Physician-Palliative Care

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.

Duties

• Section Chief, Hospice and Palliative Care Service Western New York VA Health Care System: The Section Chief oversees all aspects of the Hospice and Palliative Care Service, including staffing, work assignments, care delivery, and service criteria. Responsibilities include: Supervising the inpatient palliative care consult service, veterans at end of life , and outpatient palliative care clinic. Providing clinical and programmatic leadership, supporting program development, and leading quality improvement initiatives. Serving as attending physician for inpatient consults and the veterans at the end of life as needed. Supervising trainees and serving as site director for the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship at the Jacobs School of Medicine as well as internal medicine residents. Collaborating in strategic planning for Geriatrics, Palliative, and Extended Care services. Provides direct patient care, functions as inpatient consult attending, and covers hospice and outpatient services as needed. Responsible for admission, diagnosis, and treatment of veterans with serious illness. Supervises residents and fellows. Coordinates care within the Hospice and Palliative Care team, supervises physicians and advanced practice providers, manages staffing and performance, addresses patient advocacy concerns, and responds to internal and external inquiries. Works with program coordinators on performance measures and collaborates with local, VISN, and national leadership. Mentors new team members and leads clinical improvement initiatives. Plans and conduct educational programs for staff, patients, families, and trainees. Coordinates with academic affiliates; serves as site Director for the Hospice and Palliative Medicine Fellowship and palliative care elective for medical students. Reports to the Chief of Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC). Join our team in providing high quality care for our nation's veterans in a dynamic, interdisciplinary environment. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday (8am - 4:30pm) EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN2EDRPCoordinators@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

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 evaluation. 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.