Physician (Plastic Surgery) Section Chief

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs; Bay Pines (FL); On-site; USD 300,000 - 350,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Annual performance bonus

50–55 days paid time off

Sign-on bonus

Federal health, vision, and dental insurance

Job summary

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks an experienced Plastic Surgeon to serve as Chief of the Plastic Surgery section at Bay Pines VA Medical Center. The role includes providing clinical and strategic leadership, supervising medical staff, and ensuring high-quality surgical services. Ideal candidates will have a Doctor of Medicine degree, board certification in Plastic Surgery, and relevant experience. Key benefits include competitive salary, sign-on bonus, and comprehensive leave. This position requires on-site work within a supportive clinical environment.

Qualifications

• Must be a U.S. citizen at the time of appointment.
• Current, full, and unrestricted medical license required.
• Completion of approved Plastic Surgery residency training.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership for surgical services and ensure clinical, research, and education goals.
• Supervise medical staff including plastic surgeons, residents, and physician assistants.
• Participate in strategic planning and maintain a broad clinical skillset.
• Handle intermittent night and weekend calls.

Skills

Hand Surgery Skills/Experience

General Plastic Surgery Skills/Experience

Administrative Skills/Experience

Leadership Skills/Experience

Plastic Surgical Educational Experience

Education

Degree of Doctor of Medicine

Board Certification in Plastic Surgery

Job description

Summary

C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center's Surgery Service seeks an experienced and innovative Plastic Surgeon to serve as Chief of the Plastic Surgery section. The ideal applicant will contribute to achieving quality care standards and the growth and development of a VA academic hospital program. This role requires an excellent communicator, team player, and adaptability to the needs of a growing medical center.

Qualifications

To qualify, applicants must meet the basic requirements and any additional requirements 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. Current VA physicians who met 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.
• Education: Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree from a school approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed.
• License and Registration: Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or 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 in Plastic Surgery.
• (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 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), – or (2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), – or (3) Other residencies (non‑US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States) – which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and exposure.
• 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 or fee‑basis.
• PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged. Instead, 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.
• Board Certification: in Plastic Surgery.
• English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).
• Preferred experiences: Hand Surgery Skills/Experience; General Plastic Surgery Skills/Experience; Administrative Skills/Experience; Leadership Skills/Experience; Plastic Surgical Educational Experience.
• Physical Requirements: Must pass a pre‑employment physical examination as required by VA Handbook 5019. This examination is administered by VA Occupational Health. The position requires: light to moderate lifting (15‑44 lbs), light carrying (15 lbs and under), reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, both hands required, walking (up to 2 hrs), standing (up to 2 hrs), kneeling (up to 1 hr), ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, near vision correctable at 13‑16 in, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, depth perception, ability to distinguish basic colors, ability to distinguish shades of colors, hearing (aid permitted), emotional stability, mental stability, working closely with others and working alone.

Duties

• This is an open continuous announcement that will remain open until filled.
• Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis.
• Eligible applicants will be referred each week for consideration until a selection is made.
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.
• VHA Physician Total Rewards includes: competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases; paid time off: 50‑55 days per year (26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, 11 paid federal holidays, and up to 5 days paid absence for CME); recruitment incentive (sign‑on bonus) authorized; retirement: traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5% contributions by VA; insurance: federal health, vision, dental, term life, long‑term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement); licensure: one full and unrestricted license from any U.S. 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.
• The Physician (Plastic Surgery) Section Chief provides administrative‑clinical‑programmatic leadership for surgical services to ensure achievement of the clinical‑research‑and‑education goals of the program.
• Key duties include: overseeing clinical care, education, research, and administrative tasks at the Bay Pines VA and the Lee County health care facility (including periodic site visits to Lee County); active clinical and surgical practice.
• Supervising plastic surgeons, plastic surgery residents, general surgery residents, medical students, nursing staff, and physician assistants on site.
• Actively participating in strategic and tactical planning with strong leadership and management skills – including motivating and mentoring others.
• Requiring a thoughtful, interactive, forward‑thinking, and analytical approach.
• Maintaining a well‑trained clinical background with broad clinical skills and willingness to evolve and advance surgical skills.
• Intermittent night and weekend call.
• All work is done on site.
• Work schedule: Monday‑Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Work schedules are determined and approved by the supervisor; the incumbent may be required to work various shifts on a permanent or temporary basis based on facility/patient care needs.