Physician - Oncologist

Summary

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 about this agency

The VA Midwest Health Care Network advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This approach empowers and equips people to take charge of their health, well‑being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran.

This is done in the context of healing relationships and environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to honor America's veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well‑being.

Responsibilities

As an Oncologist Physician, the responsibilities include providing medical evaluation and directing overall management of patients in collaboration with other members of health care teams.

• Provide trainee supervision, and training of internal medicine residents and medical students in all their clinical activities overnight if applicable.
• Admits and manages inpatients including patients, general adult medical illnesses. This includes admitting patients and performing histories and physical examinations; rounding on patients and writing progress notes; discharge / transfer planning and timely completion of discharge summaries.
• Assist with patient flow and co-care services for inpatients.
• Provides inpatient internal medicine consultations at night to other services, including but not limited to Emergency Department, Mental Health and Surgery.
• Serve as a Rapid Response and Code team member.
• Participation in educational activities related to the internal medicine residency program including trainee evaluation if applicable.
• All attending physicians are expected to participate in ongoing process improvements within their specific areas of expertise thereby promoting quality, efficiency, patient safety, and timely access to care for our veteran patients.
• Communicates with incoming and off‑going Oncologists to ensure continuity of care.
• Collaboration with ancillary staff, specialists, and physician extenders to ensure that inpatients receive continuous high‑quality care.
• Participates effectively in team meetings and treatment planning conferences and collaborates with multidisciplinary team members in a manner that enhances coordination of comprehensive patient care.
• Perform and supervise minor bedside procedures; refresher training is available in our excellent simulation laboratory. Ideally should have bedside point‑of‑care ultrasound skills. There will be training opportunities to ensure competency. The candidate can also elect to acquire our facility certification in airway management after completing local online, simulation laboratory, and hands‑on training.
• Adherence to VA policies and procedures regarding documentation, patient safety, and utilization.
• Completes all medical records (including discharge summaries) in accordance with Bylaws, Rules, and Regulations of the Medical Staff.
• Symptom management, supportive care, integrative therapies, and goals‑of‑care discussions.

Benefits

• 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 401(k) 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: One 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: 08:00 am – 04:30 pm.

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 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 forms 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 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); (2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA); (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.

Physical Requirements

You will be asked to participate in a pre‑employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre‑employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

Education

1. Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted.
2. 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.
3. 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.

Equal Opportunity / EEO Statement

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.

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.