Physician- Pathologist

Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs; Ann Arbor (MI); On-site; USD 200,000 - 280,000; Full time

Job summary

Veterans Health Administration, Department of Veterans Affairs, Ann Arbor VA Healthcare System is seeking a staff Pathologist (Anatomic and Clinical Pathology) to join the Department of Pathology. Board Certification in AP and/or CP is required, with a current unrestricted license in the United States.

Additional subspecialty training is encouraged, with on-call duties and active involvement in multidisciplinary conferences.

Qualifications

• Must be Board Certified in Anatomic and/or Clinical Pathology.
• Active medical license in any US state or territory.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Responsibilities

• Perform duties as Staff Pathologist in Anatomical and Clinical Pathology.
• Participate in Surgical Pathology, Cytopathology, Autopsy and Clinical Pathology services.
• Engage in multidisciplinary conferences (e.g., tumor board) and QA processes.
• Provide training and supervision to trainees and residents.
• Meet turnaround time requirements and maintain patient privacy in line with VHA policies.
• Potential to serve on hospital committees and supervise staff as assigned.

Skills

Board Certified in Pathology

English proficiency

Medical licensure

Education

Doctor of Medicine (MD)

Job description

Summary

This functional statement is specific to a physician position assigned under the PALMS at Ann Arbor VA Healthcare System (VA HCS) to perform duties as a Pathologist for Anatomical and Clinical Pathology. Pathologists working in the Department of Pathology at the Ann Arbor VA HCS must be Board Certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology. Additional training or experience in another subspecialty is highly encouraged.

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
• Required Qualifications: The physician must be Board Certified in Anatomic and/or Clinical Pathology and possess an active license in any state or territory in the United States - and must maintain privileges at all times at the Ann Arbor VAAA HCS - and maintain professional competency as indicated in their delineation of privileges Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Evaluation of physical - cognitive - and emotional fitness of candidates for appointment in VA is required prior to appointment
• Candidates must be capable of interactions with patients and health care personnel in a caring and professional manner
• The candidate must be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads - to function effectively under stress - to adapt to changing environments - and to display flexibility.

Duties

• Staff Pathologist will perform the following Core tasks: The physician will maintain professionalism - work ethic and responsibility to VA mission - Vision - and Core Values and coordinate and collaborate with the Ann Arbor VA HCS Chief of Pathology to meet the VA mission - to include provision of patient care in the context of a Patient Centered Care model
• Participate in Surgical Pathology - Cytopathology - Autopsy services - and Clinical Pathology
• Participate in Multidisciplinary on-site interdepartmental conferences such as tumor board etc
• Offsite conferences need to be approved by the service chief first
• Participate in QA - Performance and dashboards for pathology and for Ann Arbor VA HCS
• On-call 24/7 (Anatomic and Clinical) as delineated in monthly rotation schedule Required to participate in training and supervision of trainees and Residents
• Professional overseeing of lab operations (Anatomic and Clinical)
• Participate in departmental meetings - QA process or task delegated by Chief of Service to achieve the mission of Pathology and Lab Medicine Services and VA
• Provide support and educational interactions to pathology staff (technicians - transcriptionists - technologists - supervisors - lab managers and administrative staff) Inform the Chief of service for leave approval - tour of duty - time off from regular tour of duty or any related issues
• Meet turnaround time requirements for surgical - Non-Gyn cytology - Gyn cytology - FNA - autopsy - or other cases as defined by VHA pathology policy and performance measures
• To serve on medical center committees representing Pathology
• Fulfill obligations in completing mandatory training - competency - computer skills (work related) Maintains patient privacy and medical record in accordance with VHA policies
• Fulfilling all requirements related to accrediting agencies such as and not limited to CAP - The Joint Commission (TJC) - FDA - AABB - and VHA pathology policies and procedures
• Adhere to policies and procedures for VHA in general and medical center in specific
• The physician will be responsible to ensure that the staff and trainees meet VHA performance measure goals
• The physician may also be assigned duty as a supervising or collaborating physician for one or more mid-level providers
• The physician will participate on hospital committees as assigned
• Pathologists are responsible for providing Comprehensive Pathology Care for Veterans
• The provider should - in the context of a longitudinal relationship - fulfill all pathology care needs including gender and age specific Pathology conditions and diagnosis
• The pathologist will coordinate and communicate with the clinical provider regarding the diagnosis to ensure continuity of care
• All physicians are responsible to have read the Medical Staff Bylaws and to comply with the Bylaws
• All physicians are responsible to timely completion of all mandatory training
• Alternative or collateral duties may include management of a subsection of pathology lab/sub-section
• The subsection may be defined either by a pathology specialty or location of a separate lab
• Typically these duties are designated at the time of joining but sometimes during the course of employment - participation in special projects pertinent to assigned section may be necessary as the projects become available through strategic or other initiatives
• These are delegated responsibilities
• Most providers will need to act as surrogates for the pathology cases of their colleagues - when one or more of their colleagues are on leave
• All physicians will always work within their privileges - unless necessitated by an emergency
• Any task as designated or delegated by the Chief or Assistant Chief of Pathology 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: TBD