Physician - Chief of Microbiology

Section Chief of Microbiology

The incumbent serves as the Section Chief of Microbiology in Lab Medicine Service at the San Francisco VA Healthcare System (SFVAHSC). The usual duty station is at the SFVA Medical Center (SFVAMC), San Francisco, CA. The major duties of the Chief of Microbiology include, but are not limited to the following:

• Direct effective and safe operations that are in compliance with standards established by the College of American Pathologists (CAP), The Joint Commission (JC), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), etc.
• Ensure all laboratory operations meet regulatory mandates (success in accreditation inspections) and help maintain laboratory accreditation and certification.
• Provide clinical consultation on patient care to technical personnel and healthcare providers. Ensures communication and coordination between the laboratory and the clinical services. The Chief should always be available unless on personal leave, at which time he/she will appoint a designee to provide coverage (e.g., Section technical supervisor and/or Clinical Pathologist).
• Review and approve all new and revised Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) in Microbiology and ensures required periodic SOP reviews are carried out.
• Ensure accurate test results with turn-around-times (TAT) that meet the reasonable and possible expectations of the medical staff and accrediting agencies, when adequately supported with necessary resources from facility administration and human resource management services.
• Work and communicate with section technical supervisor/specialists and ensure appropriate testing reagents & supplies.
• Promote an effective, balanced relationship with academic affiliate(s), VHA business partners (diagnostic industry, vendor, reference lab) and other VHA facilities that result in a joint and mutually advantageous partnership.
• Participate in the Lab Medicine Quality Management (QM) program, addressing appropriate and practical QM needs as required by accreditation, regulation, internal and external assessments.
• Teach and supervise residents, fellows, medical students, CLS interns and other healthcare personnel who seek training within the field of pathology and laboratory medicine (P&LM) and clinical laboratory science. Ensures P&LM residency training and CLS internship training goals and objectives are met in the areas of clinical microbiology.
• Participate in scholarly and creative activities, which may include basic laboratory and/or clinical research, aiming to better serve patients.
• Service as the Assistant Site Director of UCSF Clinical Pathology Residency and/or Assistant Chief of Lab Medicine Service, etc.

US Department of Veterans Affairs