Summary This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2025. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications and subsequent cut-off dates are on the 1st of each month. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled Responsibilities Assistant Chief Duties include but not limited to the following: The incumbent will serve across one or more units, including SCI inpatient wards, the SCI clinic, and as a consultant to broader facility services. Reporting directly to the SCI Service Chief, the role encompasses both primary and consultative care for SCI/D patients. Key responsibilities include: Admitting, evaluating, diagnosing, and treating patients in accordance with ABPMR and SCI Medicine standards. Managing a panel of primary care SCI/D patients and participating in the physician on-call rotation. Reviewing interfacility consults and providing guidance to Spoke site providers. Assessing new injury referrals for appropriateness of SCI/D center admission. Supporting performance measure compliance and clinical quality benchmarks. Investigating inpatient/outpatient service issues and proposing actionable solutions. Specialty procedures may be performed upon demonstration of competency and approval of clinical privileges. This role will require close collaboration with the SCI/D Business Manager, Admissions Coordinator, and Program Support to manage the inpatient census and scheduled admissions in alignment with staffing capacity. A strong operational grasp and responsive coordination will be essential to ensure continuity of care. The incumbent will also supervise and evaluate mid-level providers on the Service. This includes providing performance feedback, supporting professional development, and ensuring clinical standards are upheld. In addition to direct patient care responsibilities, the incumbent will oversee the SCI/D Telehealth Program. Working closely with the Nurse Telehealth Coordinator, they will be tasked with meeting strategic goals set at the Medical Center, VISN, or Central Office level. Their leadership in this area will be instrumental in scaling virtual care delivery. There may be occasions where the incumbent is asked to attend meetings or represent the SCI/D Chief. They will also serve as Acting SCI/D Chief during any absences and must be prepared to carry out other duties as assigned. To ensure alignment with VA hiring standards, the incumbent for this position must be either Board Certified or Board Eligible (within one year of completing their residency/fellowship) in their specialty. Completion of an accredited residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Internal Medicine, or Family Practice is required, as per VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G2. While certification in Spinal Cord Injury Medicine is preferred, it is not mandatory. The selected candidate must also consistently demonstrate professionalism, sound ethical judgment, and attentiveness to patient age, developmental stage, and cultural background when delivering care. Compliance with HIPAA and all computer security protocols is non-negotiable. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized. Relocation Expenses: May be authorized according to agency policy. Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized. Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized. 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. Work schedule subject to change based on agency need. Requirements 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. You may be required to serve a probationary period. 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 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). 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. Additional Requirement: Preferred Experience: Certification in the subspecialty of Spinal Cord Injury Medicine is desirable but not required. The incumbent must prove successful completion of an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or American Osteopathic Association approved post-graduate residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Internal Medicine, or Family Practice. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Must be able to physically and mentally perform the duties of Physician under normal and emergent conditions. Moderate lifting 15-44 lbs and over with assistive devices, heavy carrying of 15-44 lbs and over with assistive devices; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers, both hands required, walking or standing up to 4 hours per day; repeated bending up to 1-2 hours per day; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination; near vision correctable; hearing aid permitted. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. 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, or Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate 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.