Chief Hematology/Oncology

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.

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Duties

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EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact View email address on click.appcast.io, 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

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF ASSIGNED DUTIES.

The Chief of Hematology / Oncology would be responsible for the administrative management of the department and is expected to provide comprehensive patient care through hematological /oncological consultative patient and daily care of Veterans. In addition, this VA boasts a robust cancer clinical trials program that will require the support of the department chief. A clinical appointment at Columbia University Irving Medical Center is included with the position. The Chief of Hematology / Oncology maintain high clinical standards that are carried into decision- making processes, and continually strive to maintain and enhance teaching skills to effectively teach fellows from our academic affiliate, Columbia University.

The functions or scope of assigned duties include, but are not limited to the following:

• The Physician is a board-certified physician with advanced clinical experience as well as demonstrated administrative and leadership skills.
• Will perform hands on clinical work, oversight, and administration of all aspects of the Hematology/Oncology Section, and may include guidance and training for medical residents, fellows and/or other trainees.
• Current BLS required.
• Interviews, examines, selects diagnostic testing appropriately, and interprets/collates results to coordinate patient care.
• Communicates and documents with clarity to patients and medical personnel to coordinate patient care.
• Supervision of Physicians including annual proficiency rating and determination of pay for performance.
• Monitoring of clinical competence of staff through FPPE and OPPE completion.
• Supervision of all staff including midlevels within the Hematology/Oncology Section.
• Consultative input to patient care. Collaborate with midlevel providers and physician colleagues with clear communication and documentation.
• Participate in the educational programs for the Section personnel as well as the medical staff.
• Participate in monitoring the quality, safety, and appropriateness of patient care, both at the Section and facility level. Miscellaneous activities of the FxHCC Medicine Section inclusive, but not limited to special projects that help fulfilland/or enhance the mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs as assigned by the Medical Subspecialties Chief and/or Executive Leadership.
• Demonstrate ethical conduct and serve as a positive role model to others at all levels of the organization
• Participate in quality assurance programs and chart reviews.
• Attend Medicine Section staff meetings and Medical Staff meetings as per bylaws.
• Complete medical records in accordance with Bylaws and Rules and Regulations of the Medical Staff.
• Participate in Medical Staff committee assignments.
• Perform all other duties assigned by the Medical Subspecialty Section Chief and/or Executive leadership team.
• Participate in, and attend, CME activities and VA continuing educational activities

• Participate in the selection of new staff when requested; prepares for promotions and recognition of outstanding performance of staff he/she collaborates with and/or supervises if applicable.
• Revise work schedules and assignments to meet frequent, abrupt, and unpredictable changes in prescribed workloads and deadlines to meet patient care, healthcare, and agency needs. Follows agency and Service level expectations for time/attendance and modification of clinical duties for planned leave.
• Participate in various facility programs designed to enhance and improve the delivery of patient care services, such as Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) teams, as assigned by Section Chief and/or Chief of Medical Service.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm

Requirements

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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: At least 5 years of Hematology/Oncology practice

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

Physical Requirements: This position requires: lifting, carrying; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; walking (8 hours); standing (8 hours); repeated bending; working alone; protracted or irregular hours of work and occasional emotional strain.

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:

1. Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or
2. 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.
3. 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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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