Clarification from the agency

All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The Geriatric and Extended Care (GEC) Staff Physician serves within the Geriatrics and Extended Care service line providing high quality patient centered care to Veterans under Geri-PACT clinic in collaboration with the Medical Director and Program Manager. The Physician is responsible for the quality of care provided by the program, the productivity of the program and for the development and implementation of initiatives to meet the Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System (VCBHCS) mission.

The Staff Physician will provide comprehensive care, including diagnoses, and treatment of both acute and chronic conditions. Common diagnoses encountered in GERI-PACT include dementia, frailty, cerebrovascular disease, neurological disease, diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, degenerative arthritis, depression, and congestive heart failure. The Staff Physician will manage patients by completing face to face interdisciplinary team encounters, telemedicine encounters, or telephone encounters.

Core duties include obtaining patient histories, performing physical exams, formulating a working diagnosis and developing/implementing a treatment plan according to clinical guidelines and patient's goals and preferences. Other duties are determining disposition to the emergency department, hospital, Assisted Living Facility, Community Nursing Home, Home Health, Home Based Primary Care, and Hospice Care. Other routine duties are ordering lab tests, x-rays, EKG's and other diagnostic procedures, initiating and expediting requests to medical or surgical specialty consults. Other key duties are providing education and counseling to patient and family in preventive care, medical conditions and proper use of medications.

The Staff Physician may collaborate with other providers, and specialists in and outside of the VA system to manage or co-manage patients' health. Select mental health, medical and surgical specialty services are available on-site. Other medical and surgical subspecialties services are available through community contracts.

In addition to observance of Federal National and Local regulatory, policy, and accreditation requirements governing this Health Care System, this position encompasses the following examples of responsibilities.

- Participate in chart reviews, staff meetings, committees, and other process improvement initiatives.
- Put in practice medical care advances and practice standards.
- Demonstrate effective communication both down to staff and up to leadership, to include patient outcomes and issue briefs.
- Adhere to clinic procedures for patient scheduling & access.
- Respond to critical lab/diagnostic test result notifications in a timely manner.
- Ensure all encounters are closed the same day the visit was made, and complete documentation requirements in CPRS in a timely manner.
- Maintain and upkeep credentials required for privileging and re-privileging, and achieve competencies and performance as approved by the professional board.
- Assure appropriate oversight of delegated care activities of Nurse Practitioner, Pharm D in your team.
- Provide cross coverage to physicians within the approved and recommended privileges by the Professional Standards Board.
- Communicate the plan of coverage to the team members when taking leave of absence.
- Complete training requirements, employee health requirements and Environmental and Occupational requirements.

EDUCATION ELEMENT- Includes teaching and monitoring, coordination of educational programs - educational needs, setting education objectives, conducting educational programs, evaluating educational activities, and documenting.

• Assist the Medical Directors to carry out educational activities related to UME/GME.
• To act with full authority and accountability of the operation of the educational programs.
• Provide orientation to service rotation for program trainees, monitoring and coordination of educational activities, and comply with necessary trainee supervision.
• Show effectiveness in teaching and evaluation of trainees.
• Administer and maintain an educational environment conducive to educating the trainees in each of the ACGME competency areas.
• Prepare and submit all information required and requested by the ACGME; be familiar and oversee compliance with ACGME and Review Committee policies and procedures as outlined in the ACGME Manual of Policies and Procedures.

Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

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 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 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) 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 believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences.
  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; 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.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

• Board Certified/Board Eligible in Internal/Family Medicine or Geriatrics
• 5+ years experience in Geriatric/Primary Care setting.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal).
• Strong skills utilizing electronic medical record.

How you will be evaluated

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

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or other supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

Veterans' Preference Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.