Physician (Cardiologist)

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply

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Duties

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The Section of Cardiology at the Salisbury VA Health Care System (SVA HCS), a Complexity 1a facility, is seeking a physician with advanced training and expertise in adult Cardiovascular Disease to provide ambulatory clinical services in General Cardiology (non-invasive, non-interventional), primarily at Kernersville Healthcare Center. The Healthcare System has practice sites at Salisbury, Charlotte, and Kernersville. Participation in inpatient activities at the Salisbury VA Medical Center site is optional.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

Administrative:

• Serves as acting chief of the service (if appropriate), as needed.
• Provides guidance and support to the nurse practitioners assigned to Medicine Service in their respective areas of expertise.
• Provides guidance and supervision for the medical students and residents (interns, residents, and/or fellows) assigned to Medicine Service/subspecialty services and clinics according to the standards outlined in Center Policy Memorandum, 11-4, "Supervision of Postgraduate Residents," when assigned to do so by the Chief, Medicine Service.
• Participates in and attends medical center committees and/or teams as assigned by the Chief, Medicine Service and in his/her absence or absence of their respective Section Chief.
• Participates in various facility programs designed to enhance and improve the delivery ofpatient care services, such as Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) teams, as assigned by Chief, Medicine Service.

Clinical:

• Provides quality patient-centered patient care to both inpatients and outpatients for adults age l8-65 and older adults age 65+ as assigned by Chief, Medicine Service.
• Maintains clinical privileges in the areas of his/her expertise and in all areas required to carry out the duties of his/her assignments/responsibilities within Medicine Services.
• Demonstrate sound decision making skills, both clinical and administrative, which bring credit to the profession and serve to enhance the distinctive and contributory role of physicians.
• Facilitate the delivery of appropriate patient care in collaboration with other health professionals, medical center staff, and management.
• Serves as staff attending for sub-specialty consult service as assigned. Participates as a peer reviewer process when requested.
• Participates in multidisciplinary activities involving the treatment plan and discharge plans of patients admitted to the Medicine bed services.

Research:

• Supports the medical Center-wide research mission.
• Assists in conducting studies regarding treatment modalities, outcomes, and other aspects of patient care when appropriate.
• If involved in an ongoing research project, abides by all VA regulations governing research protocols/policies and/or procedures.

Additional Duties:

• Provide day-to-day clinical care in the Cardiology clinics primarily at the Kernersville HCC site
• Read Echocardiogram
• Supervise and read Stress tests (Exercise, Nuclear, Stress Echocardiograms)
• Read Holter Ambulatory Cardiac Rhythm monitoring (Ziopatch)
• Ensure high-quality, outcome-focused care through process improvement initiatives, data-driven practice, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
• Optional performance of Transesophageal Echocardiograms and Cardioversions
• Advance education and scholarship as a clinician-educator-researcher; supervise trainees; foster research and quality improvement projects aligned with section goals.

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be Authorized to highly qualified Candidate

Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more.

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [click to reveal email address]Rodney.Belk@va.gov, 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

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm

Requirements

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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 ([click to reveal website link]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 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.

Additional Requirement: Successful candidates will receive a faculty appointment at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, commensurate with experience and scholarly accomplishments. Flexible protected time supports educational and research activities within the clinician-educator-research track.

Preferred Experience:

• Board certification (ABIM) preferred; board eligibility considered.
• MD/DO with fellowship training in Cardiovascular Disease
• Board certification (ABIM) preferred; board eligibility considered.
• Active, unrestricted medical license in the U.S.
• Commitment to education, outcomes, and continuous improvement.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit [click to reveal website link]https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook Directive 5019

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:

1. Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted.
2. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted.
3. 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.

Additional 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.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

Benefits

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.