Physician (Pain Management)

Summary

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2027. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applicants will be October 22, 2026 with subsequent cut-off dates every week. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until position is filled.

Duties

The Staff Physician, Pain Management, provides direct clinical pain care to Veterans as a member of the interdisciplinary Pain Management Team at VA Augusta Health Care System, established in accordance with the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) of 2016. The incumbent delivers comprehensive, patient-centered pain medical care through biopsychosocial assessment, diagnosis, and longitudinal treatment aimed at improving Veteran function and quality of life, applying the VHA Stepped Care Model for Pain Management. The Staff Physician reports to the Medical Director, Pain Management. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized to highly qualified candidates. Relocation Incentive: Authorized 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 Clinical Duties: Provides comprehensive pain evaluation, diagnosis, and longitudinal management for Veterans referred to Pain Management, including chronic non-cancer pain, cancer pain, post-surgical pain, neuropathic pain, and complex regional pain syndromes. Delivers care using a biopsychosocial framework, integrating pharmacologic, procedural, behavioral, rehabilitation, and Whole Health / complementary and integrative health modalities appropriate to each Veteran. Performs pain-related procedures within credentialed scope of privileges as clinically indicated (procedures may include trigger point injections, joint and bursal injections, epidural steroid injections, medial branch blocks, radiofrequency ablation, sympathetic blocks, and similar interventional pain procedures). Manages pharmacologic pain therapy in accordance with the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain, the Opioid Safety Initiative, and VHA controlled substance prescribing standards. Provides Medication-Assisted Treatment (MOUD) for Veterans with Opioid Use Disorder within the scope of DEA authority and X-Waiver credentialing (where applicable) in coordination with the Substance Use Disorder program. Adheres to Message Manager, encounter completion, and documentation timeliness standards. Provides consultative services via e-consult, SCAN-ECHO, telehealth, and clinical video telehealth as assigned. Provides Primary Care-Pain integrated services and consultation as assigned to Primary Care Service. Functions as a member of (or works closely with) the facility PMOP Triad and participates in program development and process improvement activities as assigned. Coordinates care with the interdisciplinary Pain Management Team, including addiction medicine, behavioral medicine, rehabilitation medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and Whole Health team members. Participates in interdisciplinary case conferences, pain team huddles, and complex patient case reviews. Coordinates transitions of care with Primary Care, Specialty Care, Mental Health, Palliative Care, and Community Care providers. Supports patient care in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS) when assigned, including coverage of Pain clinic providers on leave. Complies with all Opioid Safety Initiative requirements including MME monitoring, urine drug screening, PDMP queries, informed consent documentation, and naloxone offering. Documents pain treatment agreements and long-term opioid therapy informed consent per facility policy. Participates in ongoing peer review, OPPE, and FPPE processes per VHA Handbook 1100.19. Reports adverse events and near-misses via JPSR per VHA Handbook 1050.01. Maintains compliance with all VHA clinical performance measures applicable to Pain Management. Work Schedule: 7:30am - 4:00pm Subject to change based on the needs of the agency. Requirements

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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. 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 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. DEA registration with Schedule II-V authority. X-Waiver / buprenorphine prescribing authority preferred (or willingness to obtain within six months of appointment). Expertise or experience treating patients with Opioid Use Disorder including experience prescribing buprenorphine strongly preferred. Board eligible or board certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, American Board of Anesthesiology, or American Board of Family Medicine, with specialty or subspecialty boarding in Pain Medicine. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Standing, walking, lifting light loads, assisting patients with positioning and transfers. Must be able to use a computer to input orders, review reports etc. Must be able to communicate directions and patient orders. Light lifting (under 15lbs), light carrying (under 15lbs), use of fingers, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other, hearing (aid permitted), emotional stability, mental stability, working closely with others, working alone, and working with biohazardous materials.

Education

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 an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are: Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, confirmation must be made that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirement for year graduated. NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area. How You Will Be Evaluated

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. Other Information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.