Physician (Primary Care) w/ Recruitment/Relocation Incentives/EDRP

Summary

The VA South Texas Health Care System is seeking Primary Care Physicians for the North West San Antonio VA Clinic. Recruitment or Relocation Incentive May be Authorized for Highly Qualified Individual. Education Debt Reduction Program is authorized.

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
• License: 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
• Preferred Experience: Board Certified in Internal Medicine/Family Medicine Experience after Family/Internal Medicine Residency Program Recent Primary Care Experience Experience with Veteran Affairs or DoD (rotations) Women's Health Experience Newly graduated Family/Internal Residency with Eligible Board Certification Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting - 15-44 pounds
• Light lifting - under 15 pounds
• Moderate carrying - 15-44 pounds
• Light carrying - under 15 pounds
• Reaching above shoulder
• Use of fingers
• Both hands required
• Walking (8 hours)
• Standing (8 hours)
• Repeated bending (2 hours)
• Climbing - legs only (2 hours)
• Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
• Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4
• Depth perception
• Ability to distinguish basic colors
• Ability to distinguish shades of colors
• Hearing (aid may be permitted).

Duties

• This is an Open Continuous Announcement & will remain open until March 17 - 2026 - or until all positions are filled
• The first cut-off date is November 13 - 2025
• Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled
• Applicants will remain active for 3 months after their initial application is received and/or updated
• After that time - you must update your application through your USAJobs account if you would like to be made active again for possible consideration during the open period
• Primary Care Physicians are responsible for providing Comprehensive Primary Care for Veterans
• The primary care provider should - in the context of a longitudinal relationship - fulfill all primary care needs - including acute and chronic illness - gender-specific PC - mental health (Screen for conditions such as depression - substance use/abuse - military sexual trauma and PTSD - and evaluate and treat uncomplicated mental health disorders as well as substance use disorders and refer patients appropriately for further evaluation and treatment of sexual assault and military sexual trauma - mental health disorders and substance use disorders) and preventative care (age-appropriate cancer screening e.g. - colon - breast and cervical cancer - as well as weight management counseling - Chlamydia screening (when indicated) - smoking cessation and immunizations - etc.) along with coordination of care delivery (when specialty care is needed - the primary care provider will coordinate this care and communicate with the specialty provider regarding the evaluation and treatment plan to ensure continuity of care)
• All Physicians are responsible to read and comply with the Medical Staff Bylaws
• All physicians are responsible to timely complete all mandatory training
• The physician is responsible for delivery of outpatient primary care to patients enrolled in STVHCS
• The physician and Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) will manage a panel of patients
• Panel size is determined by VHA guidelines which take into consideration the complexity of the patient panel - available support staff - number of treatment rooms - etc
• The PACT Model is a patient-driven - team-based approach that delivers efficient - comprehensive and continuous care through active communication and coordination of healthcare services through an interdisciplinary team that includes the PCP - RN care manager - LVN - clerical associate as well as other clinical services necessary to meet the health goals and needs of the Veteran patient including specialists
• While the primary care provider's relationship with the Veteran patient will remain key - that bond will be augmented and strengthened by involving other health care staff as part of an integrated team
• Together the team takes responsibility for the Veteran patient's ongoing care through a cooperative effort among all members
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 0800-1630 Telework: Ad-hoc may be authorized Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus) or Relocation Incentive: May be available for highly qualified candidate(s) Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not authorized Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) Authorized: This position is eligible for EDRP - a student loan payment reimbursement program
• You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of your start date
• Program approval - award amount (up to $200 -000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application
• Learn more
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• 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