Physician - Spinal Cord - (EDRP & Recruitment Authorized)

About the role

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications and subsequent cut-off dates are on the 1st of each month. 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.

What you will do

• Our hospital provides primary care and specialty health services, including mental health services, physical therapy and rehabilitation, spinal cord injury treatment, and more.
• Located on the Georgia/South Carolina border, the city of Augusta, GA lies on the Savannah River, which supports its diverse economic endeavors as well as vast recreation options.
• The city is the center point of the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA), a 13-county region that includes both Georgia and South Carolina.
• It is located within close proximity to many major southern destinations including Atlanta, Columbia, and Charlotte.
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.
• VHA Physician Total Rewards.
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for highly qualified applicants.
• Education Debt Reduction Program: 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 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.
• Major Duties/Responsibilities for this position include but are not limited to: The incumbent may work in one or all the following units: SCI Outpatient and Inpatient wards, SCI Clinic, and as a consultant to facility wide services.
• The incumbent reports to the Assistant Chief Spinal Cord Injury.
• The incumbent will, as defined by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, and the subspecialty SCI Medicine, admit, evaluate, diagnose, and provide treatment or consultative services to patients in need of SCl care.
• Upon providing competency and receiving approval, the incumbent may also perform specialty procedures as delineated in their clinical privileges.
• The incumbent will be responsible for providing care to patients and will participate in the on call rotation.
• The incumbent will assist the Service Chief in reviewing all interfacility consults (IFC) directed to the SCI service from the medical center or SCI spoke sites and will provide consultative services to spoke site providers as needed The incumbent will assist the Service Chief in reviewing the records of all new injuries referred to the SCI center and deciding as to whether the patient is appropriate for services at the SCI center.
• The incumbent will assist the Service Chief ensuring that the service line meets all the SCI performance measures or health systems indicators.
• The incumbent will assist the Service Chief while working with the SCI Business Manager and Admissions Clerk in managing the inpatient census and scheduled admissions based on staffing levels.
• The incumbent will be responsible for the supervision and evaluation of midlevel providers assigned to the service.
• The incumbent may be asked to attend meetings and act as a representative for the SCI Service Chief.
• The incumbent will function as the acting SCI Service Chief in the absence of the SCI Service Chief and Assistant SCI Service Chief.
• The incumbent will comply with all established customer service protocols and demonstrate professionalism in terms of good judgment, ethical behavior, and professional demeanor always, in contacts with patients, peers and other employees.
• The incumbent will always be attentive to the unique requirements per the age of the patient, the development capabilities of the individual and the cultural needs of the patients in all considerations of the type of care provided.
• Computer security policies will be always followed with the strictest attention being paid as to HIPAA requirements to protect patient information.
• Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; part-time schedule to be arranged based on the needs of the agency.

Requirements

• 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 (***).
• Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation/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.

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. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted.

For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, confirmation must be made that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirement for year 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.

How you will be evaluated

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or other supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

Veterans' Preference Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire.

You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.).

If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation.

Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference.

For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

Documents you must provide

• To apply for this position, you must submit a C.V. and/or resume.
• Other documents may be requested later in the process if needed.
• Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link *** to download the standard Clinical Resume Document.
• This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.
• Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

What to expect next

Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. We will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued, and applicants will be notified of their status by email.

Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made. You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications.

Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center. NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).

It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service.

HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities.

HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities.

HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.

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.