Physician (Chief of Surgery)

Summary

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications and subsequent cut-off dates are on the 1st of each month. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled

Duties

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized for highly qualified candidates. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not 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. Major Duties/Responsibilities for this position include but are not limited to: Leadership & Strategic Direction: - Provides overall clinical and administrative leadership for the Surgery Service, ensuring alignment with national, VISN, and local priorities. - Defines mission, vision, and objectives for surgical programs and develops long-range strategic plans, including workforce, equipment, and space needs. - Serves as key advisor to the Chief of Staff and Medical Center Director on surgical operations, performance, and emerging issues. Clinical Oversight & Quality of Care: - Ensures timely, appropriate, and safe surgical care across inpatient, outpatient, ICU, OR, PACU, and procedural areas. - Oversees surgical subspecialties such as General Surgery, Urology, Podiatry, Gastroenterology, limited Gynecology, and Anesthesia (facility dependent). - Implements evidence-based practice guidelines, clinical pathways, and quality improvement strategies to optimize outcomes. - Ensures compliance with accreditation and regulatory standards, including Joint Commission and RME requirements. Administrative & Operational Management: - Directs, supervises, and evaluates all clinical and administrative staff within the Surgery Service; maintains staffing plans and recruitment strategies. - Oversees operating room schedules, daily surgical workflows, and coordination between OR, Endoscopy, and PACU. - Ensures development, implementation, and compliance with Surgery Service policies and procedures. - Maintains accurate labor mapping, productivity tracking, and administrative time documentation. Credentialing, Privileging & Provider Performance: - Coordinates FPPE and OPPE processes and ensures providers maintain compliant clinical privileges. - Reviews clinical performance, oversees peer review actions, and ensures compliance with medical staff bylaws and standards. Education, Training & Academic Responsibilities: - Supports surgical residency and fellowship programs by ensuring proper supervision and a compliant teaching environment. - Facilitates training, onboarding, and continuing professional development for surgical personnel. Resource, Budget, & Program Management: - Prepares annual gap analyses, workforce projections, and budget needs for surgical services. - Assesses and plans for equipment, materials, and space; oversees equipment stewardship and RME compliance. - Ensures cost-effective management of surgical operations, contracts, and fee-basis care when applicable. Communication & Collaboration: - Works collaboratively with executive leadership, Nurse Managers, Section Chiefs, administrative staff, and VISN/VACO partners. - Maintains effective communication with surgical staff, patients, other services, and external oversight bodies. Emergency Preparedness & Continuity of Operations: - Leads Surgery Service actions during COOP events, including evaluating staffing levels, resource status, operational capacity, and relocation requirements. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 AM - 4:30 PM. Subject to change based on the needs of the agency.

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.