Physician (Inpatient Spinal Cord)

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 Responsibilities Our hospital provides primary care and specialty health services, including mental health services, physical therapy and rehabilitation, spinal cord injury treatment, and more. Located on the Georgia/South Carolina border, the city of Augusta, GA lies on the Savannah River, which supports its diverse economic endeavors as well as vast recreation options. The city is the center point of the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA), a 13-county region that includes both Georgia and South Carolina. It is located within close proximity to many major southern destinations including Atlanta, Columbia, and Charlotte. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): 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: The incumbent may work in one or all the following units: SCI Inpatient wards, SCI Clinic, and as a consultant to facility wide services. The incumbent reports to the Assistant Chief Spinal Cord Injury. The incumbent will, as defined by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and the subspecialty SCI Medicine, admit, evaluate, diagnose, and provide treatment or consultative services to patients in need of SCl/D care. Upon providing competency and receiving approval, the incumbent may also perform specialty procedures as delineated in their clinical privileges. The incumbent will be responsible for providing care to patients and will participate in the physician on call rotation. The incumbent will assist the Service Chief in reviewing all interfacility consults (IFC) directed to the SCI service from the medical center or SCI spoke sites and will provide consultative services to spoke site providers as needed The incumbent will assist the Service Chief in reviewing the records of all new injuries referred to the SCI center and deciding as to whether the patient is appropriate for services at the SCI center. The incumbent will assist the Service Chief ensuring that the service line meets all the SCI performance measures or health systems indicators. The incumbent will assist the Service Chief in investigating issues that arise within the inpatient/outpatient services and will formulate action plans to resolve these issues. The incumbent will assist the Service Chief while working with the SCI Business Manager and Admissions Clerk in managing the inpatient census and scheduled admissions based on staffing levels. The incumbent will be responsible for the supervision and evaluation of midlevel providers assigned to the service. The incumbent may be asked to attend meetings and act as a representative for the SCI Service Chief. The incumbent will function as the acting SCI Service Chief in the absence of the SCI Service Chief and Assistant SCI Service Chief. The incumbent will perform other duties as assigned by the SCI Service Chief. The incumbent will comply with all established customer service protocols and demonstrate professionalism in terms of good judgment, ethical behavior, and professional demeanor always, in contacts with patients, peers and other employees. The incumbent will always be attentive to the unique requirements per the age of the patient, the development capabilities of the individual and the cultural needs of the patients in all considerations of the type of care provided. Computer security policies will be always followed with the strictest attention being paid as to HIPAA requirements to protect patient information. Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday. Requirements Conditions of Employment 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 ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification 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. 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. Preferred Experience: Should be certified (or Board Eligible if within one year of completion of residency/fellowship) in their specialty. Certification in the subspecialty of Spinal Cord Injury Medicine is desirable but not required. The incumbent must prove successful completion of an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or American Osteopathic Association approved post-graduate residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Internal Medicine, or Family Practice. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit Physical Requirements: Update the physical requirements to the following: Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others. Depending on the essential duties of a specific position, usable vision, color vision, hearing or speech may be required. however, in most cases, a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid. 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, or Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate 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. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.