Physician (Cardiologist)

Veterans Health Administration • Portland, OR

2d

About The Position

The cardiology staff physician serves as a consultant to other physicians caring for patients with cardiovascular diseases and provides cardiovascular care in outpatient clinics, acute care wards, and the intensive care unit. The role includes clinical care, teaching residents and fellows, interpretation and performance of cardiac imaging procedures, telemedicine, and indirect patient care activities. Overnight and on-call duties are required for urgent cardiovascular conditions treated in the hospital.

Additional leadership opportunities may be available as Medical Director of Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging or Medical Director of the Echocardiography Laboratory. The Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging Director may help develop nuclear cardiology imaging, cardiac MRI using a new 1.5 T Siemens scanner, cardiac CT services, imaging curricula, and fellow education. The Echocardiography Laboratory Director provides leadership and oversight for a full-spectrum echocardiography service; develops clinical and research scanning protocols; leads quality improvement; directs education for sonographers and cardiology fellows; and serves on regional and national committees.

This is an open continuous announcement through September 30, 2027, and qualified applicants may be referred as vacancies arise. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to VHA eligibility requirements and application deadlines. The work schedule is Monday through Friday, with 8- or 10-hour shifts between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Compressed or flexible scheduling is available; telework is ad hoc only, and the position is not virtual. Relocation or recruitment incentives may be authorized for highly qualified candidates; permanent change of station is not authorized.

The position offers competitive salary, annual performance bonuses, regular salary increases, paid time off, federal retirement and insurance programs, possible CME reimbursement for eligible full-time board-certified physicians, free liability protection with tail coverage, and no physician employment contract or significant restriction on moonlighting.

Requirements

• Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine from an appropriately approved and accredited school.
• Current, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Completion of residency training meeting VA requirements in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification, or an applicable training and independent-practice alternative specified in the announcement.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• U.S. citizenship; non-citizens may be appointed only when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Meet the stated pre-employment conditions, including applicable background/security investigation, drug screening, physical evaluation, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Prior faculty experience.
• Additional training or strong interest in advanced cardiovascular imaging, including echocardiography, cardiac MRI, and/or cardiac CT.
• National Board of Echocardiography (NBE) certification.
• COCATS Level III training in echocardiography.

Responsibilities

• Provide continuity outpatient cardiology clinics.
• Precept residents and fellows in clinic.
• Serve as attending for the inpatient cardiology consult service.
• Serve as attending for the inpatient cardiac care unit (CCU).
• Interpret echocardiograms and stress echocardiograms, and perform transesophageal echocardiography.
• Complete cardiology electronic consultations (E-consults).
• Provide telemedicine services.
• Provide indirect patient care by returning telephone calls, responding to patient emails, reviewing and renewing prescriptions, reviewing laboratory and imaging data, communicating results to patients, and implementing improved quality in systems delivery.
• Perform overnight and on-call duties for urgent cardiovascular conditions treated in the hospital.
• If serving as Medical Director of Advanced Cardiovascular Imaging, help grow nuclear cardiology imaging, cardiac MRI, cardiac CT services, imaging curricula, and fellow education.
• If serving as Medical Director of the Echocardiography Laboratory, oversee the full-spectrum echo service, develop clinical and research scanning protocols, lead laboratory quality improvement, direct education for sonographers and cardiology fellows, and serve on regional and national committees.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program student loan repayment, subject to eligibility and program approval, with awards of up to $200,000.
• Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, and regular salary increases.
• 50–55 days of paid time off per year, including annual leave, sick leave, federal holidays, and possible paid CME absence.
• Traditional federal pension and federal 401(k), with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Possible $1,000 per year CME reimbursement for eligible full-time board-certified physicians.
• Free liability protection with tail coverage.
• No physician employment contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting.
• Relocation or recruitment incentives may be authorized for highly qualified candidates.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree