Career Center

Summary

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information - refer to Required Documents below. The Pain Medicine Physician will deliver comprehensive pain services as a core member of the Pain Medicine Section - supporting both patients and the broader Pain Management Team. This role provides care for Veterans within the Pain Medicine Section situated within the Neurology Service at the Washington DC VA Medical Center.

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
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Additional Requirements: Must have completed training in Pain medicine and be either board certified or board eligible
• Physical Requirements: Lifting up to 35 pounds - intermittently
• moderate carrying (15-35 pounds) - intermittently
• lifting over 35 pounds with assistive devices in accordance with the Safe Patient Handling Policy except in emergent situations requiring prompt patient care
• pulling - intermittently
• pushing - intermittently
• reaching above the shoulders - intermittently - both hands required
• walking - intermittently
• standing - intermittently
• kneeling - intermittently
• and repeated bending.

Duties

• This is OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30 -2026
• The initial cut-off date for referrals of eligible application will be January 30 -2026 with subsequent cut-off dates every month
• Eligible applications received after that date will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available
• The Pain Medicine Physician has specific responsibilities that include: Perform comprehensive medical and functional evaluations for Veterans referred to the Pain Clinic - including history - physical examination - and review of diagnostic studies
• Establish accurate pain diagnoses and comorbidities (e.g. - substance use disorders - mental health issues) and - in collaboration with the interdisciplinary team - develop individualized - integrated treatment plans that emphasize functional restoration and self-management
• Serve as the primary physician point of contact for the Interdisciplinary Pain Rehabilitation Program (IPRP) - completing medical evaluations for intake and follow-up as clinically indicated throughout the program
• Guide regular interdisciplinary case reviews and team conferences - ensuring cohesive patient care planning and communication for Veterans engaged in the IPRP
• Provide inpatient consultative services for Veterans admitted to the hospital experiencing acute pain - acute on chronic pain - or uncontrolled chronic pain
• Provide medication management for chronic pain conditions - focusing on polypharmacy reduction - opioid risk stratification - and utilizing non-opioid analgesics and adjuvant medications
• Manage opioid medications and perform opioid medication adjustments including tapers as indicated and in compliance with current VA/DOD Long-term Opioid Therapy Clinical Practice Guidelines - and local VA policies
• Evaluate - diagnose - and treat Veterans with opioid dependence/opioid use disorder and chronic pain - which may include initiation and management of buprenorphine products
• Perform relevant in-office/bedside pain procedures (e.g. - peripheral nerve blocks - trigger point injections) that align with the program's philosophy of functional improvement
• Possibly perform interventional pain care - including fluoroscopy and ultrasound-guided invasive procedures (e.g. - epidural steroid injections - medial branch blocks - radiofrequency ablations - joint injections) (Optional)
• Orders - performs - reviews - and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests - imaging - and other diagnostic studies necessary to optimize the pain care plan
• Follows up with Veterans regarding results per VHA standards to discuss care plans - changes to therapy - and additional monitoring or testing requirements
• Provide clinical assistance to nurse practitioners - physicians assistants - and other members of the interdisciplinary team
• Provide training and supervision of physician pain medicine fellows working within the clinic
• Work Schedule: M-F - 8:00 am - 4:30 pm VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• 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