The VA St. Louis Health Care System seeks a board-certified Plastic Surgeon to provide complex reconstructive care, including breast, facial, chest wall, abdominal wall, lower extremity, and body contouring procedures. Duties include operative, inpatient, and outpatient care, team leadership, documentation, and quality improvement. Must be eligible for SLU faculty appointment and serve as Site Director for Health Professions Trainees (HPTs).
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: Must be eligible for and maintain Faculty Appointment through St Louis University, the established Academic Affiliate Partner of VA St. Louis Experience in a wide range of plastic and complex reconstructive surgical procedures, including: Abdominal wall reconstruction, Post-mastectomy reconstruction, Sternal and chest wall reconstruction, Spine reconstruction, Lower extremity reconstruction Reconstructive vascular graft coverage, facial reconstruction, management of pressure sores in spinal cord injury patients (e.g. flap coverage of sacral, ischial, and trochanetric ulcers), Body contouring post massive weight loss. Supervises and teaches residents, APPs, and nursing staff. Also teaches and supervises health professions trainees if present. Experience with surgical services meetings, peer review, and quality improvement activities. Experienced as a Physician Utilization Coordinator (PUC). Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: More details can be found in the VA Handbook 5019.
VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be offered to highly qualified candidates. 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 Clinical Responsibilities Outpatient Care: Evaluate, diagnose, and treat Veterans with reconstructive needs including complex wounds, post-oncologic defects, and congenital or acquired deformities. Maintain a consistent outpatient clinic schedule aligned with VHA productivity standards. Collaborate with Advanced Practice Providers (APPs), nurses, and administrative staff to optimize clinic flow and access. Inpatient Care: Serve as attending for hospitalized patients with traumatic injuries, surgical wounds, and pressure ulcers. Coordinate care with inpatient teams, case managers, and rehabilitation staff, especially for spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. Operative Care: Perform a wide range of plastic and reconstructive procedures including abdominal wall, chest wall, and facial reconstruction; post-mastectomy and post-weight loss body contouring; pressure sore management; and vascular graft coverage. Lead perioperative teams and ensure high-quality surgical outcomes. Emergency and On-Call Duties: Respond promptly to urgent consults and emergent cases. Participate equitably in the call schedule, supported by APPs and residents when available. Community Care Coordination: Collaborate with Care in the Community staff to manage external referrals and integrate outside care into VA treatment plans. Team-Based Care Provide leadership within a multidisciplinary team, ensuring all members work at the top of their license. Mentor and clinically guide APPs and support staff. Participate in interdisciplinary care teams, wound care boards, and SCI team meetings. Teaching and Education Supervise and teach residents, APPs, and nursing staff. Provide structured learning experiences on plastic surgery principles and techniques. Conduct in-service training for OR staff and maintain academic credentials with the university affiliate. Administrative and Professional Duties Complete all required documentation in the Electronic Health Record (EHR) in accordance with VHA standards, including operative notes, progress notes, and discharge summaries. Ensure documentation supports coding, billing, and workload capture. Participate in Surgical Service meetings, peer review, and quality improvement initiatives. Serve as Collaborating Physician for assigned Physician Assistants (PAs), providing clinical oversight, chart review, and documentation of collaboration in accordance with VHA policy and state licensure requirements. Act as Physician Utilization Management Advisor (PUMA) for the Department of Surgery: Monitor and optimize physician clinic schedules and appointment slot management. Improve access metrics and reduce missed opportunities. Review utilization data and report trends to Surgical Service leadership. Participate in the facility's Prevention of Amputation in Veterans Everywhere (PAVE) Committee, contributing to the review and validation of physician productivity, clinical workload, and alignment with strategic access goals. Serve facility or service-level committees as assigned, such as: Surgical Service Executive Committee Wound Care Board Operating Room Committee Medical Staff Bylaws Committee Credentialing and Privileging Committee Research and Scholarly Activity (if applicable) Engage in research related to reconstructive outcomes, wound healing, or surgical innovation. Support scholarly collaboration with APPs and nursing staff. Scope of Practice Includes outpatient, inpatient, elective, and emergent plastic and reconstructive surgical care. Provides oversight of team-based care delivered by APPs, RNs, and technicians. Privileges are subject to Professional Standards Board and Chief of Staff approval. Supervisory Controls Reports to the Chief of Plastic Surgery under the Associate Chief of Staff for Surgical Service. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; tour negotiable upon selection.