Spinal Cord Injury & Disorders

The Spinal Cord Injury & Disorders (SCI/D) Service of the VA New Jersey Healthcare System (VANJHCS) in East Orange, NJ is recruiting a physician (MD or DO) who has experience with caring for patients with spinal cord injury or disorders, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Multiple Sclerosis or trained in Spinal Cord Medicine (Board Eligible or Certified in Spinal Cord Medicine preferred).

The East Orange SCI/D Center is a well-established program dedicated to providing chronic life-long comprehensive care to Veterans with SCI/D and serves as a VA referral hub for a catchment area including all of NJ and Eastern PA. The VANJHCS has an affiliation with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. The position involves the day-to-day medical care of persons with SCI and disorders in both inpatient and outpatient settings, inclusive of both traumatic and non-traumatic SCI, multiple sclerosis, and ALS. It also includes the supervision of Rutgers New Jersey Medical School students, residents, and fellows. Applicants must possess a current and unrestricted license in any State, have excellent diagnostic and interpersonal skills, a commitment to team building, and have the overall aptitude for leadership, educational development, and research.

Additionally, the physician will work closely with our team of dedicated healthcare professionals to assure compliance with rational, regional, and local VA performance standards, and may serve on local committees as deemed necessary in support of the facility's mission.

Preferred Experience: Physician (MD or DO) trained in Spinal Cord Medicine (Board Eligible or Certified in Spinal Cord Medicine preferred) or who has experience with caring for patients with spinal cord injury or disorders or who has experience working in acute or sub-acute rehabilitation settings.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 4: 30pm work schedule, as well as, participation in a rotating schedule providing On-Call coverage to the SCI/D Department's inpatient unit (and supervision to the on-call resident).

Key Requirements:

• Must be a U.S. Citizen
• Board Eligible or Board Certified in Physical Medicine and Rehab, Physiatry (ABPMR) highly preferred
• Holds a full and unrestricted license to practice medicine in ANY U.S. State

VA offers a comprehensive and attractive total rewards package. See below for details.

Community, Facility, and Organization

The VA New Jersey Healthcare System provides you with outstanding health care, trains America s future healthcare providers, and conducts important medical research.

East Orange, NJ is known for its rich history, diverse population, and many landmarks. Visit the Thomas Edison National Historical Park and see where the phonograph and electric light bulb were invented, hike or picnic at the Eagle Rock Reservation where you can catch a stunning view of the New York City skyline, attend cultural events at The Woodland, or catch a show at Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts.

Health Care and Services

We provide Veterans with health care services at 11 locations in New Jersey. Facilities include our hospitals in East Orange and Lyons, and 9 community-based outpatient clinics in Brick, Hackensack, Hamilton, Jersey City, Morristown, Paterson, Piscataway, Sussex, and Tinton Falls.

The VA New Jersey Healthcare System is one of the leading healthcare systems serving Veterans in the New York/New Jersey VA Health Care Network. We re an innovative care center within the Veterans Integrated Service Network 2 (VISN 2), which includes medical centers and clinics in New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Research and Development

The VA New Jersey Healthcare System has an active accredited research program. We were the first VA research program awarded full accreditation from the Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs, and we remain one of fewer than 20 facilities with an accredited Human Research Program.

The VA New Jersey Healthcare System has more than 200 research programs. We conduct research to discover knowledge, develop VA scientists and healthcare leaders, and create innovations that advance healthcare for Veterans and the nation. We offer Veterans the opportunity to participate in and benefit from our work. We aim to use research to promote better health and health care for all.

Major research areas include:

• Infectious disease
• Hypertension
• Diabetes
• Schizophrenia
• Blood disorders (hematology)
• Surgery
• Oncology
• PTSD and Suicide
• Academics and Teaching

East Orange VA Medical Center and Lyons VA Medical Center are general medicine and surgery teaching hospitals that provide a full range of health services for Veterans, with state-of-the-art technology as well as education and research.

We have active affiliations with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Saint Joseph s University Hospital, Hoboken University Hospital, and Seton Hall School of Health and Medical Services. We re proud of our partnerships with top institutions and organizations that support the educational mission of the VA.

Fast Facts

• We publish a newsletter, Stars and Stripes Veterans News, that is written by combat Veterans.
• Our East Orange VA Medical Center maintains one of two new research centers studying how to care for active-duty patients and Veterans with war-related illnesses.
• Several of our programs, including Diabetes Education, Pulmonary Rehabilitation, Prosthetics, and Homeless Outreach, have been recognized by the VA and the healthcare community.

Accreditation 

Our facilities and programs have received accreditation from:

• Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs
• The Joint Commission
• Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities
• College of American Pathologists
• American College of Surgeon, Commission on Cancer
• Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Care Animals

Paid Time Off:

• 26 Days paid annual (vacation/personal) leave
• 13 Days paid sick leave each year with no limit on accumulation
• 11 Federal holidays with pay annually
• 5 Days paid absence to attend approved CME courses

Insurance:

• Health Insurance: VA employees have an outstanding number of health insurance plans from which to choose (premiums are partially paid by VA) Lifetime Healthcare Insurance options available
• Dental & Vision: Our insurance options also include exceptional vision and dental plans (premiums are partially paid by VA)
• VA employees have the option to use Flexible Spending Accounts, which allow you to use tax-free dollars to pay for medical, dental, and vision care expenses that are not reimbursed by your health insurance plan
• Term life insurance, family, and additional coverage options are available with the cost shared by the Federal Government
• Long-term care insurance is available as an option

Federal Retirement Plan:

• VA employees are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). FERS is a three-tiered retirement plan composed of 1) Social Security benefits, 2) FERS-RAE basic benefits (pension), and 3) Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) which is a 401K-type plan
• How is the pension funded? VA employees automatically contribute 4.4% of their salary each pay period and the VA contributes 12.2% of the employee’s salary each pay period for a total annual contribution percentage equal to 16.6% of the employee’s salary
• Similar to the 401(k) savings plans widely available in the private sector, the TSP allows employees to tax defer a portion of their income each year, subject to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Service. For calendar year 2020, employees under the age of 50 may contribute up to $19,500, while those over age 50 are eligible to make catch-up contributions that allow them to defer up to $25,500.
• The Federal Government also provides an automatic basic contribution (1% of salary) and up to 4% of salary in matching contributions, depending on the amount of the employee contribution
• For retired military personnel, these benefits are in addition to full monthly retirement pay or pension
• In addition to FERS, VA provides health care insurance coverage for retired personnel
• Disability Retirement
• Employees are vested in a federal pension after only 5 years service