Physician - Pain Management

Veterans Health Administration • San Francisco, CA

6d • Onsite

About The Position

The San Francisco Veterans Affairs Health Care System Anesthesiology Service is hiring a Pain Medicine Physician trained in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R) with fellowship training in Pain Medicine. The physician provides comprehensive diagnostic, therapeutic, and consultative pain management services to Veterans, including patients with multiple co-existing diseases and complex chronic pain conditions. The position is devoted exclusively to pain management and does not include general operating room anesthesia coverage.

Responsibilities include outpatient interventional and chronic pain clinic care, inpatient Acute Pain Service consultation, and management of patients with implanted pain-management devices. The physician coordinates care with surgical, medical, nursing, primary care, mental health, and other services, and may supervise and teach Pain Medicine fellows.

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to program eligibility and approval. The program may provide up to $200,000 in student loan reimbursement, with an eligibility period of one to five years. Applications must be submitted within four months of appointment; former EDRP participants are ineligible. The position offers competitive salary, annual performance bonuses, regular salary increases, paid leave, federal retirement and insurance benefits, possible CME reimbursement, and free malpractice liability protection with tail coverage. The work schedule is coordinated with the hiring manager. No Physician Employment Contract is required, and there is no significant restriction on moonlighting.

Requirements

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) 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 ACGME-accredited residency in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation.
• Completion of fellowship training in Pain Medicine.
• Completion of qualifying residency training approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to board-certification eligibility, subject to the announcement's stated alternatives and exceptions.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• U.S. citizenship; non-citizens may be appointed only when qualified U.S. citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Pass a pre-employment physical evaluation/examination.
• Complete required background/security investigation and online onboarding; provide acceptable identification for pre-employment requirements.
• For applicants in testing-designated positions, submit to pre-appointment urinalysis for illegal drug use; refusal results in denial of VA employment.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959 must meet Selective Service registration requirements.
• Participate in the Department of Veterans Affairs seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Meet all application requirements detailed in the announcement's Required Documents section.

Responsibilities

• Provide inpatient consultation and management for patients on the Acute Pain Service.
• Place and manage lumbar or thoracic epidural catheters and peripheral nerve blocks or catheters.
• Treat acute pain using intravenous or intramuscular injections.
• Coordinate pain management plans for hospitalized patients with surgical, medical, and nursing teams.
• Assess, consult on, and develop treatment plans for patients with chronic pain, including taking histories and performing physical examinations.
• Provide longitudinal care to patients in the outpatient chronic pain clinic.
• Treat chronic pain through interventional procedures and/or regional anesthetic techniques, as appropriately credentialed.
• Develop and oversee multidisciplinary, biopsychosocial pain management plans in coordination with Pain Services, primary care, psychiatry/psychology, and other services as needed.
• Manage patients with implanted pain-management devices.
• Supervise and educate Pain Medicine fellows, including oversight of fellow-performed procedures, case-based teaching, and evaluation of clinical competency.
• Participate in didactic teaching conferences for the Pain Medicine fellowship program.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program student loan reimbursement, subject to eligibility and approval, of up to $200,000 over an eligibility period of one to five years.
• Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, and regular salary increases.
• 50–55 days of paid time off per year, including 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays, and possible five-day paid absence for CME.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting.
• Federal 401(k), with VA contributions of up to 5%.
• 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 full-time physicians with board certification.
• Free malpractice liability protection with tail coverage.

What This Job Offers

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