Summary

This position is located in the Department of Medicine, Albany Stratton VA Medical Center (SVAMC), Albany, New York and supports the Network 2 Mission to care for our Veterans with compassion and excellence. This position is responsible for providing a broad range of Cardiology services to Veterans receiving care at the VAMC. Duties and responsibilities are carried out throughout the Medical Center.

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
• Board Certification in Cardiology 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: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard
• For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Duties

• GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Cardiology Specialist position at the SVAMC (Stratton VA Medical Center) will encompass the breadth of general Cardiology clinical care, including inpatient consultation, outpatient clinic, and inpatient rounding
• The SVAMC cares for Veterans within the Upstate New York region from the Catskill region in the south, to the New York/Canada border in the North, and between Syracuse and Western Massachusetts from East/West
• The Cardiologist is responsible for providing cardio-vascular care and associated medical services to patients of the Medical Center and will function as support to the hospitalist, through inpatient consults
• as support to the Primary Care Providers and Urgent Care providers via phone, e-consults or outpatient consults
• The Cardiologist will also provide direct care to patients in in- patient and out-patient settings
• The SVAMC is located across the street from Albany Medical Center Hospital and Albany Medical College
• All full-time physician employees at SVAMC have faculty appointments at Albany Medical College
• Part of the responsibility of every member of the section of cardiology is to the education of Health Professions Trainees who rotate through our site (medical students, residents, fellows and others)
• 2 cardiology fellows are assigned to SVAMC every month
• We have an active cardiac cath lab and cover 50 bed in-patient wards and a 10 bed ICU
• STEMI call and EP services are provided through our affiliate and community care program at the present time
• Interpretation of ECGs and echocardiograms is a shared responsibility of the physicians in the section of cardiology
• SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES: The incumbent must be a Board Certified Cardiologist who will serve on the staff of a very active academic and clinical cardiology section
• Responsibilities primarily include general cardiology skills such as echocardiography, exercise and pharmacologic stress testing, Holter monitor and EKG interpretations, diagnosis and management of arrhythmias
• Skills in the performance, supervision and interpretation of advanced cardiac imaging studies, including nuclear cardiology, transthoracic and trans-esophageal echocardiography are highly desired
• Other duties include managing patients on the inpatient telemetry unit and outpatient specialty clinics, performing cardiology consultations, and participating in therapeutic cardiac catheterization, if qualified
• The Cardiology section is closely affiliated with Albany Medical College, and responsible for fellowship, resident and medical student training
• It is expected that the applicant is qualified to be a full-time faculty member at the affiliated medical school, and to participate in supervisory roles in fellowship and residency educational programs
• Academic rank will be commensurate with prior training, experience, and accomplishments
• Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program
• You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment
• Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application
• Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply
• Learn more
• Contact: VHA.ELRSProgramSupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Recruitment & Relocation Incentive (Sign-On Bonus): May be available to highly qualified applicants
• 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, 8:00am - 4:30pm VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards.