Chief of Pathology (Pathologist FT)

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards.

Recruitment/Relocation Incentive: Authorized for highly qualified individual

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 $1000 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 White River Junction VA Medical Center Chief of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (PALM) oversees the clinical and administrative responsibilities within the PALM service line. Pathologists working in the Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Services (PALM) at the White River Junction VAMC must be Board Certified in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology. The Chief will perform the following Core tasks:

• Directly or indirectly supervises all individuals in the service.
• Ensure completion of administrative tasks within the service.
• Complete or supervise completion of interim and annual performance appraisals on all individuals on the service organizational chart.
• Participate in Credentialing and Privileging actions such as FPPEs OPPEs FCCR for Cause etc.
• Organizes quality assessment and quality improvement initiatives including but not limited to a 10% retrospective review of all anatomic pathology cases. Participates in facility Quality Management activities.
• Perform and direct others who perform coding of surgical reports with CPT and SNOMED codes.
• Participate in VISN1 Pathology Group activities reporting critical incidents and other required information to the VISN Chief Pathology Consultant.
• Participate in facility High Reliability Organization (HRO) activities.
• Participate in selected committees as designated by the Chief of Staff (e.g. Healthcare Delivery Committee Medical Sharing Subgroup etc.)
• Monitor and manage timely PALMS test result reporting.
• Ensure that all pathology tissue reporting is completed timely with results communicated accurately and timely based on Directive and clinical compelling nature.
• Participate in education and training of pathology residents medical students and staff as applicable.
• Maintain professionalism work ethics and responsibility to VA mission Vision and Core Values and coordinate and collaborate with the WRJ VAMC Chief of PALM to meet the VA mission to include provision of patient care in the context of a Patient Centered Care model.
• Participate in Multidisciplinary on-site interdepartmental conferences as needed such as tumor board etc.
• Required to participate in training and supervision of trainees and Residents.
• Provide support and educational interactions to pathology staff (technicians transcriptionists technologists supervisors lab managers and administrative staff)
• Meet turnaround time requirements for cases as defined by VHA pathology policy and performance measures.
• Fulfill obligations in completing mandatory training competency computer skills (work related)
• Maintains patient privacy and medical record in accordance with VHA policies.
• Fulfilling all requirements related to CAP The Joint Commission (TJC) and VHA pathology policies and procedures
• Adhere to policies and procedures for VHA in general and medical center in specific.
• Ensure that the staff and trainees meet VHA performance measure goals.
• Pathologists are responsible for providing Comprehensive Pathology Care for Veterans to include both clinical and anatomical pathology
• All physicians are responsible for having read the Medical Staff Bylaws and to comply with the Bylaws.
• Ensure timely completion of all mandatory training for themselves and the service
• Alternative or collateral duties may include management of a subsection of pathology lab/sub-section.
• Most providers will need to act as surrogates for the pathology cases of their colleagues when one or more of their colleagues are on leave.
• All physicians will always work within their privileges unless necessitated by an emergency.
• Serves as the Medical Director for the laboratory.
• Any task as designated or delegated by the Chief of Staff.

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.
• 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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers 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).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

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.