Physician - Gastroenterology Section Chief

Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Salem (VA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

The Gastroenterology Section Chief at Salem VA Medical Center leads the GI section with a focus on patient care, education, and research. The role requires active supervision, collaboration with Virginia-based medical schools for Joint Faculty appointments, and ongoing program development to advance GI services within VA.

Qualified candidates will hold an MD/DO with an unrestricted license, board certification for faculty eligibility, and prior GI supervisory experience; English fluency is

Qualifications

• Must hold an MD or DO degree from an approved school.
• Current full and unrestricted U.S. medical license.
• Residency in an accredited core specialty with board eligibility.
• Board certification required for faculty status.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• Preferred GI Fellowship site director experience (≥3 years).
• Approximately 5 years supervisory GI experience preferred.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative leadership in GI section and oversee education/research activities.
• Coordinate with VTCSOM and VCOM for joint faculty appointment status.
• Lead clinical patient care, supervision, and clinical program oversight.
• Direct staff meetings, reporting, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Manage open encounters, scheduling, and trainee supervision.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

English proficiency

Education

MD or DO degree

Core specialty residency

Board certification (faculty eligibility)

Job description

Summary

The Gastroenterology Section Chief is a management position that supports VA's mission through administrative leadership - direct patient care - & oversight of their Section's educational & research activities. The supervisory physician must qualify for & receive a Joint Faculty appointment at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) & Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM). This position is located within Specialty Care at the Salem VA Medical Center in Salem - Virginia.

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: Must be board certified
• Preferred Experience: GI Fellowship Site program director experience of at least 3 years
• 5 years as a GI section chief/supervisory experience is preferred
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Duties

• 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 Duties include but are not limited to: The supervisory physician must complete VA Supervisor Training within their first 3 months of employment
• Must qualify for and receive a Joint Faculty appointment at Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) and Edward Via College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM)
• Patient Care: Practitioners are expected to provide patient care that is compassionate - appropriate - and effective for the promotion of health - prevention of illness - treatment of disease - and care at the end of life
• Medical/Clinical Knowledge: Practitioners are expected to demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical - clinical and social sciences - and the application of their knowledge to patient care and the education of others
• Clinical Judgment: To ensure practice-based learning and improvement - practitioners are expected to be able to use scientific evidence and methods to investigate - evaluate - and improve patient care
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Practitioners are expected to demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that enable them to establish and maintain professional relationships with patients - families - and other members of the health care team
• Leadership responsibilities: organizing staff meetings - communication both down to staff and up to leadership - to include heads up (for acute patient-related outcomes) and issue briefs
• The Section Chief works with the Service Chiefs and Administrative Officers to analyze data - prepare reports - and plan for improvement from a variety of VA reports and other performance measures created by VA
• Human Resources - Staff Management - and Time/Leave Management
• Clinical Management including indirect patient care: open encounter and open consult management - CPRS documentation requirements - oversight of clinic scheduling and access - ensuring staff productivity - and oversight of relevant performance measures
• The Section Chief functions as a liaison to Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) for Education and the respective Program Director for UME/GME issues
• He/she ensures orientation to service rotation for program trainees (GI fellows - residents - students)
• Practitioners are expected to show effectiveness in teaching - monitor and coordinate educational activities - and comply with necessary trainee supervision
• The Section Chief functions as a liaison to ACOS for Research for research issues concerning their section
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 7:45am - 4:30pm - may include some on call coverage.