Section Chief of Pain Medicine (Physical Integrated Medicine Service)

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, 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.

Duties

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN7EDRPFacilityCoordinators2@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance 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 Duties include but are not limited to the following: Serves as the primary clinical expert and attending physician for the Pain Management Section, providing direct patient care to Veterans with acute, chronic, and cancer-related pain conditions. Performs and supervises a full range of interventional pain procedures, including but not limited to: Epidural steroid injections (cervical, thoracic, lumbar, caudal) Facet joint injections and medial branch blocks Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) Sympathetic nerve blocks (stellate ganglion, celiac plexus, superior hypogastric) Sacroiliac joint injections Trigger point injections and peripheral nerve blocks Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) trials and permanent implantation, including programming and long-term device management Maintains proficiency in fluoroscopy and ultrasound-guided procedures and ensures radiation safety compliance. Manages complex multimodal pain regimens including appropriate and judicious use of opioid therapy in accordance with VHA Opioid Safety Initiative (OSI) guidelines. Spinal Cord Stimulation Program Leads and develops the facility's SCS program, including patient selection, pre-procedural evaluation, psychological screening coordination, trial lead placement, and permanent implantation. Manages post-implant follow-up, device programming, troubleshooting, and revision procedures. Collaborates with neurosurgery, orthopedics, and industry representatives as needed for complex SCS cases. Ensures SCS outcomes are tracked and reported in alignment with VHA quality improvement metrics. Multidisciplinary Team Management Leads and coordinates a multidisciplinary pain management team that may include: Pain medicine physicians and fellows Physician Assistants (PAs) Clinical pharmacists specializing in pain management Psychologists and behavioral health specialists Physical therapists Social workers and case managers Facilitates regular multidisciplinary team meetings, case conferences, and treatment planning sessions. Establishes team communication protocols, workflows, and performance standards. Mentors and supports the professional development of team members. Administrative and Program Leadership Serves as the administrative Section Chief with direct supervisory responsibility over Pain Management Section staff. Develops, implements, and evaluates section policies, procedures, clinical practice guidelines, and quality assurance programs. Prepares and manages section budget, resource allocation, equipment procurement, and staffing plans in collaboration with the Chief of Staff and the Physical Integrated Medicine service line leadership. Leads strategic planning for section growth, including telehealth pain services, academic affiliations, and research opportunities. Participates in facility-level committees, including Pharmacy & Therapeutics, Peer Review, Quality Management, and Executive Leadership committees as assigned. Ensures compliance with The Joint Commission (TJC), OSHA, VHA Directives, and all applicable regulatory standards. Education and Research Provides didactic and clinical teaching to medical students, residents, fellows, and other trainees in affiliated training programs. Supports and may lead clinical research initiatives relevant to Veterans' pain management, including SCS outcomes research. Disseminates best practices through presentations, publications, and VHA-wide collaboration. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:30am-4:00pm (Subject to change based on agency needs).

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.