Career Center

Summary

This supervisory position is located in Emergency Services - VA ECHCS - in Aurora - CO. This position provides support for the emergency - urgent care of Veterans within and/or traveling through the Aurora catchment area and ECHCS employees. The position also provides administrative oversight of the other physicians and nurse practitioners in the ED.

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 Eligible or Board Certified in Emergency Medicine Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Light carrying - less than 15 pounds
• Reaching above shoulder
• Use of fingers
• Walking 1 hour
• Standing 2 hours
• Sitting - mostly
• Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1-4
• Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other eye
• Ability to distinguish basic colors
• Hearing (aid permitted)
• Working with hands in water
• Working closely with others
• Protracted or irregular hours of work

Duties

• FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES: The Service Chief will represent the Emergency Department at various meetings within the Rocky Mountain Region VAMC and advocate for policies that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the ED
• The Service Chief will oversee the practice of emergency medicine and strive to implement best practices in accordance with the most up to date standard of care in the community
• The Service Chief will work with the Administrative Officer to ensure that administrative tasks such as annual performance reviews and Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluations (OPPE) are kept up to date
• The Service Chief will also be a practicing Emergency Physician in the Department
• The Physician practices in the Emergency Room Clinic at the ECHCS at the expert level
• The Physician is academically and clinically prepared to be responsible for managing the full spectrum of emergency care
• Emergency care at ECHCS includes - but is not limited to - assessment - diagnosis - treatment - and monitoring outcome measures of healthcare problems of patients presenting with emergent care concerns
• A nonexclusive list includes the following: performing histories and physicals - initiating and adjusting therapeutic regimens - ordering diagnostic and therapeutic tests/studies - initiating consults to specialty services - prescribing medications/supplies in accordance with VA policy and the VA formulary - and assigning appropriate follow-up care
• Physicians will be granted clinical privileges by the Medical Staff Office (MSO)
• Physicians must be certified in Out of Operating Room Airway management (OORAM) and Moderate Sedation
• The physician will work in a team setting with other physicians - nurse practitioners - registered nurses - and support staff assigned to perform duties to accomplish the treatment of ECHCS Veterans
• Computer skills are essential as the ECHCS is fully computerized for note documentation - entering orders - requesting consults - and all administrative functions which accompany the overall performance of duties
• Emergency Physicians will be required to attend staff meetings - Morbidity & Mortality (M&Ms) - and complete Peer review evaluations
• In order to ensure continuity of operations - physicians are also required to participate in a back-up call system to cover for each other in case of illness or family emergency
• Additionally - physicians will be assigned to a holiday coverage team and be required to work their share of holidays on a rotating basis
• SUPERVISORY CONTROLS: Emergency Physicians practice independently - using professional judgment and expertise to make decisions about services and treatment provided to Veterans
• The Physician will use best available standards and maintain up-to-date skills related to clinical medicine and skills related to the specialty of Emergency/Urgent Care
• The Physician reports to the Deputy Chief of Staff
• The Deputy Chief of Staff for ECHCS oversees the Emergency Department
• The Physician shall also report to others designated by rules and bylaws of the VA Medical Center
• Check Out These Benefits: VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards 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 Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8-430