Physician - Cardiologist

Summary

Beckley VA Medical Center is a Joint Commission accredited - level II facility serving Veterans in 11 counties in southern West Virginia. The medical center opened its doors to Veterans on March 1 - 1951 - and today it is a 25-bed general medical/surgical and 5-bed intensive care facility with a 50-bed community living center. The community living center offers skilled nursing care - post-acute rehabilitation and restorative care - hospice - palliative care - and respite care for eligible Veterans.

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.

• 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: Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) leading to eligibility for board certification - OR Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) leading to eligibility for board certification - OR One year of post medical school training (internship - first year of residency - or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States - OR Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement) - 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
• Exceptions 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
• Grandfathering Provision
• Employees in VHA in this occupation - under a permanent - appropriate - and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard - are considered to have met all basic requirements for the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed - the following provisions apply: (1) Such employees are considered to have met the basic qualification requirements for the purposes of transferring or reassignment to another Physician position within VA
• (2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard
• (3) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of re-entry to the occupation
• (4) Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional certification that meet all the basic or assignment-specific qualification requirements of this standard must maintain the required credential as a condition of employment in the assignment
• NOTE: This provision is not intended to correct erroneous appointments and placements
• Preferred Experience: Board Certified - 3-5 years experience
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit
• Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be able to perform all the activities of the position without restriction.

Duties

• The major duties and responsibilities include - but are not limited to: Administer emergency cardiac care for life-threatening heart problems - such as cardiac arrest and heart attack
• Advise patients and community members concerning diet - activity - hygiene - or disease prevention
• Answer questions that patients have about their health and well-being
• Calculate valve areas from blood flow velocity measurements
• Compare measurements of heart wall thickness and chamber sizes to standards to identify abnormalities - using the results of an echocardiogram
• Conduct electrocardiogram (EKG) - phonocardiogram - echocardiogram - or other cardiovascular tests to record patients' cardiac activity - using specialized electronic test equipment - recording devices - or laboratory instruments
• Conduct exercise electrocardiogram tests to monitor cardiovascular activity under stress
• Conduct tests of the pulmonary system - using a spirometer or other respiratory testing equipment
• Design and explain treatment plans - based on patient information such as medical history - reports - and examination results
• Diagnose cardiovascular conditions - using cardiac catheterization
• Diagnose medical conditions of patients - using records - reports - test results - or examination information
• Explain procedures and discuss test results or prescribed treatments with patients
• Inject contrast media into patients' blood vessels
• Monitor patients' conditions and progress - and reevaluate treatments - as necessary
• Observe ultrasound display screen - and listen to signals to record vascular information - such as blood pressure - limb volume changes - oxygen saturation - and cerebral circulation
• Obtain and record patient information - including patient identification - medical history - and examination results
• Order medical tests - such as echocardiograms - electrocardiograms - and angiograms
• Perform minimally invasive surgical procedures - such as implanting pacemakers and defibrillators
• Perform vascular procedures - such as balloon angioplasty and stents
• Prescribe heart medication to treat or prevent heart problems
• Recommend surgeons or surgical procedures
• Supervise or train cardiology technologists or students
• Talk to other physicians about patients to create a treatment plan
• 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: Mon-Fri - 8am-4:30pm Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be Authorized