Physician - Cardiologist

Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Myrtle Beach (SC); On-site; USD 250,000 - 320,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration at the VA Medical Center in Charleston, SC, seeks a cardiologist to provide outpatient consultative services under Medicine and Cardiology. The role includes complex patient management, noninvasive cardiology, and coordination with cardiology imaging services.

The position emphasizes comprehensive outpatient care for Veterans, with a schedule Monday–Friday, and opportunities for teaching and collaboration with specialty services.

Qualifications

• US citizenship requirement; non-citizens may be appointed per VA policy.
• MD or DO degree from a school approved by the VA for the year of graduation.
• Current full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in the US.
• Residency training in an approved core specialty leading to board eligibility.
• Board certification or eligibility in Cardiology; faculty status considerations apply.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Experience in comprehensive outpatient cardiology care.

Responsibilities

• Performs and records history and physical examinations for clinic visits.
• Evaluates, consults, develops diagnosis, and manages the Veteran.
• Enters progress notes in the EHR and completes workload documentation timely.
• Provides medical care for acute and chronic conditions, with preventive care.
• Orders diagnostic tests and medications per approved formulary; monitors results.
• Educates patients on medical conditions, treatments, and preventive health.

Skills

Cardiology

Echocardiography

Outpatient care

Education

MD/DO degree

Board eligibility in Cardiology

Job description

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program - 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.

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
• Additional Requirement/Preferred Experience: Employee provides comprehensive clinical outpatient service to Veterans within the CBOC's
• The preferred candidate will be well trained in all aspects of noninvasive ambulatory cardiology including outpatient consultation - clinical management - and diagnostic evaluation and Board Certified or Board Eligible in Cardiology
• Echocardiography and radiology services will be available locally
• Primary duties will be in outpatient consultive management of complex patients with cardiology medical issues referred from VA primary care
• Secondary duties may include formal reading of ECGs - Echocardiograms - and Ambulatory ECG recordings
• The Cardiologist will be under the service of Medicine and Cardiology at the VA Medical Center in Charleston - SC - and will have access to supportive comprehensive cardiovascular services including interventional cardiology - cardiac electrophysiology - heat failure - and cardiac surgery offered there
• Occasional travel to the main medical center in Charleston may be required
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position involve primarily walking - sitting - talking - driving - use of the telephone - etc
• Strenuous physical activity is not required although the incumbent is expected to withstand pressure and stress as part of their day-to-day activities
• Light lifting - under 15 pounds - Light carrying - under 15 pounds - Hearing (aid permitted).

Duties

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• 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
• Duties include but are not limited to the following:
• Performs and records history and physical examinations and records data from clinic visits
• Evaluates - consults - develops diagnosis - and manages the Veteran.
• Enters progress notes in computerized medical record and completes workload documentation in a timely manner
• Provides medical care encompassing acute and chronic medical conditions and all appropriate preventive care for both male and female veterans.
• Orders diagnostic tests - medications - laboratory tests as medically relevant for each patient.
• Provides timely follow-up on results and patient inquiries - including and not limited to completion of view alerts - secure messages and other patient communications
• Determines medical assessment and develops treatment plans according to accepted protocols.
• Prescribes medications according to approved formulary - and in accordance with Federal and State Law
• Educates patients concerning medical conditions and recommended treatments
• (Specific topics include but are not limited to nutritional counseling - need for smoking cessation - need for periodic immunizations and health screening tests - acute and chronic disease management and other preventive health measures)
• Consults other specialties as appropriate - according to service agreements
• Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30am-4:00pm or 8:00am- 4:30pm.