The Surgical Critical Care specialist is responsible for oversight and organization of a surgical critical care team to provide patient care for surgical patients in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit of the Phoenix VA Health Care System. Expectations for this position will involve approximately 1/2 General Surgery and 1/2 Surgical Critical Care. 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: Formal Critical Care Fellowship training preferred. 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: VA Handbook 5019/1, Part II, Pre-Placement Physical Examination and Evaluation. ["VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Work Schedule: Varies. To be determined by hiring manager. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be eligible. 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 critical care surgeon is responsible for developing the scope of practice for surgical employees assigned to SICU and assuring implementation of quality improvement measures along with developing action plans to meet performance measures pertaining to surgical critical care. The incumbent designates priorities and objectives for the intensive care of surgical patients and supervises programs. The position serves as a consultant and advisor to subordinates, peers, and administration. Duties of this position include but are not limited to: Diagnose and treat medical and surgical disorders using the most appropriate techniques in providing quality care. Provide consultation for surgical patients of all surgical specialties in the intensive care unit. Participates in general surgery call and performs general surgical procedures in addition to procedures in the intensive care unit. Provide supervision, as appropriate, of trainees conducting direct clinical care. Be responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center as appropriate and outcome data as appropriate. Consult with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues. Remain involved in program evaluation. Maintain full clinical privileges as a member of the Medical Staff. Abide by Medical Staff By-laws. Works collaboratively with section chiefs in the department of surgery and the chief of surgery to evaluate performance of surgical care in the SICU. Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees. Participates in VISN/local critical care initiatives. Represents the Surgical Service on decision-making committees at the Medical Center that affect surgical critical care. Responsible for participation in Surgical services response in the event of critical occurrences of violence at the facility, disasters, and/or mass casualty occurrences. Oversees the establishment of intensive care unit monitors and outcome measurements within programs using data-driven quality assurance processes. Has programmatic oversight and shared responsibility of the SICU."]
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.
