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:

• 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 allopathic 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 accrediting bodies for graduate medical education - the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA) - in the list published for the year the residency - or fellowship if applicable - was completed
• OR (2) One year of post medical school training (internship - first year of residency - or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States
• OR (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement) - 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
• Exceptions: 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 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
• In rare and unusual circumstances - the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer - who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience - accomplishments - performance - and qualifications warrant such action
• Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Preferred Experience: American Board of Anesthesiology certification or status as a Candidate in the ABA Examination System (i.e. - Board Eligible) is required
• Certification in cardiac anesthesia is highly preferred
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: This position requires a pre-employment physical
• Requires lifting 15-44 pounds
• pushing (approx
• 2 hours)
• reaching above shoulder
• use of fingers and both hands
• walking and standing from 3-5 hours and kneeling
• Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously.

Duties

• The VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System (VAPHS) Anesthesia Service is seeking a full-time - highly talented Anesthesiologist to provide care for a wide variety of cases including general - neurosurgical - orthopedic - plastic - thoracic - and vascular surgery - as well as out-of-OR anesthesia for GI and EP procedures
• Priority will be given to those with formal training in liver/kidney transplants and cardiac surgery
• Responsibilities: As one of the largest VA Healthcare systems in the United States - with state-of-the-art surgical technologies - VAPHS serves as the tertiary care referral center for a large veteran population in the Western Pennsylvania and surrounding areas
• As such - clinical duties include but are not limited to: Initial evaluation and overall workups - and focused history and physicals of medical/surgical patients as needed - including evaluation of patients as part of our multidisciplinary pre-op clinic
• Peri-operative anesthetic care to patients - including pre-operative assessment - intra-operative anesthetic administration and monitoring - and post-anesthesia care in an anesthesia team model with CRNA and/or anesthesia residents
• Rotating evening and weekend call coverage for urgent cases is considered a key responsibility
• Expertise with a wide variety of anesthesia techniques and procedures (experience with breath of anesthesia techniques) - including regional and spinal anesthesia
• For those with appropriate training/experience - provision of clinical anesthetic care to cardiothoracic and liver transplant surgical patients
• Teaching of anesthesia residents - medical students - and student nurse anesthetists (clinical affiliation with Univ of Pittsburgh)
• Participate in quality/performance improvement initiatives - committees - and any other relevant activities as appropriate - including VASQIP
• Opportunity for participation in clinical research for interested candidates
• Ability to work effectively with patients and coworkers and dedication to treating other health care professionals and patients' families with respect and dignity
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@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: Full-time - Monday-Friday 6:30am to 3:00pm
• May be required to work evenings or weekends as a Full-Time Physician.