Summary
VANTHCS is seeking a dynamic podiatrist leader to serve our nation's Veterans as the Chief of Geriatrics & Extended Care Service, leading a resourceful team that operates our two Community Living Centers. This pivotal role offers a unique opportunity to shape the future of geriatric care while ensuring the highest quality of life for our Veteran residents, implementing innovative care models, and fostering a compassionate and collaborative environment.
This job is open to
Clarification from the agency
Open only to current VA Employees.
NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to below Required Documents section.
Duties
Chief, Geriatrics & Extended Care specializes in Geriatrics, Hospice, and Palliative Medicine.
- Chief is responsible for oversight of MOD staff and operations.
- Provides direct patient/resident care including comprehensive management of the physical, psychological, emotional, social, and spiritual needs of the Veteran (admission H&P, all day-to-day aspects of patient care, inter-professional team meetings, discharge summary, care coordination, participation in care planning and any family conferences).
- Supervises the other CLC physicians, Nurse Practitioners, and administrative staff leading meetings that can be administrative, process or education oriented.
- Participates in performance improvement and contributes to improved quality of care through mortality and morbidity reviews, peer reviews, and occurrence screens. Participates in preparation for surveys.
- Collaborates with the Admissions Coordinator to ensure safe and appropriate CLC admissions, maximizes the utilization of CLC beds, and maintains transparency in the admission process.
- Supports and directs the teaching mission at the CLC in coordination with the Medical Facility and any outside teaching organizations.
- Participates in service and/or medical center committees as assigned.
- Complies with all quality performance measures and improvement programs.
- Exercises full professional responsibilities for their findings, interpretations, decisions, recommendations and reports in accordance with the clinical privileges this institution provided to them.
- Responsible for meeting all clinical performance measures related to Geriatrics and Extended Care and assisting hospital leadership, when possible, in meeting facility-wide measures
- Participates in wide-ranging and higher-level management functions for Geriatrics and Extended Care through participation and planning in operational boards, councils and committees within VANTHCS, the VISN and VHA.
- Determines goals, priorities and direction for the Geriatrics and Extended Care Service and its clinical operations and administrative functions.
- Responsible for the fiscal management of Geriatrics and Extended Care Service.
- Oversees all personnel management aspects of Geriatrics and Extended Care Service, including credentialing and privileging, defining scope of practice/privileges for medicine personnel, focused and ongoing professional practice evaluations, ongoing performance evaluations and assures the maintenance of continuing education for staff physicians.
- Responsible for overseeing competencies for direct report staff, along with the development and completion of performance standards and appraisals.
- Addresses grievances, administers disciplinary actions and nominates incentive awards in all matters concerning Geriatrics and Extended Care Service staff members.
- Responsible for successful external reviews, including TJC, CLC oversight reviews and implementation of approved recommendations
- Perform other duties assigned by the Deputy Chief of Staff or Chief of Staff.
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
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
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
Work Schedule: TBD (Typically M-F, 0800-1630 CST (except Federal Holidays) with occasional weekends and after-hours work, as needed)
VA offers a comprehensive
total rewards package.
Requirements
Conditions of Employment
- All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
- 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).
- You may be required to serve a probationary period.
- Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting & carrying (15-44 pounds), Straight pulling (1-2 hrs.), Pushing (1-2 hrs.), Reaching above shoulders, Walking & Standing (4 hrs.), Kneeling (1 hr.), Repeated bending (2 hrs.), Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously, Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, Far vision correctable in on eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, Depth perception, Ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of color, Hearing.
Environmental Factors: Working closely with others, Protracted or irregular hours of work, Stressful working conditions, and Exposure to bodily fluids.
Qualifications
Podiatrist Basic Requirements
- Citizenship: Candidates must be a United States citizen. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.) ~AND~
- Language: Must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) ~AND~
- Education: Degree as a doctor of podiatric medicine, or its equivalent, from a school of podiatric medicine approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Approved schools are United States schools of podiatric medicine approved by the Council on Podiatry Education of the American Podiatry Association in the year in which the degree was granted. ~AND~
- Residency: Completed, or currently completing, residency training, or its equivalent, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. VA Podiatrists involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status. Approved residencies are:
- (1) Those approved by the accrediting bodies for graduate medical education, the Council on Podiatric Medical Education, in the list published for the year the residency was completed, or
- (2) Other residencies and training experiences, or their equivalents, which the local Professional Standards Board determines to have provided an applicant with appropriate professional training. ~AND~
- License: Currently hold, or will hold, a full and unrestricted license to practice Podiatry in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia.
Additional Requirements (Service Chief):
- A service chief or line manager podiatrist must demonstrate the following:
- (1) Outstanding professional ability in the practice of medicine or a medical specialty; ~AND~
- (2) Ability to guide the development and implementation of programs, within their respective domain. These programs would include, but are not limited to, medical practice, professional standards, personnel issues, and quality and performance improvement.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
Education
Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.
Benefits
A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.
Review our benefits
Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.
How You Will Be Evaluated
You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.
IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:
- Board Certification in Internal Medicine, Geriatrics or Hospice & Palliative Medicine
- Basic Life Support (BLS) certified.
- Previous experience serving as Chief of Clinical Service in any VA and/or other medical facility.
- Past or present faculty appointment in an approved medical school.
- Experience in coordination of medical residency program or supervision of Residents in a clinical or research setting.
- Publication of articles in nationally recognized professional journals.
Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Pay-Setting Note: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the
VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package.
Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.
Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
- Current federal employees (VA and other federal Agencies) applying to this position are asked to submit with their application, a copy of their latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).
- Foreign medical graduates applying to this position are asked to submit with their application, a copy of their Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) certificate. Failure to provide copy of the same (or failure to mention attainment of the same) may result in an ineligible rating.
The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.
- Cover Letter
- DD-214/ Statement of Service
- Disability Letter (Schedule A)
- Disability Letter (VA)
- License
- Other (1) - CV / Resume exceeding 2-pages
- Other (2)
- Other (3)
- Performance Appraisal
- Professional Certification
- Resume
- Separation Notice (RIF)
- SF-15
- SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
- Transcript
Veterans' Preference Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit
Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.
If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:
Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from
schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.
How to Apply
All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 10/27/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12819571.
- To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
- Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package.
NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.
During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
Next steps
Once your online application is submitted you will receive a confirmation notification by email. After we receive application packages (including all required documents) and the vacancy announcement closes, we will review applications to ensure qualification and eligibility requirements are met. After the review is complete, a referral certificate(s) is issued and applicants will be notified of their status by email. Referred applicants will be notified as such and may be contacted directly by the hiring office for an interview. All referred applicants receive a final notification once a selection decision has been made.
You may check the status of your application at any time by logging into your USA Jobs account and clicking on Applications. Information regarding your application status can be found in the USAJobs Help Center.
NOTE: Participation in the seasonal influenza program is a condition of employment and a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). It is a requirement that all HCP to receive annual seasonal influenza vaccination or obtain an exemption for medical or religious reasons. Wearing a face mask is required when an exemption to the influenza vaccination has been granted. HCP in violation of this directive may face disciplinary action up to and including removal from federal service. HCP are individuals who, during the influenza season, work in VHA locations or who come into contact with VA patients or other HCP as part of their duties. VHA locations include, but are not limited to, VA hospitals and associated clinics, community living centers (CLCs), community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs), domiciliary units, Vet centers and VA-leased medical facilities. HCP include all VA licensed and unlicensed, clinical and administrative, remote and onsite, paid and without compensation, full- and part-time employees, intermittent employees, fee basis employees, VA contractors, researchers, volunteers and health professions trainees (HPTs) who are expected to perform any or all of their work at these facilities. HPTs may be paid or unpaid and include residents, interns, fellows and students. HCP also includes VHA personnel providing home-based care to Veterans and drivers and other personnel whose duties put them in contact with patients outside VA medical facilities.