Career Center

The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center is seeking a Physiatrist for its Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) Section in the Rehabilitation and Extended Care Line. The PM&R staff physician independently provides clinical services to eligible Veterans. The physician is required to interact not only with the Veteran but also family, significant others, community agencies, and other staff. 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. Preferred Experience: Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: The Physical Requirements of this position are concerned with the mental and physical ability of the applicant to satisfactorily perform the duties of the proposed assignment and may include requisite laboratory and other screening as required by Federal regulatory agencies. Physician applicants must have the mental and physical ability to perform core privileges required by the specialty position in addition to any specialty privileges requested. Position requires walking, bending, stooping, and some lifting in the direct care of patients. There may also be extended periods of sitting. Work requires daily trips from employee's work-area to other areas throughout the Joint Ambulatory Care Center. ["Duties for this position include, but are not limited to: Broad based skills in the diagnosis and treatment of the full spectrum of acute and chronic rehabilitation conditions and ability to provide rehabilitation consultation services for these patient populations. Coverage of the inpatient rehabilitation unit. Interest and skills in the education of residents, fellows, medical students, and other health care trainees is a requirement, as the supervision of residents is a major duty of this position. Supervision of mid-level providers such as APRNS and Physician Assistants, in accordance with hospital policies and guidelines of the ACGME for Resident Supervision. Provides expert level clinical care in PM&R specific evaluations, diagnoses and treatment, including using telehealth modalities. Utilizes effective communication skills at all levels to enhance team functioning, patient care coordination, and leadership. Provides clinical care for all general rehabilitation populations. Provides consultation to professional staff within MEDVAMC and community providers concerning clinical assessment findings and appropriate patient treatment plans. Develops, implements, and documents the PM&R treatment plan patients, including prompt completion of clinical reminders. Provides leadership for outpatient amputee services and provides direct and comprehensive patient care to the Veterans involved in the clinic. Provides consultations for musculoskeletal evaluations and treatments to include expertise/experience in joint and soft tissue injections. Functions independently as a member of the MEDVAMC, with full clinical privileges. Assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessment findings, patient care decisions and documentation. Primary function is direct patient care. Plans, develops, and implements comprehensive, complex treatment and care management programs for individual patients or groups of patients to relieve pain, restore or enhance performance, and maximize ability to function as independently as possible. Performs appropriate assessments, evaluations, and treatments, involved in the prevention and management of physical disability, movement dysfunction, and pain resulting from injury, disease, disability, or other health-related conditions. Additional functions include the interpretation of tests and measurements to assess normal parameters of physiological functions as well as pathophysiological, pathomechanical, electrophysiological, ergonomic, and developmental deficits of bodily systems to determine diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and prevention. The physiatrist maintains communication with Veteran's primary care provider and makes appropriate referrals to allied health professionals within PM&RS (PT, OT, RT, KT), as well as specialty care providers outside PM&RS to ensure implementation of their recommended plan of care. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases\nPaid Time Off: 50-55 days of annual paid time offer 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)\nRetirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA\nInsurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)\nLicensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory\nCME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement\nMalpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided\nContract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting\nWork Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am to 4:30pm\nOn Call Requirement: There is an established on call schedule associated with this position."]