Staff Physician

Summary

As a Staff Physician you will practice mission-focused medicine and provide comprehensive primary and urgent care to individuals in federal custody while working within a collaborative, multidisciplinary federal healthcare system.

Sites may be eligible for additional assignment pay and National Health Service Corps Loan Repayment.

This position is only open to USPHS officers and Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidates.

Duties

Duties And Responsibilities

• Provides medical care to a diverse international patient population in an ambulatory care setting and provides infirmary-based care to patients in facilities with a medical housing unit. Patients may include adult men and women, children, and family units depending on the facility. Works in concert with facility staff and consultant specialists to ensure the provision of necessary health care services for their patients. Utilizes communication assistance resources to ensure patients with limited English proficiency and/or communication disabilities can communicate and understand their plan of care.
• Performs all duties in accordance with accepted medical practices and standards of care as defined by community professional medical standards. Operates within the scope of practice as granted in their clinical privileges.
• Collects comprehensive medical and social history to include a review of all body systems. Conducts initial and follow-up assessments to address acute and chronic detainee health care needs. Examines and orders appropriate diagnostic testing and provides necessary treatment and/or medications as required. Refers selected cases to consultant specialists when necessary. Refers detainees requiring hospitalization to a local hospital and to an appropriate admitting physician.
• Cares for the more complex patients or those referred by an advanced practice provider (APP) due to concern requiring greater skill in medical management.
• Expected patient encounter rate is approximately one patient every 30-45 minutes, which includes the evaluation and medical record documentation.
• Reviews and co-signs all medical documentation assigned by other health care personnel, to include health assessments, medical housing unit admissions and discharges, and medical care.
• Serves as a consultant for APPs and other clinical staff, providing clinical oversight and direction. This may include designation as a collaborating physician for APPs and directing the scope of practice for medical assistants. Incumbent may be solicited to provide input for the performance rating of APPs and other clinical staff.
• For facilities with a medical housing unit, incumbent make rounds on detainees admitted to his/her care with APPs and nursing personnel. The physician may evaluate detainees who are in segregated status in their designated housing area or are housed in segregation units.
• Renders emergency medical/surgical/mental health services as required.
• Ensures that proper evaluations and treatments are carried out and documented. Incumbent constantly monitors and evaluates the quality of patient care, providing data to the departmental Performance Improvement program, and other agencies or committees as required.
• This is primarily a weekday, day-shift clinical position with shared on-call responsibilities. On-call coverage is shared among site physicians and APPs; return-to-facility activations are infrequent but may be required.
• May be asked to see patients on an interim basis who are not in the category of his/her clinical expertise.
• May be asked to function as the clinical director in his/her absence.
• May be called on to assist in the operation of other clinics, upon the absence of the regularly assigned physician.
• Assures proper maintenance of medical records, preparation of reports, etc., as related to the area of responsibility. Makes recommendations on matters of policy, procedures, training, personnel, and equipment as related to specific area of responsibility.
• Participates actively in Health Services medical in-service programs. Assists with training for APPs, nursing staff, support services personnel, and peer professional staff.
• As needed, works with and is assigned to various committees. Along with all other correctional institution employees, incumbent is charged with responsibility for maintaining security of the institution.
• Follows supervisory chain of command.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position.
• You must successfully pass a background investigation.
• You must successfully pass a drug screen.
• Males born after 12/31/59 must certify registration with Selective Service.
• Requirements by Closing Date: Unless otherwise noted, you must meet all requirements by the closing date of the announcement.
• Service Remaining Requirement Agreement: Upon appointment to this position, officers will be required to serve an 18 to 24-month commitment to IHSC.
• ASSIGNMENT PAY AGREEMENT: You must not have a current Assignment Pay Agreement. However, if you have a current Assignment Pay Agreement, it must be fulfilled within 90 days of your application submission.
• Applicants must be a current USPHS Commissioned Corps Officer or USPHS Call to Active Duty (CAD) candidate.

Civilians are not eligible for this position.

• PHS officers must participate in IHSC TDY On-Call Schedule (ITOS.) ITOS is either an entire month or two 16-day periods a year where, depending on the needs of the agency, the officer is required to be available to serve.

Qualifications

COMPETENCIES:

• Demonstrates clear and effective oral and written communication skills.
• Represents the agency and its interests with external parties in a positive manner.
• Demonstrates technical proficiency by applying relevant knowledge and skills to perform work in accordance with applicable guidelines.
• Assigns, monitors and evaluates the work and behavior of others in a proficient manner, setting and communicating clear expectations.
• Leads by communicating a vision for work unit, translating broad organizational goals into concrete objectives, plans, priorities and assignments.
• Demonstrates IHSC core values of integrity, commitment, accountability, service and excellence in discharge of duties.

Physical Demands

• Requires physical exertion such as repetitively lifting objects greater than 30 pounds for brief periods of time.
• Required to perform CPR/emergency care standing or kneeling.
• Must have the ability to assist sick, injured or aging detainees or staff exiting a building (may require lifting, dragging, wheeling or carrying someone who weighs significantly more than oneself).
• The work may necessitate some physical characteristics that will be required when responding to an emergency, such as running short distance, prolonged standing and providing medical care within a secure detention facility environment.

Education

Required Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Must satisfy minimum U.S. Public Health Service degree qualifications for a physician.

a. M.D. from a U.S. or Canadian program accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education sponsored by the Association of American Medical Colleges and the American Medical Association (AMA); or

b. D.O. degree from a program accredited by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA); or

c. Certified by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates if you are a graduate of a medical school that is not located within a U.S. State or territory or other jurisdiction, or a Province or Territory of Canada

• One completed year of postgraduate medical education (e.g., internship or first year of residency training) in a program accredited by the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education of the AMA or the Bureau of Osteopathic Education of the AOA.
• Current, unrestricted, and valid medical license from any U.S. state, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, or Guam
• Completion of three years of medical specialty training in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, or other primary care specialty leading to board eligibility in that field, with board certification preferred, and at least 1 year of directly related, professional experience performing professional or scientific work in a field of medicine providing direct patient-care services.
• Certification of American Heart Association Basic Life Support for Healthcare Providers, or equivalent, is required.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a valid Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration for prescribing controlled substances.
• Typing proficiency and experience with electronic heath record documentation.
• Flexibility and ability to adapt to sudden changes in schedules and work-related requirements.
• High degree of independence, initiative, clinical judgment, and follow-through on a wide range of sensitive, complex, and clinical issues.
• Experience in correctional or detention medicine is preferred.

Additional Information

As a Staff Physician with ICE Health Service Corps, you will practice mission-focused medicine as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Public Health Service. Our physicians provide comprehensive primary and urgent care to individuals in federal custody while working within a collaborative, multidisciplinary federal healthcare system. This role allows physicians to focus on high-quality clinical care and public health impact without many of the administrative pressures common in private practice. Physicians in this position gain exposure to complex clinical cases, population health challenges, and interdisciplinary care delivery while developing leadership skills. This role offers the opportunity to grow as a clinician, contribute to national service, and help shape systems of care that support patient safety and clinical excellence.

• Practice meaningful medicine with purpose - provide essential care to a medically diverse and underserved population.
• Work-life balance and professional stability - predictable schedules, the support of a team-based care model, and many sites qualify for additional assignment pay and loan repayment
• Lead and innovate - contribute to clinical initiatives, quality improvement efforts, and the advancement of detention healthcare within a national system.

This position is located within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO), ICE Health Service Corps (IHSC), Office of the Deputy Assistant Director of Clinical Services. The incumbent serves as a Staff Physician for one of the IHSC health care facilities located across the nation. The incumbent reports directly to the site clinical director or assigned supervisor. This is a non-supervisory position.

The incumbent provides direct medical care and collaborates with other members of the IHSC detention facility staff to ensure the provision of medical care for detainees in ICE custody.

IHSC has a multi-sector, multidisciplinary workforce of more than 1600 employees, including U.S. Public Health Service (PHS) commissioned officers, federal civil servants, and contract staff. The IHSC provides on-site direct patient care to approximately 15,300 ICE detainees at 20 detention facilities throughout the country and manages the provision of off-site medical care for detainees housed in approximately 240 additional Intergovernmental Service Agreement (IGSA) facilities. The ICE detainee cumulative population is approximately 34,000 detainees on any given day, with an average length of stay of approximately 90 days, and over 400,000 detainees annually. The IHSC also provides medical support during ICE enforcement operations in the air, on the ground and at sea.

Dhs Supervisory Controls

• DHS
• ICE
• ERO

Hhs Supervisory Controls

• DHHS
• USPHS CC

Supervisory Controls

The staff physician functions under and carries out, assigned duties, as directed by the Clinical Director or assigned supervisor. Their completed work is reviewed by the peer review process for satisfactory results and professional judgment. Guidelines are available but not completely applicable to all work situations. The officer must use individual initiative in interpreting and adapting guidelines to unusual work situations.

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.

A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.

ICE Health Service Corps offers a range of incentives and benefits designed to support physicians throughout their careers in federal service.

• Additional Assignment Pay: Certain hard-to-fill duty locations may qualify for additional assignment pay in accordance with U.S. Public Health Service policies.
• National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment: Many ICE Health Service Corps duty locations qualify for NHSC Loan Repayment Program eligibility, which may provide substantial student loan repayment for eligible physicians who commit to service.
• Career Development: Opportunities exist to grow into leadership roles such as Clinical Director, Regional Clinical Director, or national program leadership positions within the ICE Health Service Corps.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.

How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

We will review your resume and supporting documentation to ensure you meet the minimum qualification requirements. You may be selected for an interview at the hiring authority's discretion. You will be notified of selection or non-selection.