Description

Job DescriptionJob Description

Our organization provides a robust total rewards package for its employees.

Total Rewards Overview

• Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Authorized. Learn more here.
• EDRP Eligibility: Previous EDRP participants are not eligible to apply for this incentive. For inquiries or assistance, please reach out to the EDRP Coordinator.
• Compensation: Competitive salary, annual performance bonuses, and regular salary increments.
• Paid Time Off: Enjoy 50-55 days of paid leave annually, which includes 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays, and potentially 5 days of paid absence for Continuing Medical Education (CME).
• Retirement Benefits: Access to a traditional federal pension (with a 5-year vesting period) and a federal 401K plan with contributions of up to 5% from the organization.
• Insurance Coverage: Comprehensive federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance (many of these programs can be continued into retirement).
• Licensure: Must hold one full and unrestricted medical license from any U.S. state or territory.
• CME Reimbursement: Up to $1,000 per year for eligible expenses (must be full-time and board certified).
• Malpractice Coverage: Liability protection is provided at no cost, including tail coverage.
• Contractual Obligations: No employment contract for physicians and minimal restrictions on moonlighting.

The selected candidate will be tasked with delivering Pain Care services to Veterans in the Eastern Kansas VA region. The Physician may be required to provide care in various environments, including outpatient clinics, inpatient units, and the Emergency Department as necessary. Availability at both Topeka and Leavenworth locations may be required.

Key Responsibilities

The incumbent will report to the Chief of Specialty Medicine and will lead a multidisciplinary team within the Pain Clinic Section. The focus will be on treating patients with chronic pain, emphasizing functional improvement and a holistic approach.

• Lead the multidisciplinary Pain Clinic team.
• Provide expertise in pain management at the facility level and act as a liaison with the regional network.
• Coordinate pain care within the Pain Management Team (PMT), VA Health Care, and with external providers (e.g., interventional pain care, interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation programs).
• Collaborate with and guide a multidisciplinary team, which may include Interventional Anesthesia Pain Management Physicians, Nurse Practitioners, Pain Psychologists, Substance Use Disorder/Addiction Psychiatrists, Pharmacists, Pain Physical Therapists, and Registered Nurses.
• Manage pain medication, including prescribing opioid analgesics when necessary (Clinical Pharmacist Practitioners or Addiction Psychiatrists may assist with this task).
• Oversee the training of residents and students as part of the educational program.
• Perform additional duties as assigned.

Work Schedule

Typical hours are from 7:30 AM to 4:00 PM or 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM.

Qualifications

To be eligible for this position, candidates must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional criteria specified in the job announcement. Applicants who are in the process of completing training or licensure may be referred and tentatively selected but cannot be officially hired until all requirements are fulfilled. Current VA-employed physicians who met the previous qualification standards at the time of their initial appointment are considered to have satisfied the basic requirements for this role.

Basic Requirements

• Citizenship: Must be a U.S. citizen. Non-citizens may only be appointed if qualified citizens cannot be recruited, in accordance with VA policy.

• Medical Degree: Must possess a Doctor of Medicine or equivalent degree from a school recognized by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year of completion.

• Licensure: A current, full, and unrestricted medical license to practice in a U.S. state, territory, or the District of Columbia is required.

• Residency Training: Completion of residency training approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty program leading to board certification eligibility. Approved residencies include those accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), the American Osteopathic Association (AOA), or other recognized programs with a minimum of five years of verified practice in the U.S. Residents currently in ACGME/AOA accredited programs may be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs) under specific conditions.

• Language Proficiency: Must demonstrate proficiency in both spoken and written English.

Preferred Qualifications

Board certification or eligibility in Pain Management and completion of an ACGME-accredited pain fellowship are highly preferred, though primary residency will also be considered. A DEA license is required, along with experience in clinical program development and oversight. Training in the Biopsychosocial Model for Pain Management is also preferred.

Physical Requirements

Moderate lifting (15-44 pounds), straight pulling (4 hours), pushing (4 hours), reaching above shoulder height, use of fingers, both hands required, walking (2 hours), standing (7 hours), kneeling (1 hour), repeated bending (4 hours), both legs required, near vision correctable to 13" to 16" (Jaeger 1 to 4), far vision correctable to 20/50 in one eye and 20/100 in the other, ability to distinguish basic colors, hearing (aid permitted), and mental and emotional stability are essential.