PHYSICIAN-CARDIOLOGY-SPECIALTYCARE

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, 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.

Duties

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Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more.

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [redacted], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance

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 are not limited to the following:

Duties and Responsibilities

The Electrophysiologist will be responsible for providing a full spectrum of electrophysiology services, including but not limited to:

Clinical Electrophysiology

• Evaluate, diagnose, and manage patients with cardiac arrhythmias in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
• Perform comprehensive electrophysiology consultations and longitudinal arrhythmia management.
• Develop treatment plans utilizing guideline-directed medical therapy and evidence-based practices.
• Manage antiarrhythmic drug therapy, including initiation, monitoring, and adjustment of antiarrhythmic medications.

Academic Appointment and Teaching Responsibilities

• Must be eligible for appointment to the faculty of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) at the rank of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor, commensurate with qualifications and experience.
• Participate actively in the education and supervision of cardiovascular disease fellows, electrophysiology fellows, residents, and medical students rotating through the Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center.
• Provide direct procedural supervision and teaching in the electrophysiology laboratories and cardiac catheterization laboratory.
• Participate in educational conferences, case reviews, didactic lectures, and scholarly activities associated with the VA-MUSC academic affiliation.
• Foster an environment of clinical excellence, professionalism, and continuous learning for trainees and staff.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Complete documentation, clinical reminders, and electronic medical record requirements in a timely manner.
• Maintain professional standards consistent with VA policies, Joint Commission requirements, and professional society guidelines.
• Participate in peer review and credentialing activities as required.

Education and Academic Activities

• Participate in educational activities involving residents, fellows, medical students, and other trainees, as applicable.
• Contribute to quality improvement, patient safety, and performance improvement initiatives.
• Participate in multidisciplinary conferences and cardiovascular service line meetings.

Outpatient and Inpatient Care

• Staff electrophysiology clinics and provide longitudinal care for patients with arrhythmias and implanted devices.
• Provide inpatient electrophysiology consultation services.
• Collaborate with general cardiology, heart failure, interventional cardiology, cardiac surgery, and primary care teams.

Cardiac Implantable Electronic Devices (CIEDs)

• Implant, manage, and follow patients with:
  
  • Permanent pacemakers
  • Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs)
  • Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) devices
  • Loop recorders and related monitoring technologies
• Interpret and manage remote monitoring transmissions.
• Perform device interrogation, programming, troubleshooting, and optimization.

Electrophysiology Procedures

• Perform diagnostic electrophysiology studies.
• Perform catheter ablation procedures for supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias.
• Demonstrate proficiency and experience in:
  
  • Atrial fibrillation ablation
  • Atrial flutter ablation
  • Supraventricular tachycardia ablation
  • Premature ventricular contraction (PVC) ablation
  • Ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation
  • Other complex atrial and ventricular arrhythmia ablation procedures
• Participate in procedural planning, peri-procedural care, and post-procedural follow-up.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:00pm (with participation in call coverage and after-hours electrophysiology responsibilities as determined by division needs).

Requirements

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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 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.

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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Specialized Experience:

The selected physician will be a fellowship-trained Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiologist with expertise in contemporary management of cardiac arrhythmias. Candidates must possess the clinical knowledge and procedural skills necessary to independently perform diagnostic electrophysiology studies, catheter ablation of complex atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, implantation and management of cardiac implantable electronic devices, and comprehensive outpatient and inpatient electrophysiology care. The incumbent must be qualified for appointment to the faculty of the Medical University of South Carolina at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher and be capable of supervising and teaching cardiovascular and electrophysiology fellows rotating through the VA electrophysiology and cardiac catheterization laboratories.

Preferred Qualifications:

The ideal candidate will:

• Be board certified or board eligible in Cardiovascular Disease.
• Be board certified or board eligible in Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology.
• Have completed an ACGME-accredited Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology Fellowship.
• Demonstrate substantial experience and proficiency in catheter ablation of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia ablation.
• Have expertise in implantation and management of cardiac implantable electronic devices, including pacemakers, ICDs, CRT devices, and implantable cardiac monitors.
• Demonstrate proficiency in device interrogation, programming, troubleshooting, and remote monitoring.
• Have extensive knowledge of antiarrhythmic pharmacology and longitudinal arrhythmia management.
• Possess qualifications required for appointment to the faculty of the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) at the rank of Assistant Professor or higher.
• Demonstrate a commitment to clinical education, fellow teaching, and academic collaboration.
• Have a record of scholarly activity, clinical research, quality improvement initiatives, or academic contributions consistent with an academic electrophysiology practice.

Board Certification/Eligibility: Board Certified or Board Eligible in Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology and Cardiovascular Disease required.

Specialized Skills Required: Demonstrated expertise in complex catheter ablation of atrial and ventricular arrhythmias, cardiac implantable electronic devices, device interrogation and programming, electrophysiology consultation services, and longitudinal arrhythmia management.

Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others. Depending on the essential duties of a specific position, usable vision, color vision, hearing or speech may be required. However, in most cases, a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid.

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