VA Central California Health Care System is currently seeking a full-time Physician - Chief of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service. The incumbent reports to the Deputy Chief of Staff and serves as a key clinical resource for the Medical Center Director and Chief of Staff. This position is critical to the VA's mission to provide high-quality, Veteran-centered care.
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: Board certified by the American Board of Pathology in anatomic and clinical pathology. Preferred Experience: Experience in leading departments affecting overall lab operations is preferred. Experience with VA healthcare systems and accreditation is preferred. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Applicants must meet physical standards for the position. A physical examination prior to placement is required. This is a designated drug testing position. After appointment, you will be subject to random testing for illegal drug use. 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. Must have depth perception and ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors. Hearing aid is permitted.
VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): 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 Chief, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service (P&LMS) will be responsible to the Chief of Staff; incumbents will be a licensed pathologist, board certified by the American Board of Pathology in anatomic and clinical pathology. Incumbent is qualified by virtue of documented training, expertise, and experience to assume professional, scientific, consultative, organizational, administrative, educational, and clinical research responsibilities for the service. Incumbent is responsible for directing and coordinating functions of the service based on the mission, special needs, and size of the facility; functions are diverse and encompass patient care, administration, education, and research. Major duties include, but are not limited to: Technical: Makes judgments about the medical significance of clinical lab data and communicates effectively in interpreting and correlating lab data to providers; provides consultation to clinicians when appropriate. Responsible for P&LMS representation on committees such as Tumor Conference, Transfusion Review, Inpatient Care Board, Ancillary Testing, etc.; provides for expert consultation for transfusion related problems. Diagnosis of surgical and cytologic specimens; interact to provide expert consultative services to providers on follow-up case material. Perform and provide diagnosis on specimens obtained by fine-needle aspiration. Perform gross and microscopic examination of tissue and cytologic material and provide reports in a timely manner; perform post-mortem examinations and ensures subsequent provisional and final reports are completed within 60 days of initial exam. Ensure a quality improvement program is well defined, effectively implemented, and monitored to provide continuous improvements and cost-effective operations in the service. Develop and effective plan to monitor all work performed in the laboratory to determine reliability of data and efficiency in delivery of results to providers. Ensure the selection of all outside referral labs is made to provide quality of testing and cost efficiencies. Ensure the maintenance of comprehensive quality control, proficiency testing, and peer review programs to meet accrediting agency requirement. Provide cost-effective and efficient administration of the P&LMS, including budget planning and responsible fiscal management. Administrative: Ensure sufficient numbers and types of qualified personnel are available to perform service work. Ensure compliance with accrediting agency requirements is met (JCAHO, CAP, FDA, OSHA). Ensure adequate space, equipment, and supplies are available to perform work of service. Ensure test requests are made by authorized providers; ensure requests provide all necessary patient and specimen information; ensure proper instructions are issued for specimen collection, handling, and processing. Ensure all tests are performed appropriately and in a timely manner; ensure results are readily available to the providers. Ensure work environment is safe, employees understand and follow all stated safety policies and procedures; ensure service is in compliance with applicable safety regulations. Provide educational direction for laboratory staff via in-service, continuing education, professional meetings, etc. Foster and support clinical research; plan and direct research and development when appropriate.