Section Chief of Ophthalmology

Summary 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. Responsibilities This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCMENT. All qualified applicants will be referred to the hiring manager on a weekly basis. The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below. The Section Chief of Ophthalmology is a medical doctor who possesses the advanced training and experience, as well as the license, in diagnosing and treating disorders of the eye. Ophthalmologists are physicians who diagnose and treat diseases of the eye, including glaucoma and cataracts; vision problems such as nearsightedness; and eye injuries. Due to their extensive training, ophthalmologists can often link eye problems to other disorders such as; brain tumors, diabetes, or multiple sclerosis. The Ophthalmology Section of Surgery Service functions under the overall management of the Section Chief of Ophthalmology. The physician functions within an interdisciplinary staff consisting of physicians, physician extenders, technicians, administrative and clerical staff. He/she is responsible and accountable for ensuring the provision of comprehensive surgical/clinical services and complies with established policies within the Department of Surgery/ Ophthalmology section. Administrative Duties: Attending required staff meetings, communicating up and down the chain of command, and helping prepare heads-up and issue briefs related to adverse patient outcomes at the direction of the Section Chief. Clinical Management including indirect patient care: open encounter and open consult maintenance, CPRS documentation requirements, monitoring of clinic management. Maintains involvement in matters concerning clinic productivity, relevant performance measures, Quality and Patient Safety oversight, as well as process improvements (system redesigns). The Section Chief of Ophthalmology will work with the Surgical Services Administration team for labor mapping, leave, grid modifications and builds. The Section Chief of Ophthalmology will meet with their staff to go over the AES scores and will meet with the GPM team to improve access and all clinical metrics. Clinical Duties: Practitioners are expected to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the promotion of health, prevention of illness, treatment of disease, and care at the end of life. To ensure practice-based learning and improvement, practitioners are expected to be able to use scientific evidence and methods to investigate, evaluate, and improve patient care. Practitioners are expected to demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical and social sciences, and the application of their knowledge to patient care and the education of others. Practitioners are expected to demonstrate behaviors that reflect a commitment to continuous professional development, ethical practice, and understanding and sensitivity to diversity, and a responsible attitude toward their patients, their profession Practitioners are expected to demonstrate both an understanding of the contexts and systems in which health care is provided, and the ability to apply this knowledge to improve optimizing health care. Per the direction of the Chief of Surgery. The Ophthalmology department will provide consult and call coverage for the VA Hospital on Ramsey. The Section Chief of Ophthalmology is under the direct supervision by the Chief of Surgery and the performance appraisal will be done by the Chief of Surgery. The Section Chief of Ophthalmology is responsible for providing the most effective delivery of the added duty of administrative oversight of the ophthalmologic staff and the care they render throughout the medical center while meeting and exceeding compliance standards. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Available to highly qualified candidates Relocation Incentive: Available to eligible candidates. EDRP Authorized: Contact Cheryl Lahair at , the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more. 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 Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Requirements Conditions of Employment 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. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. 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). Complete all application requirements detailed in the

Created: 2025-12-04