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 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 or Board Eligible Neurosurgeon Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity - keen hearing - clear distinctive speech - and manual dexterity
• This position requires potentially long periods of continued walking - standing - stooping - sitting - bending - pulling - and pushing
• Transferring patients and objects may be required
• The incumbent may be exposed to infected patients and contaminated materials and may be required to wear protective clothing in isolation situations or operative/invasive procedures
• The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs
• Must be able to perform CPR per ACLS/BLS protocol.

Duties

• **This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until June 30th - 2025
• The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be May 6th - 2025 - with subsequent cut-off dates every 5 days
• Eligible applications received after that date will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available.** VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact V21CCOEEDRP@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance Pay: Competitive salary - annual performance bonus - regular salary increases Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00 A.M
• - 4:30 P.M. - with an occasional Saturday clinic or a weekday extended hour clinic
• however - subject to change - depending on the needs of the service/medical center
• Alternative work schedule and/or compressed work schedule (Four days per week - 7:30am-6pm) could be an option as well
• 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 Duties: Neurosurgeon is responsible participants in the Joint VA/DOD Neurosurgery Program and are actively engaged in evaluating deployment status - assessing combat readiness and conducting physical fitness evaluations for military personnel
• Performing brain and spine surgeries and providing preoperative - perioperative - intraoperative - and postoperative care for patients undergoing routine or urgent inpatient or ambulatory surgical procedures
• Management of diagnostic - preventative - and/or therapeutic interventions (surgical and non-surgical) in patients with surgical illness
• Providing appropriate supervision of trainees in all care settings and completing all medical records in accordance with Bylaws - Rules - and Regulations of the medical staff
• Providing specialty-specific call coverage for Veterans presenting after hours at night on weekends
• Collaborating with other departments and sections including - but not limited to - specialists - nursing staff - social services - utilization management - and other members of the interdisciplinary care team to coordinate the care and/or discharge of surgical patients
• Chief Administrative Duties: Serves as the supervisor for all neurosurgery staff
• Completes supervisory tasks for the neurosurgery clinic employees - such as a yearly professional performance evaluation and approving leave
• Develop regulations - protocols - and best practice policies to provide oversight ensuring the best quality of care and patient safety in the Clinics and the Operating Room
• Document all medical information in an electronic medical record
• Education Duties: Instructing and educating neurosurgery residents.