The Director of Breast Surgical Oncology functions under the overall management of the Section Chief of General Surgery. The physician functions within an interdisciplinary staff consisting of physicians, physician extenders, technicians, administrative and clerical staff ultimately accountable to the ACOS, Surgical Services.
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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook and Directive 5019
VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Specific duties include but are not limited to: Administrative Duties: Ensuring the timely completion of Medical Record Documentation. Completing annual TMS training. Proper clinical Management including indirect patient care: open encounter and open consult maintenance, CPRS documentation requirements, monitoring of clinic management. Maintains involvement in matters concerning clinic productivity, relevant performance measures, Quality and Patient Safety oversight, as well as process improvement initiatives. Collaboration and engagement with Surgical and Medical Oncology partners in the leadership and oversight of Durham site activities for the VA Breast Cancer System of Excellence (VA BCSoE), including: defining best practice by creation and implementation of a VA clinical pathway, assessing conformance to best practices, working with local, VISN and national partners to implement and improve clinical practices at the Durham site VA BCSoE and across the network nationally. Clinical Duties: Patient Care: Practitioners are expected to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the promotion of health, prevention of illness, treatment of disease, and care at the end of life. Specific to this role, clinical efforts will focus on breast surgical oncology and performance of clinical and surgical management of patients presenting with disorders of the breast, including patients at high risk for breast disease and breast cancer. Scope of work will include prevention, risk assessment, diagnosis, surgical treatment, and follow up of patients with breast disease and breast cancer. Provider will directly oversee clinical activities for the Women's Health Nurse Practitioner assigned to providing care for Breast Care patients. Medical/Clinical Knowledge: Practitioners are expected to 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. The provider will stay up to date with the changes in clinical practice guidelines and recommendations related to caring highest quality care for patients with breast disease and breast cancer. Clinical Judgment: To ensure practice-based learning and improvement, practitioners are expected to be able to use scientific evidence and methods to investigate, evaluate, and improve patient care. Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Practitioners are expected to 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. Education: Practitioners are expected to show effectiveness in teaching, monitor and coordinate educational activities, and comply with necessary trainee supervision requirements. Research and Development: If the incumbent is involved in research, they will show an ability to identify and define significant Research and Development problems, to plan and execute a precise research program, and to generate effective reports and results worthy of publication. The provider will work with the BCSoE and trainees to advance knowledge in the areas of breast cancer prevention, treatment, and care pathway innovation. This may include activities in the realms of health services research, clinical trials, and translational research, with expectation for research products in the form of published manuscripts and grant submissions. 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 Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am-4:30pm (part-time position with work schedule to be determined)