Board-Certified Anatomic and Clinical Pathologist needed at the Phoenix VA! Work/Life Balance, Outstanding VA benefits, and more!

Board-Certified Anatomic and Clinical Pathologist needed at the Phoenix VA! Work/Life Balance, Outstanding VA benefits, and more!

Have you ever wanted to work at the VA? If so, this is your chance! The Phoenix VA Health Care System (PVAHCS) in Phoenix, Arizona, has an opening for a Board-Certified Anatomic and Clinical Pathologist Physician. Advance in your career as you join an established 7-pathologist work group that provides care for Veterans. Teaching and supervision of medical students and physicians-in-training is an integral component of this position. You can qualify for an academic appointment at the affiliate university, University of Arizona School of Medicine - Phoenix. The collegial and supportive work environment makes coming to work enjoyable and allows you to focus on providing the best possible care to America’s Veterans. The medical center is centrally and conveniently located in the city of Phoenix and easily accessible. 

Qualifications:

• Board certification in Anatomic and Clinical Pathology.
• Subspecialty training in GI pathology or cytopathology is strongly preferred. However, pathologists with other subspecialties as well as experienced general pathologists will be considered.
• At least two to five years of independent sign-out experience in a hospital-based environment, with a focus on quality patient care, is strongly preferred.

Responsibilities:

• General surgical pathology and cytopathology sign out.
• Frozen section coverage and interoperative consultations.
• Rapid on-site assessment for EBUS and other cytopathology specimens.
• Effectively communicate with physician colleagues and direct pathology testing as appropriate to the management of the patient.
• Effectively communicate with technical staff and provide expertise as appropriate.
• Actively participate in tumor boards
• Night and weekend call coverage is equally shared with other members of the group.

Work Schedule: 

Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Minimal Call)

Features and Benefits

• The VA offers Physicians and all employees industry-leading full benefits and features package to support high-quality professional practice & a favorable work-life-family balance.
• Pay to include a competitive salary, annual performance bonus, and regular salary increases.
• Paid Time Off in the form of 26 days paid annual leave, 13 days paid sick leave per year, 11 federal holidays with pay, and 5-day paid absences to attend approved CME. * 
• Insurance to include Health-Dental-Vision care insurance programs to choose from with premiums partially paid by VA; Flexible Spending Accounts; Term life insurance, family, and additional coverage options are available with the cost shared by the Federal Government; and Long-term care insurance available as an option.
• Federal Retirement Plans through the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) - A three-tiered retirement plan composed of 1) Social Security benefits; 2) FERS-FRAE basic benefits (pension); and 3) Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), which is a 401K-type plan, with up to five percent government matching.

If you're interested in this opportunity, or to learn more, please e-mail your CV to Timothy A. Bernau at timothy.bernau@va.gov or call 623-920-1304.

* Must be board-certified to receive the 5 days off for CME.

Paid Time Off:

• 26 Days paid annual (vacation/personal) leave
• 13 Days paid sick leave each year with no limit on accumulation
• 11 paid Federal holidays per year
• 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

About the Phoenix VA Health Care System 

Basking in sunshine 300 days a year in the aptly named Valley of the Sun, The Phoenix VA Health Care System is located near downtown Phoenix, Arizona. Although renowned for its warm, dry climate, Arizona’s capitol offers much more than great weather.  The Phoenix metro area, now America’s 5^th largest city, offers affordable housing and a relaxed, informal southwestern lifestyle.

Diversity abounds.  Greater Phoenix has an abundance of golf courses, parks, public swimming pools and bike paths.  For the sports fans Phoenix is home to the NBA’s Phoenix Suns, NFL's Arizona Cardinals; major league baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks and the NHL’s Phoenix Coyotes.  Across the state, more than 11 million acres of national forest lands provide a varied playground for those who enjoy skiing, horseback riding, hunting, fishing, boating, hiking or camping….for the more adventurous, there's white water rafting on the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon!   

For city dwellers, the valley boasts exceptional shopping and retail establishments, restaurants and night life.  The valley is also rapidly gaining prominence as a Mecca for the arts.  Phoenix possesses world class museums, a ballet, symphony orchestra and several theater companies.

The Phoenix VA Health Care System proudly serves Veterans in central Arizona at its main medical center and outpatient VA Health Care Clinics.

The Phoenix VA Health Care System is joining a growing number of VA health care facilities in adopting a new method of health care delivery called Patient Aligned Care Teams or PACTs.  This system is even more patient-centered and focuses heavily on quick and easy communication between patients and their health care providers.