Physician-Neurology

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 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. Responsibilities The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center serves as the primary health care provider for more than 151,000 Veterans in southeast Texas. Houston exudes a cosmopolitan and down-home vibe together that lets the residents of the country's fourth-largest city and third-largest county (Harris) know that there's no place quite like Houston. The city attracts visitors and transplants with a wonderful mix of world class arts, booming business, pro sports and award-winning cuisine. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for highly qualified applicants. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact Sharon Rogers(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 areas of responsibility include. The primary role of this physician will be to cover the Multiple Sclerosis(MS) clinic to include: (1) the care of adult patients with MS and other associated Neurological disorders, and (2) teaching residents, fellows, and medical students. In addition, this physician is expected to be part of an interdisciplinary team consisting of physicians from Neurology, Rehab, SCI, along with support staff from PT/OT/Speech/social work. Physician will lead the Houston MS Regional Program and will be working with the MS Center of Excellence and National Neurology Program office in ensuring smooth operations of the Houston MS program. Professional Duties of Staff Neurologist: This physician is expected to be on the Ward and/or Consult services in two-week or four-week blocks. Duties include, but are not limited to: Assess the needs and plan intervention for individuals/families Facilitate the delivery of care expected from an MS subspecialist and a general Neurologist Perform initial histories and physical examinations Screen outpatients to determine the need for further Neurological Care Order diagnostic studies such as laboratory tests, CT scans, MRIs, PET scans, EEGs, EMGs and other electrodiagnostic tests Perform and supervise Lumbar Punctures Exercise medical decision-making and provide a broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic services Exhibit leadership in initiating changes in patient care programs based on current concepts and findings from research and/or studies Direct involvement in patient care, patient and family teaching, staff education and multidisciplinary consultations and collaborations Participate in education of PA students, NPs, Fellows, Residents, and medical students and supervise mid-level practitioners as assigned Consistently demonstrate expertise in diagnosing and treating seriously ill multi-symptomatic patients Serve as a resource person for standards development Initiate and expedite requests for consultations and scheduling special tests and studies Provide education and counseling of patients and families in neurological conditions, and use of prescribed treatments and drugs; and other duties as assigned. Be proficient in other components of patient management such as charting, progress notes, signatures, preparation of consults, referrals, telephone consults with specialists at the Medical Center that are an integral part of the clinical team. Integrate both mandated health screening and guidelines for treatment into the practice. Basic computer proficiency and willingness to learn VA's EMR. Complete clinic progress notes on the same day or within 24 hours of seeing a patient. Timely sign progress notes of patients seen by trainees Perform other duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm. The physician will be rounding with the ward and consultation teams every day as assigned to these services. During the Ward or consultation service, physician will be on call from 4:30 P.M. to 8:00 AM on weekdays, and from 4:30 P.M. on Fridays through 8:00 A.M. on Monday. The physician will cover both services on weekends. 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. 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 allopathic 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 accrediting bodies for graduate medical education, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA), in the list published for the year the residency, or fellowship if applicable, was completed; OR (2) 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 (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified 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 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. In rare and unusual circumstances, the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer, who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience, accomplishments, performance, and qualifications warrant such action. Proficiency in spoken and written English. Preferred Experience: Board Certified/ board eligible in Neurology Multiple Sclerosis/Neuroimmunology Fellowship trained Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit 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. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, confirmation must be made that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirement for year 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 is an open continuous announcement. Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available. 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.