Physician - Supervisory Ophthalmologist w/Recruitment-Relocation Incentive may be authorized/EDRP

Summary

The Amarillo VA Health Care System is currently recruiting for a full time Physician-Supervisory(Ophthalmologist) specializing in medical and surgical eye care to all enrolled Veteran patients. A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be considered for a highly qualified candidate. This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP).

Duties

Duties Include: Medical care includes examinations of the following: refractive status of the eye; eye and adnexa (eyelids, conjunctiva, tear ducts); internal eye structures; the surrounding boney orbit; the optic nerve.; refractive correction of nearsightedness, farsightedness, presbyopia (inability to see near objects) and astigmatism includes spectacles or contacts lenses. Topical medications (eye drops or ointment) include artificial tears for dry eye; antibiotics for eye infection; glaucoma drops; antihistamines; and others. Laser surgery is commonly used as treatment to reduce eye pressure in glaucoma, repair retinal tears, and reduce growth of new blood vessels in diabetic retinopathy. Common surgical management of the eye includes correction of eyelid position (entropion, ectropion); repair of lacerations (eyelid, cornea, eyeball); cataract surgery extraction with insertion of intraocular lens; glaucoma; muscle surgery to correct eye position; and surgical repair of retinal detachments. Obtain medical histories and performing routine and complex examinations on the eyes. Providing and coordinating medical care for assigned patients in any care setting, including establishing diagnoses Formulating and implementing care plans, and providing follow-up care Ordering diagnostic studies and other special tests, ie: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computerized Tomography (CT), scans, etc. Carrying out health promotion, disease prevention, and patient education activities Ordering and obtaining laboratory specimens Ordering ancillary services, such as Pharmacy, Social Services, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Therapies, Prosthetic Services, etc. Ordering VA specialty service consults and initiating requests for non-VA medical care and consults in accordance with VHA and local facility policy and procedures Ordering Patient care supplies Writing orders for or prescribing medications Obtaining and documenting informed consent for treatment and procedures Administrative Duties Include: Areas of oversight responsibility consist of: Ophthalmology and Optometry, and any other relevant specialty that is within the Surgical Service's purview. Supervising the clinical, technical, and ancillary staff in their respective duties within the Ophthalmology and Optometry section. Overseeing professional and administrative activities within the assigned division including selection, orientation and continuing education of staff in collaboration with other Physician leaders. Assuring that individuals with clinical privileges competently provide service within the scope of privileges granted. Provide leadership and accountability for all aspects of the section, assuring support of the mission and values of this health care system. Monitoring and ensuring compliance with agency regulations, medical staff bylaws, facility policies, Joint Commission (JC) standards, and other regulations. Utilize data about providers and available resources, to formulate strategic short term and long-range plans and goals for the service, and to address deficiencies. Formulate and implement general policies, procedures, standards, goals and objectives for the surgical service that are consistent with, and supportive of, the mission of the health care system. Demonstrate leadership in performance improvement and patient safety projects formulating policies and procedures to facilitate short- and long-range plans and goals for the service. Administrative Duties Continued Under Qualifications Section VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance 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 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. 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. Board Certification: Physicians are generally not required to be board certified for employment in VA; however, three circumstances in VA require Physician board certification: If the position being filled is required to be a Supervisor for medical students or Physician residents (including fellows), the LCME, ACGME, or AOA standards requiring a particular board certification credential will apply. If the position being filled will have faculty status with an affiliated medical school (for example, in joint recruitments with affiliated medical schools), then a medical school requirement for board certification will apply to the jointly recruited position. If the position being filled is required to be board certified by virtue of specific VHA policy (for example, as director of a cardiac catheterization laboratory or Director of Clinical Laboratory Medicine), then VHA policy requiring board certification will apply. Note: Board certification must be maintained for the duration of time that the employee is serving in a position that meets the circumstances listed above. Proficiency in spoken and written English. Preferred Experience: Board Certified/Board Eligible in Ophthalmology Examine and treat patients functioning as a comprehensive ophthalmologist clinically and surgically Determine the need for Surgical or Non-Surgical treatment Perform intravitreal injections for retinal diseases Perform minor or major surgical procedure related to injuries and disease Perform laser procedure for retinal diseases as well as anterior segment lases such as PI, YAG, etc. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Administrative Duties Continued: Assuring the timely and appropriate medical care of VA patients within the section. Implementing appropriate quality assurance and improvement measures on an on-going basis. Representing the service in assigned committees and/or meetings with influence on patient care.

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.