Thoracic Surgeon opportunity in Phoenix, Arizona! 50-55 Days PTO, $200,000 Student Loan Repayment, Outstanding VA Benefits and More!

Thoracic Surgeon opportunity in Phoenix, Arizona! 50-55 Days PTO, $200,000 Student Loan Repayment, Outstanding VA Benefits and More!

Join the most noble mission in healthcare by helping Veterans thrive! The Phoenix VA Health Care System (PVAHCS) in Phoenix, Arizona is looking for a Board-Certified Thoracic Surgeon. You will diagnose and treat Thoracic Surgical disorders using the most appropriate techniques in providing quality care. You will be responsible for initial evaluation and overall workups, history & physicals, and admission of Thoracic surgery patients. You should have experience in a wide variety of standard Thoracic Surgical procedures and operations, including bronchoscopy. You may also supervise residents and medical students from the University of Arizona Surgical Residency Program and other training programs, as well as trainees who rotate through the Thoracic Surgery Service.

Work Schedule: Mon - Fri, 7:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Compensation and Benefits:

Pay: Competitive salary (up to $400,000 annually) + annual performance bonus + regular salary increases.

Sign-in Bonus: May be available for highly qualified candidates.

Paid-Time Off: 50-55 days of annual paid-time offer 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.

Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP): a student loan payment reimbursement program up to $200,000**

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement).

CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement.

Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided.

Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restrictions on moonlighting.

Employment Requirements:

Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine.

Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any U.S. State or territory. Must maintain a current, full, active, and unrestricted license.

U.S. Citizenship required: non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

If you're interested in this opportunity, 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 per year for CME.

**Selected candidates may be eligible to apply for education loan repayment assistance through the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) up to $200,000 over 5 years. Participation is based on funds availability.

Why should you choose Phoenix???

Phoenix is the capital city of Arizona and is in the central region of the state. People know Phoenix for its year-round sun, desert beauty, and world-class resorts and golf. It is also the fifth-largest city in the U.S. and offers sophisticated urbanscapes, southwest culture, and lots of outdoor adventure. Sometimes, bigger really is better. Phoenix (the "Valley of the Sun" to locals) invites you to enjoy major destinations for recreation and relaxation, must-visit venues in the culinary and cocktail kingdoms, and long-standing arts, civic and cultural institutions. That just scratches the surface of things to do in Phoenix!

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

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.