Physician-Rheumatology

Veterans Health Administration • Providence, RI

23h • Onsite

About The Position

The Fee Basis Physician provides intermittent care to the Rheumatology Department at the VA Providence Healthcare System Medical Center. This is a fee-for-service position, paid per unit of service, with a yearly salary limitation of $15,000 per calendar year. Listed payment rates are $168.36 for CPT 99205 (new office/outpatient visit, high complexity, 60 minutes) and $133.08 for CPT 99215 (established office/outpatient visit, high complexity, 40 minutes). Liability protection, including tail coverage, is provided at no cost.

The appointment is intermittent and based solely on Department needs; there are no guaranteed hours or fixed schedule. Weekend work is required. The physician evaluates, diagnoses, consults on, medically manages, and treats rheumatology patients, including systemic diseases with rheumatic manifestations, and may manage general medical conditions encountered while caring for these patients.

The position includes inpatient admission or admission to an appropriate level of care; ordering and preliminary interpretation of EKGs, imaging, and laboratory studies; diagnostic aspiration and synovial fluid analysis using light and compensated polarized light microscopy; therapeutic injections of diarthrodial joints, bursae, tenosynovial structures, and entheses; and biopsies of tissues relevant to rheumatic disease diagnosis, including synovial biopsy.

Candidates must meet VA physician requirements, including a qualifying medical degree, an unrestricted U.S. medical license, and approved residency training or an applicable alternative pathway. The position requires proficiency in spoken and written English and a pre-employment physical evaluation. Physical demands include light lifting and carrying up to 15 pounds, frequent reaching above the shoulder, use of fingers, hands, and legs, walking, standing, bending, climbing, and the ability to hear a whisper. The incumbent must be physically, emotionally, and mentally stable to perform the essential functions safely.

Requirements

• Doctor of Medicine or equivalent degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine from an appropriately approved or accredited institution.
• Current, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Completion of an approved residency training program leading to board-certification eligibility, or a qualifying alternative training and independent-practice pathway described in the announcement.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when recruitment of qualified citizens is not possible under VA policy.
• Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Subject to background/security investigation and, if selected for a testing-designated position, pre-appointment urinalysis; refusal to test results in denial of employment.
• Selective Service registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Complete the online onboarding process and application requirements, and provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• May be required to serve a probationary period.
• Meet the physical requirements, including light lifting and carrying up to 15 pounds, frequent reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, hands, and legs, walking, standing, bending, climbing, and ability to hear a whisper.
• Be physically, emotionally, and mentally stable enough to perform the essential functions without hazard to self or others.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate, diagnose, provide consultation for, medically manage, and treat rheumatology patients, including systemic diseases with rheumatic manifestations.
• Medically manage general conditions encountered while caring for rheumatology patients.
• Admit patients to inpatient care or an appropriate level of care.
• Order and preliminarily interpret EKGs, imaging studies, and laboratory studies.
• Perform diagnostic aspiration and analyze synovial fluid using light and compensated polarized light microscopy.
• Perform therapeutic injections of diarthrodial joints, bursae, tenosynovial structures, and entheses.
• Perform biopsies of tissues relevant to diagnosing rheumatic diseases, including synovial biopsy.
• Work weekends as needed.

Benefits

• Free liability protection with tail coverage.
• Federal employee benefits may be available, depending on position type and eligibility; specific benefits are not detailed and applicants are directed to contact the hiring agency.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree