Physician (Assistant Chief of Medicine)

Summary

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until October 6, 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applicants will be July 20, 2026, with subsequent cut-off dates every two weeks. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until position is filled.

Duties

• The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS) is seeking to hire an Assistant Chief of Medicine. Commitment to excellence in patient care and an interest in teaching are essential. A record of contribution to the scientific literature is preferred. In addition to contributing to the clinical mission of the Medicine Service Line, the Assistant Chief will participate in a wide variety of leadership duties. These will include strategic planning (for providers, space utilization and equipment acquisition), recruitment, compliance functions, peer review, mentoring service line colleagues and supporting service line research when feasible. A track record of success in clinical care, leadership, education, administration and/or research will be noted in the selection process. Physicians in any traditional medicine specialty are eligible to apply, including Neurology, Hospital Medicine and Dermatology. The Tucson VA is a tertiary care facility providing a full range of clinical services including Electrophysiology complex coronary angioplasty, structural heart interventions, cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, Mohs surgery and navigational bronchoscopy. It has been a flagship quality provider within the VA and was a 2012 winner of the prestigious Robert W. Carey Performance Excellence Award. On the recently released CMS hospital ratings, SAVAHCS is the only five-star hospital in Tucson. We are in a growth area for the VA. Consequently, the VA is open to major capital investment in our facility; we are in the construction phase for both an Emergency Department expansion and a Primary Care expansion. SAVAHCS is the principal teaching affiliate of the University of Arizona Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy. Candidates must be eligible for a faculty appointment with the University of Arizona commensurate with clinical experience and academic achievement to facilitate teaching of medical students, residents and fellows. We have a collaborative and collegial service culture at SAVAHCS. The successful candidate will have a large opportunity to enjoy and contribute to our exceptional service culture. The incumbent is expected to actively participate in quality improvement activities and ensure compliance with rules and regulations of the agency, facility and department. The incumbent will also ensure that a satisfactory process is maintained for supervision and training of fellows, residents and medical students from University of Arizona College of Medicine rotating through the Medicine Service Line. The candidate must maintain American Heart Association BLS certification; ACLS certification may also be required, depending upon specialty. A commitment to compliance with VA and SAVAHCS regulatory requirements is expected. The successful candidate will enjoy the security of VA salary funding, the generous federal benefits package, our lovely southwestern climate, the professional advantages of academic affiliation, a medium size city with the cultural enrichments of a major university and the invigorating challenge of helping lead a complex service line with an honorable mission. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Approved 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, and 11 paid Federal holidays per year.) 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: Monday-Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm

Requirements

U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Education

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 an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are: Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, confirmation must be made that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirement for year graduated. NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area.