Career Center

Summary

This full-time - Chief Cardiothoracic Surgeon position is assigned to the Operative Care Line (OCL) at the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center (MEDVAMC) in Houston - Texas - one of the most complex facilities in the VA healthcare system.

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 allopathic 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 accrediting bodies for graduate medical education - the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA) - in the list published for the year the residency - or fellowship if applicable - was completed
• OR (2) One year of post medical school training (internship - first year of residency - or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States
• OR (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement) - 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
• Exceptions: 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 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
• In rare and unusual circumstances - the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer - who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience - accomplishments - performance - and qualifications warrant such action
• Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Additional Requirement: The candidate must be board-certified in Cardiothoracic and General Surgery
• Preferred Experience: Complex coronary artery bypass surgery - re-operative surgery - aortic aneurysm surgeries - total arch replacements - aortic root procedures such as valve sparing root replacements and mitral and aortic valve surgery
• Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement experience
• Formal accredited training and experience in Left Ventricular Assist Device implantation and heart transplantation
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Functional Requirements Light lifting - under 15 pounds Light carrying - under 15 pounds Reaching above shoulder Use of fingers Walking 2 hours Standing 4 hours Both legs required Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously Both eyes required Depth perception Ability to distinguish basic colors Ability to distinguish shades of colors Hearing (aid may be permitted) Environmental Factors Outside and inside Electrical energy Working around machinery with moving parts Working around moving objects or vehicles Working closely with others Protracted or irregular hours of work

Duties

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be approved for highly qualified candidate
• 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 Duties include - but not limited to: The division of cardiothoracic surgery at the MEDVAMC has a tradition of excellence and innovation in patient care - education - and research
• We specialize in the treatment of complex adult cardiac surgery and offer coronary artery bypass - valve repair and replacements - complex re-operations - aortic aneurysm surgery - including valve sparing aortic root replacements - minimal access valve surgery with endovascular and transcatheter procedures including TAVR and surgery for advanced heart failure such as durable and temporary mechanical circulatory support - extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) and heart transplantation
• Providing the range of advanced cardiac procedures and services (to include aortic arch surgery - heart transplant - and left ventricular assist device placement) of an experienced Cardiothoracic surgeon formally trained in cardiac transplantation and assist device implantation - to patients in the Operative Care Line
• Directing and treating the course of treatment of the advanced cardiothoracic surgery procedures for a wide range of patients from the healthy young to the geriatric patient - and/or from critically ill to the severely traumatized
• Demonstrating a proficiency of providing cardiac critical care services in the intensive care unit
• Evaluating complex patients - initiate the appropriate workup with appropriate tests - imaging and needed studies to provide evidence-based care needed to treat patients requiring cardiothoracic surgery and care
• Performing the entire range of cardiothoracic surgeries to include cardiac transplant - performing procedures under circulatory arrest
• Placing bridge and destination ventricular assist devices and performing extracorporeal life support procedures
• Work Schedule: To be discussed during the interview