Staff Physician/Orthopedic Section Chief

<p>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.</p><h3>Major Duties</h3><p>VA St. Louis Health Care System seeks an accomplished orthopedic surgeon to lead as Section Chief of Orthopedic Surgery. This role combines clinical expertise with administrative leadership and education in a collaborative, mission-driven environment. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized and may be offered to highly qualified individuals. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact visn15edrp@va.gov, 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 The Section Chief serves as a key member of Surgical Service and facility leadership, participating in strategic planning, policy development, and program growth to meet the orthopedic needs of the Veteran population. A key component of this role is the academic partnership with Washington University in St. Louis. The Section Chief must have advanced fellowship training in Reconstruction, Shoulder & Elbow, Sports Medicine, Orthopedic Trauma, or Adult Hip & Knee and be eligible for and maintain a faculty appointment at Washington University. The Chief of Orthopedic Surgery serves as the senior physician leader responsible for the oversight, coordination, and advancement of orthopedic surgical services within the Surgical Service at the VA St. Louis Health Care System. The Section Chief provides strategic and operational leadership, ensuring the delivery of high-quality, Veteran-centered orthopedic care while fostering a culture of professionalism, safety, and continuous improvement. Provide strategic, clinical, and operational leadership for the Orthopedic Surgery Section, ensuring high-quality, Veteran-centered care. Provide comprehensive outpatient, inpatient, and operative orthopedic surgical care, including consultations, pre- and post-operative management, and performance of a full range of procedures within subspecialty expertise. Maintain an active surgical practice and participate in the general orthopedic call schedule in support of continuous, safe patient care. Oversee section operations, including staffing, scheduling, access to care, documentation standards, quality metrics, and compliance with VA and accreditation requirements. Supervise and mentor orthopedic surgeons, advanced practice providers, residents, and students, fostering a positive, team-based learning environment. Collaborate with Washington University and other partners to support education, quality improvement, research, and program development that enhance Veteran musculoskeletal care. Work Schedule: Full-Time tour of duty to be negotiated upon selection.</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 dentification 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). As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: - your performance and conduct; - the needs and interests of the agency; - whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and - whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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, or 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. 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.