Staff Physician/Anesthesiologist
What you'd do
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. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.
Major duties
VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be offered to highly qualified candidates. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance 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 The Staff Physician (Anesthesiologist) provides professional anesthesiology services to patients at VA St. Louis Health Care System The responsibilities include preoperative evaluation, intraoperative anesthesia, postoperative care, and acute pain management. The physician will work in accordance with the facility's policies, procedures, and guidelines. Duties and Responsibilities: Preoperative Evaluation: Conduct thorough preoperative assessments including obtaining patients' medical histories, performing physical examinations, Order and interpret necessary preoperative tests and investigations. Develop individualized anesthesia care plans suited to the patient's clinical needs and procedural requirements and reviewing diagnostic tests and lab results. Determine risk factors and plan anesthesia care. lntraoperative Anesthesia: Administer anesthesia (general, regional, local) to patients undergoing surgical, diagnostic, or therapeutic procedures. Anesthesia Administration Administer various types of anesthesia, including general, regional, local, and sedation, based on the nature of the procedure and patient-specific factors. Monitor patients during procedures, adjusting anesthetics as necessary. Utilize a range of techniques such as inhalation agents, intravenous medication, nerve blocks, and spinal or epidural anesthesia. Implement and follow safety protocols to minimize the risk of adverse reactions and complications. Postoperative Care: Provide postoperative care to ensure patients safely recover from anesthesia. Manage pain and address any complications that may arise. Oversee the recovery of patients from anesthesia in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU). Assess and manage postoperative pain using multimodal analgesia techniques. Address postoperative complications related to anesthesia, such as nausea, vomiting, delirium, or respiratory issues. Pain Management: Assess and manage acute and chronic pain in patients. Devise and implement pain management plans. Critical Care: Provide anesthesiology services in critical care environments, including intensive care units (ICU). Manage critically ill patients, addressing issues related to ventilation, hemodynamic instability, and multi-organ support. Cardiac Anesthesia: Provide anesthesia care alone and/or with nurse anesthetists, and/or with student nurse anesthetists and anesthesia residents. Administrative duties include participation in hospital committees, academic presentations, and participation in M and M, and Performance Improvement activities. Provide anesthesia care to all Cardiac Cases, Structural Heart Procedures and perform Intra-op TEE (TEE certification recommended) Education and Training: Participate in the education and training of medical students, residents, and other healthcare professionals. Provide mentorship and guidance as appropriate. Quality Improvement: Engage in continuous quality improvement processes. Participate in departmental or facility committees to improve patient care and services. Anesthesia Administration: Administer various types of anesthesia, including general, regional, local, and sedation, based on the nature of the procedure and patient-specific factors. Utilize a range of techniques such as inhalation agents, intravenous medication, nerve blocks, and spinal or epidural anesthesia. Implement and follow safety protocols to minimize the risk of adverse reactions and complications. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm. Some Weekends, Holidays, and Cardiac On Call required.
What you need to qualify
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 allopathic 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 accrediting bodies for graduate medical education, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA), in the list published for the year the residency, or fellowship if applicable, was completed; OR (2) One year of post medical school training (internship, first year of residency, or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States; OR (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement), 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. Exceptions: 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 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. In rare and unusual circumstances, the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer, who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience, accomplishments, performance, and qualifications warrant such action. Proficiency in spoken and written English. Preferred Experience: TEE certification (preferred but not mandatory) Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: More details can be found in the VA 5019 handbook. Ability to perform physical maneuvers necessary for patient care including standing for long periods, lifting patients, and manual dexterity. Ability to handle high-stress situations and provide prompt patient care.
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