Physician-Infectious Disease-EDRP Authorized

The Specialty Service Mission is to lead satisfied staff dedicated to providing high quality patient centered care here at the Amarillo VA Health Care System (AVAHCS) a great tertiary training and research Veterans Hospital. The Infectious Disease position supports this mission through administrative dependability direct or virtual patient care and support of their Sections educational and research activities. The Infection control position is critical to the mission for quality improvement and patient safety.

In addition to observance of Federal national and local regulatory policy and accreditation requirements governing this Health Care System this position encompasses the following examples of responsibilities overseen by their Section Chief. Staff physicians require appropriate time mapping and resources to ensure they are empowered to meet expected proficiencies in administration clinical practice education and research.

You will provide patient care either direct or virtual that is compassionate appropriate and effective for the promotion of health prevention of illness treatment of disease and care at the end of life. Demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical clinical and social sciences and the application of their knowledge to patient care and the education of others. Remain up to date in virtual care practices. To ensure practice-based learning and improvement you will use scientific evidence and methods to investigate evaluate and improve patient care. Demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that enable them to establish and maintain professional relationships with patients families and other members of the health care team. Demonstrate behaviors that reflect a commitment to continuous professional development ethical practice and understanding and sensitivity to diversity and a responsible attitude toward their patients and their profession. Demonstrate both an understanding of the contexts and systems in which health care is provided and the ability to apply this knowledge to improve optimizing health care. You will provide patient care services either direct or virtual during off tours (nights weekends and holidays as needed by the organization.
Provide supervision and leadership for an Infection Control team if applicable. Oversee collection of infection control data. Provide analysis of collected data as relevant to quality improvement and patient safety. Direct and support feedback to involved parties in order to promote excellence in hospital care. Supervision of residents is a major duty of this position. Practitioners are expected to show effectiveness in teaching monitor and coordinate educational activities and comply with necessary trainee supervision.

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

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: Part-time; 8:00am-4:30pm

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.
• Education: 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.
• Licensure: 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.
• English Language Proficiency: Proficiency in spoken and written English.