participate in clinical research protocols either developed locally in cooperation with other faculty or developed at other institutions for multi-center studies.
11. Assist residents and students in selecting, developing, and preparing abstracts for presentation at meetings.
12. Perform administrative duties intended to participate in the proper functioning of the Surgical Care Service Line. These will include but are not limited to:
13. Supervise Residents or Physician Assistants
14. Develop and review policies for the Surgical Care Service Line
15. Ensure that JCAHO, Safety, AAMI, OSHA, VA and other agency regulations are being met.
16. Ensure continuing education of staff under his/her supervision.17. Provide call coverage for Urologic related services and provide back up as needed.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards.

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): 40,000 (2yr Service Agreement for Highly Qualified Candidates)
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more.
EDRP Authorized: Contact Nicholas.Camilletti@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

Work Schedule:7:30am - 4:00pm Monday to Friday.
Daily work hours may vary due to patient care needs and are bound by VHA Title 38 regulations. The candidate with work as a clinical partner with the existing urology surgery team, responsible to share in the on-call schedule to ensure the facility has 24/7 coverage for urologic emergencies.