Gastroenterologist

VA physicians lead change toward greater progress in Veteran care spanning all areas of medicine. With access to state-of-the-art technologies and pioneering research opportunities, they challenge the boundaries of health care to develop innovative treatment options that improve patient outcomes. VA fosters excellence through mentorship, leadership, and educational programs, giving physicians the tools they need to serve Veterans best. 

The Louis A Johnson Clarksburg VAMC is looking for a Gastroenterologist to join our team. The VA offers unparalleled benefits for physicians that can give you career satisfaction that you won t find anywhere else.  The Clarksburg VA is small enough to connect with the patients but big enough to still have some of the newest equipment available. At the Clarksburg VA, our health care teams are deeply experienced and guided by the needs of veterans, their families, and caregivers.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Surgical procedures, with required expertise in all areas of Gastroenterology including:
- Proctoscopy and/or flexible sigmoidoscopy
- Diagnostic upper gastrointestinal endoscopy
- Esophageal dilation
- Colonoscopy, including biopsy and polypectomy
- Therapeutic upper and lower gastrointestinal endoscopy
- Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy
- Administration of Moderate Sedation
- Supervision/teaching of surgical residents.
- Providing consultation in an outpatient clinic setting and on inpatient wards.
- Participation in committees.

Preferred Experience:  Board Certified or Board Eligible.
 

Here are a few of the benefits of working at the Clarksburg VAMC:

Salary 300K-400K

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives (Sign-on Bonus):  Available for well-qualified applicants

PCS Relocation Incentive authorized for qualified applicants
EDRP Authorized: This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after completing review of the EDRP application. 
Pay:  Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases
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
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.

Contract BuyOut Program - This position may be eligible for the Physician contract buy out program, which authorizes VHA to buy out service contracts (Locum agreements, loan repayments, sign on bonus contracts, Physician owned practices) in exchange for employment at certain rural or highly rural facilities for a period of obligated service (minimum 4 years). 

Excellent work schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.; however, subject to change, depending on the needs of the service/medical center. On-call responsibilities as required.

Clarksburg/Bridgeport, WV  is an economically strong and vibrant community, as it is home to government and private enterprises that includes the FBI, energy, aerospace, and health care. Located less than two hours south of Pittsburgh, PA, and within easy driving distance of several mid-Atlantic and Midwest cities, Clarksburg/Bridgeport offers residents the best of small-town America with the top-ranked high school in the state. This North Central West Virginia community offers ease of access to incredible recreational opportunities, with West Virginia earning accolades from Cond Nast Traveler and Time magazine as one of the best places to travel. 

Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest. The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and well-being.   As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care.

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

The Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center is a general medical and surgical hospital with 98 beds, located on a 16-acre site adjacent to the Veterans Memorial Park and the West Virginia State Nursing Home in the city of Clarksburg, West Virginia. It serves a Veteran population of approximately 70,000 in north central West Virginia and adjacent counties in Maryland, Ohio and Pennsylvania. In FY07 the medical center treated 19,554 unique patients through 216,090 outpatient visits and 3,541 admissions.

The facility was initially dedicated on December 7, 1950 and was enhanced with the clinical addition in 1989. Named after Louis A. Johnson, Secretary of Defense under President Truman, this medical center has been an active teaching facility since 1960 by participating in residency and academic affiliations with the West Virginia University, Fairmont State University, Alderson-Broaddus College and other nearby institutions of higher education.

Clarksburg, approximate population of 18,000 citizens, is located at the center of West Virginia's I-79 High Tech Corridor. The High Tech Corridor is anchored on the north by Morgantown, which is the home of West Virginia University, a Carnegie Foundation Research Institution and training academy for Cisco systems, Inc. and Oracle. Morgantown was recently rated the best small city in America by bizjournals.com. Other regional high technology operations include the National Energy Technology Laboratory, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, NASA IV and V Center, and Department of Defense Biometrics Fusion Center.

Clarksburg enjoys the amenities of the largest city in the region with the advantages of a small hometown community. A rich mix of retail, industry, and government services, with a thriving business community exist, along with an abundance of recreational facilities and one of the best preserved historic downtowns in the state. The crime rate is the second lowest in West Virginia and is one of the lowest in the country, property prices remain low, and the cost of living is substantially lower than any metropolitan city. Clarksburg is a small community rich with economic growth, heritage, and family recreation. Clarksburg's Historic downtown is also home to the largest legal, accounting, and banking community in north central West Virginia. There are approximately 6,000 professionals working in the Downtown Central Business District each weekday.

Clarksburg is located approximately two hours from Pittsburgh, PA, three and one-half hours from Columbus, OH, four hours from Washington, DC, and two hours from Charleston, WV.