Physician Urologist Chief

The Chief of the Urology reports to the Chief of Surgery Surgical Service. The section chief is required to manage the Urology Section within Surgical Service at the Salem VAMC Salem Virginia. He/she is responsible for managing clinical operations and supervising subordinate staff within the Urology Section. Incumbent will provide comprehensive Urological care services as well as follow-up care of existing conditions and management of emergency conditions in the specialty of Urology at the Salem VA Medical Center. The incumbent will maintain licensure and credentials sufficient to extend to the incumbent the authority to practice Urological Surgery inclusive of all diagnostic and medical therapeutic modalities for the treatment of diseases conditions and injuries related to the field. Care services are provided primarily in the Urology Clinic and Operating Room in addition to the ER or inpatient units as needed.

Functions or Scope of Assigned Duties
1. Provide Pre-Operative and Post-Operative Urological Services including hospital rounds for Urology patients.
2. Admit patients to the appropriate level of care (ICU Stepdown Acute care) or co-manage patients in consultation with and under the supervision of an attending physician.
3. Perform Urological Surgery in the Operating Room averaging one to five (1-5) cases per day based on complexity to include but not limited to cystoscopies stent placement TURP open and/or laparoscopic and/or robotic prostatectomy nephrectomy bladder resection and urethral dilations.
4. Perform transrectal needle biopsies of prostate (ultrasound assistance with technician with the expectation that urologist will obtain biopsy specimens).
5. Conduct weekly outpatient and inpatient clinics averaging twenty to twenty-five (20-25) patients per day.
6. Document services through appropriate notes such as History and Physical Progress notes Operative notes and Discharge Summaries.
7. Critique Morbidity and Mortality information and documentation.
8. Alternate On-Call coverage with other VAMC Urological Surgeons.
9. Educate residents and students in the principles and therapy of complex and basic Urological Surgery.
10. Participate in clinical research protocols either developed locally in cooperation with other faculty or developed at other institutions for multi-center studies.
11. Assist residents and students in selecting developing and preparing abstracts for presentation at meetings.
12. Perform administrative duties intended to participate in the proper functioning of the Surgical Care Service Line. These will include but are not limited to:
13. Supervise Residents or Physician Assistants
14. Develop and review policies for the Surgical Care Service Line
15. Ensure that JCAHO Safety AAMI OSHA VA and other agency regulations are being met.
16. Ensure continuing education of staff under his/her supervision.
17. Provide call coverage for Urologic related services and provide back up as needed.

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

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Recruitment incentive may be authorized for highly qualified applicants.
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more.
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact 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 $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

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday Hours to be determined

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.