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Summary The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series and therefore CVs will continue to be required and accepted. Responsibilities 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 Provides comprehensive patient care in the form of consultative inpatient and outpatient Gastroenterology patient care at the VA Maine Healthcare System, Togus campus and select Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs). The staff gastroenterologist will work under the general supervision of the Chief, Gastroenterology Section and/or designee. The VA Maine Healthcare System is an acute care facility operating 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. While most tours of duty are scheduled during the day, the possibility of working evenings, nights and weekends does exist. On-call and shift changes will be considered based on patient and facility needs. The typical work schedule is Monday-Friday, 08:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., excluding recognized Federal holidays. In addition, the incumbent will participate in after hours on call responsibilities (no more than one in four rotation). This will require carrying a hospital pager and the ability to respond by phone within 15 minutes and in person within 1 hour. The staff Gastroenterologist works within her or his privileges at all times. Must be qualified to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with gastrointestinal diseases according to standard, usual, and acceptable methods, and techniques. The Gastroenterologist is expected to maintain current knowledge and skills. She or he must be able to deliver interventions throughout the full spectrum of gastroenterology care, i.e., she or he is expected to maintain good diagnostic and therapeutic acumen. Primary duties are to perform full general gastrointestinal examinations on established or newly consulted patients, including electronic consultations (eConsults) in the Gastroenterology clinics, inpatient wards or Emergency Department for signs or symptoms of gastrointestinal dysfunction. The Gastroenterologist will ensure communication with the hospitalists regarding inpatients and/or potential admissions. The staff Gastroenterologist will perform gastroenterology procedures including: EGD (gastroscopy) Paracentesis EGD with Peg Esophageal manometry ERCP Liver biopsy Colonoscopy 24 hr. pH monitor Oversees the administration of moderate sedation. Provides oversight to Gastroenterology Nurse Practitioners and Nurses. Ensures communication with the incoming evening Medical Officer of the Day regarding patient care issues. Responsibilities will include completing medical records in accordance with Medical Staff Bylaws, Rules and Regulations, including (but not limited to): History and physical exams within 24 hours of admission Progress notes daily for inpatients and for each encounter on outpatients Consult notes within 24 hours of evaluating patient Discharge summaries within 10 days of hospital discharge New or renewal of prescriptions, transfer summaries and/or discharge instructions Participation in quality assurance programs and chart reviews; demonstrates knowledge of and promotes performance improvement in meeting organizational goals. Conducts point of care audits and peer reviews when requested by Chief of Medicine. Exercises corporate citizenship by serving as a leader and/or active member on Medical Center committees as requested and attending Medical Service Staff meetings and meetings of the Medical/Dental staff. Teaches effectively and creatively and provides guidance to others involved in the delivery of the educational program. Maintains Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Certification and completes all mandatory training by due date. The staff Gastroenterologist provides expanded access to services via off normal tour or on-call periods. The Medical Service is looking to a STAFF GASTROENTEROLOGIST to work Part time .4 FTE at the Portland, Maine Community Outpatient Clinic, and Togus/Augusta, Maine as needed for endoscopy and hospital coverage. Work Schedule: TBD by Service and Provider Requirements 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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's 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. 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. Preferred Experience: Board Certification in Gastroenterology by the appropriate accrediting agencies. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting (45 lbs. and over); reaching above shoulder; pulling (4 hours); pushing (4 hours) use of fingers; both hands required; walking (3 hours per day); standing (6 hours per day); kneeling (2 hours per day); both legs required; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; ability to distinguish basic colors; hearing (aid permitted); mental and emotional stability required. Education Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are: Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated.] NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more. Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP): This position is eligible for the 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. 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. Contact VHA EDRP Program Support [email protected], for questions or assistance on how to begin the application process. Learn more.