Summary The Chief of Pathology and Laboratory Service (P&LS) is a physician responsible for oversight of the full scope of Pathology and Laboratory services at the Eastern Oklahoma VA Healthcare System to include inpatient (acute care and critical care), outpatient services and procedural services. This vacancy may be filled either at the PFC Jack C. Montgomery clinic in Muskogee, OK, or at the Earnest Childers VA Outpatient Clinic in Tulsa, OK. Responsibilities https://youtu.be/3fMEu0iS7\_Q?si=Y5RtGcnKKbJGxxk6 FUNCTION OR SCOPE OF THE POSITION: The Chief of Pathology &Laboratory Services (P&LS) is a direct report to the Chief of Staff. The Chief of P&LS is responsible to determine strategic direction for the service and to meet organizational targets regarding pathology and laboratory services, and timeliness measures. The Chief of P&LS serves as the Chair of Transfusion Review Committee under the Executive Council of the Medical Staff Performance Improvement with oversight of quality and safety of services. The Chief of P&LS is responsible to provide direct supervision to the P&LS staff and to ensure that clinical staff functions within their privileges to meet organizational goals for quality, safety, and productivity. DUTIES/TASKS AND RESPONSIBLITIES: Has primary responsibility for supervising other Pathologists and professional staff in the Service, and to ensure that they are performing to the highest standards of clinical care excellence, time efficiency, professional and ethical behavior. Assures that Path and Lab care of patients in both outpatient and inpatient settings are smooth, patient centric and safe. This includes but is not limited to, collaboration and good communication with the Emergency Department, Subspeciality Services, Clinics in all areas of the medical center and Veterans' Service Center. Develops strong, collegial working relationships with other leaders within the medical center (both clinical and administrative), and with other service Chiefs/Section heads. Supervises all operational aspects of the Path and Lab Service, including establishment of the highest clinical care standards, operations, and quality: as well as daily functioning of the Path and Lab suite to maintain efficient and cost-effective provision of services while maintaining a high standard of patientcare. Participates in Clinical review process such as tort claims, peer reviews, management reviews, and administrative activities, as directed by the Chief of Staff. Ensures staff adheres to hospital policy, meetings, and exceeds community standards and VHA national benchmarks. Expected to maintain current medical knowledge and technical skills and provides both leadership and documentation that all Pathologists with the service are competent with respect to current privileging with the Path and Lab Service. Expected to Maintain excellent diagnostic, judgmental, and therapeutic acumen in the care of veterans receiving anesthesiology interventions. 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 EDRP Authorized: 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. Contact VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Contract Buy Out Program: This position may be eligible for the Physician / Provider Contract Buy Out Program (CBOP), which authorizes VHA to buy out service contracts (Locum agreements, loan repayments, sign-on bonus contracts, Physician-owned practices) in exchange for employment at certain rural or highly rural facilities for a period of obligated service (minimum 4 years). For additional information and eligibility requirements, contact the VHA Contract Buy Out Program Manager at vacontractbuyoutprog@va.gov. Work Schedule: M-F 8:00am to 4:30pm 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. Preferred Experience: Board Certified or Board Eligibility preferred. Progressive leadership experience within prior 5 years of experience, with increased levels of scope and responsibilities. 5 years of prior clinical experience. Signing out surgical pathology and cytopathology cases preferred but not required. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Light carrying less than 15 pounds, Use of fingers of at least one hand, Walking 1 hour or less (gait/mobility aid permitted),Standing 1 hour or less (gait/mobility aid permitted),Mostly sitting, Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4,Far vision correctable to 20/40,Hearing (aid permitted),Working with hands in water, Working closely with others, Protracted or irregular hours of work 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.