The Pittsburgh VA Medical Center is currently recruiting for an Interventional Radiologist who will serve a dual role as a subspecialist interventional radiologist and a diagnostic radiologist determined by workload and patient care needs. 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: None Preferred Experience: Board eligible /certified in radiology. At least 2 years experience as Attending Radiologist at a Medical Center affiliated with an ACGME-accredited Radiology Residency, including performance of advanced vascular, oncologic, and spinous interventional radiology procedures 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: Physical demands include repetitive body movements including the following: frequent reaching, standing, walking, and lifting of equipment and/or patients to provide patient care. This position requires extension of the hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction including above or below shoulder level, during the provision of patient care, including retrieval of needed equipment, supplies and to make contact with the patient. This position requires the maintenance of an upright position to perform duties associated with patient care. This position is typically non-sedentary, and frequently involves being in the standing position. This position requires moving about accomplish tasks, such as assisting with patient ambulation and moving one patient area to the next. This position requires the raising of objects from a lower position to a higher position or the movement of objects horizontally position to position. Lifting may be done to move a patient from one location to the next, i.e.- from the exam table to the chair, and in the movement of equipment or supplies. Note: Must have Basic Life Support (BLS) certification prior to assuming clinical duties. The BLS requirement is satisfied by successfully completing an American Heart Association (AHA) BLS Healthcare Provider Course or Military Training Network (MTN). BLS courses are normally offered within 1-5 days of entry on duty. No online certifications will be accepted. ["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 Interventional radiologist (IR) responsibilities include but not limited to: The interventional radiologist has primary responsibility for interventional radiology procedures. This includes review of IR orders for appropriateness and feasibility, pre-procedure preparation, knowledge and technical skill in image-guided procedures, post-procedure care and appropriate documentation in CPRS. Coordination of care within the IR team, with other staff in the medical center, and occasionally with providers outside the medical center is an essential function. The consultative role encompasses patient chart and imaging record review, and patient assessment that integrates the value of imaging and radiology procedures in patient management. The Interventional radiologist will need to competent in overall IR invasive procedures. Procedure examples are, but not limited to, TACE, Microwave ablations, Renal Cryoablations, suprapubic catheter placement, IVC placement, and peripheral stenting. Oversight of quality and safety Review exam requests for appropriateness. Prescribe exam protocols and modify as needed for specific clinical indications. Provide oversight of technical image quality with feedback to technologists. Provide clinical oversight of medication administration, including contrast, preps and other medications relevant to the Imaging Service. Participate in various aspects of quality assurance such as peer review, protocol review, appropriateness criteria and performance improvement. Image Interpretation and Consultation Interpret imaging exams including relevant exam comparison and correlation with clinical information in CPRS. Generate reports that contain pertinent findings and measurements, a description of normal and abnormal structures, discussion of differential diagnoses, recommendations and impression. Support patient care services with reports timely to the care being delivered with the method of communication appropriate to the level of clinical importance or acuity. Consult with providers on various aspects of imaging such as exam selection, review of results and other support functions. Participate in clinical conferences such as Tumor Board and others. Patient Care Interact with patients to obtain relevant clinical history and physical exam findings within the scope of radiology practice, provide education to patients and support, obtain informed consent, issue disclosures when appropriate, document in CPRS, enter orders in CPRS, and other aspects of physician practice. Participate in the coordination of patient care: Contact clinical providers as relevant to effective patient care, discuss evaluation, management, follow-up and other aspects of coordinated, patient-centered care. Integrate resources to provide current, optimal care: consult colleagues, research literature, maintain continuing education and other sources of current practice. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am-4:30 pm, on-call nights, weekends and holidays. Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Authorized This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application."]
The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,298 health care facilities, including 171 medical centers and 1,113 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.
