Career Center

Summary

The Primary Care Physician (PCP) is the leader of a Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) (physician - RN - LPN - and clerical associate) which provides direct care for Veterans enrolled in Primary Care at the Cincinnati VAMC main hospital or at one of its 6 Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC).

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
• Preferred Experience: Previous experience as a Primary Care physician providing direct patient care
• Board Eligibility or Board Certification by the American Board of Internal Medicine or Family Medicine is preferred
• Prior VA experience is a plus
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Per VA Directive and Handbook 5019 - a physical examination will be conducted based on the physical requirements of the position
• A physical examination prior to placement is required
• Long periods of standing or walking in the operating room setting and outpatient clinic will be encountered
• The mental/sensory requirements include recall - reasoning - problem-solving - hearing - speaking clearly - writing legibly - reading - and logical thinking
• The environment's pace can vary from steady to a sometimes-fast pace requiring handling of multiple priorities - frequent - sometimes intense customer - intense customer interactions - and the ability to adapt to frequent changes in a sometimes-noisy environment.

Duties

• SCOPE OF PRACTICE: The PCP is assigned responsibility for a panel of patients at a specific location
• However - the physician may be asked on some occasions to assist in patient care or administrative duties at the main hospital or at another site
• Duties include - but are not limited to: Provides clinical examination - diagnosis - and treatment of acute and chronic diseases - preventive care - and coordination of care for a panel of primary care patients
• Appropriate documentation of patient care in clinical records is expected
• Refers to specialists when additional input and treatment outside of the scope of the physician's experience and training is required
• Is responsible for monitoring PACT teamlet performance to assess adherence to VA standards - assure quality and effectiveness of care - and meet VA performance measures
• Outstanding customer service is expected
• Leads the team in assisting the patient advocate and administration in resolving patient concerns and inquiries
• The PCP reports to the Chief - Primary Care Line - who in turn is under the direct supervision of the Chief of Staff
• Every effort is made to ensure the physician is professionally competent and capable of handling the duties and responsibilities assigned
• Therefore - supervision of the physician is normally limited to administrative matters with minimal technical supervision required
• The physician is directed by local and national VA policy
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday
• 8:00 am - 4:30 pm VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Is being offered to qualified candidates
• 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