Summary
The Iowa City Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care System (VAHCS), is seeking a Chief of Nuclear Medicine for a part-time appointment at the imaging service line.
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: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard
• This can be found in the local Human Resources Office
• Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position
• Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.
Duties
"The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers.
This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest.
As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran.
This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community.
This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.
The Chief of Nuclear Medicine is responsible for: Planning for the provision of care, including adequate personnel, diagnostic equipment, and supplies to ensure availability of those procedures which are appropriate to the needs of the facility; Reviewing imaging requests ensuring proper protocoling of CT, MRI, ultrasound, and nuclear medicine exams/procedures.
Timely interpretations of radiology procedures and examinations.
Accurate documentation of procedures with the EHR as required by medical by-laws.
Maintaining required educational requirements Maintaining BLS, ACLS certification as appropriate; Maintenance of medical license and certification as required by facility by-laws.
Participation in training of medical students, residents and other allied trainees.
Evaluations from residents; Maintaining Personal dosimetry.
Ordering, approval, and scheduling of studies, listing those study orders requiring prior approval by a radiologist; Informed consent, including protocols for screening patients who require signature consent; Injection of intravenous contrast agents; Interpretation and reporting of procedures; Preliminary reports and communication of urgent results; Protocol and procedure manuals for each modality; MRI safety policy; Resident supervision policy, delineating levels of supervision (if the hospital has a residency program); Radiation safety procedures, including safe use of fluoroscopy and the reporting and documentation of excessive patient exposures.
Physician Productivity.
Monitoring the productivity of imaging physicians to ensure the average workload of the service meets VHA defined benchmarks, and developing corrective plans if it does not.
See Productivity and Staffing Guidance for Imaging Physicians Directive 2008-09.
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 Work Schedule: Typical work hours are Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm, additional information may be provided during interview process."
