Physician - Hospital Epidemiology and Infectious Disease

<p>The Hospital Epidemiologist will study and review factors that determine disease, disability, or other healthcare outcomes (usually with a focus on Infectious Diseases and other hospital associated infections).</p><h3>Major Duties</h3><p>This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 14, 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be July 20, 2026 with subsequent cut-off dates every 2 weeks. Eligible applications received after that date will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Work Schedule: Full-time, schedule to be determined by supervisor. Recruitment/relocation Incentive: Authorized 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 include but are not limited to: Chair the Infection Prevention and Control Committee and guide the program using principles of epidemiology and data analysis, including providing subject matter expertise and policy recommendations which would include, but are not limited to: a) procedures for precautions towards the prevention of infections; b) environmental sanitation and disinfection; c) infection surveillance; d) epidemiologic reviews; e) consultation on surveillance, prevention, and epidemiologic follow-up on communicable diseases/infections affecting VA staff in cooperation with employee Occupational Health; f) advise and/or participate in appropriate local facility committees; g) provide guidance for activities under the Infection Prevention and Control Program Participate as a lead in pandemic preparedness efforts and programs, together with IPC and other departments Implement strategies for the prevention and control of disease directed towards patients/residents, visitors, employees, and others identified by local needs, including during outbreak and epidemic situations including but not limited to: a)ensuring the medical facility complies with policy documents developed to support infectious diseases and infection prevention and control programs, MDRO prevention, antimicrobial stewardship and bio surveillance activities; b)ensure that educational resources as related to infectious diseases, infection prevention and control, antimicrobial stewardship and biosurveillance are in place and available for patients/residents, visitors, employees and others as identified by local needs; c)ensuring the integration of the Infectious Diseases section and the Infection Prevention and Control Program and the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program - Study and review factors that can determine disease, disability, or other healthcare outcomes (usually with a focus on infectious diseases and hospital associated infections) Participate as a core member of the multi-disciplinary antimicrobial stewardship team at VAPAHCS Care of Veterans with Infectious Diseases in VAPAHCS through in-person, video, and other telehealth modalities Disseminating and educating on new Hospital Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship policies, management guidelines, national VHA guidance or directives to facility ID staff, leadership and providers. Serving as core teaching faculty at VAPAHCS/Stanford University, which may include delivering Hospital Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship-related presentations as part of Stanford Fellowship ID Lecture Series, internal medicine conferences or lecture series; primary care quarterly clinical updates; or other opportunities Contributing to medical trainee education in Hospital Epidemiology and Antimicrobial Stewardship, including precepting residents and fellows rotating in the VAPAHCS and participating as ID subject matter expert in multidisciplinary case conferences There may be additional duties suitable for an ID physician as assigned by the ID section chief</p><h3>Requirements</h3>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 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.<h3>Education</h3>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.