Chief, disability evaluation service line

Summary

This announcement is only open to current employees of the Fayetteville VA Mid-Atlantic Healthcare System. The Service Chief of the Disability Evaluation Service Line (DESL) provides administrative, clinical, and programmatic leadership for DESL Health to ensure achievement of the clinical, research, and education goals. The incumbent reports to the Deputy Chief of Staff and serves as a key clinical resource for the Medical Center Director.

Duties

The incumbent is a board-certified practitioner with advanced clinical experience and demonstrated administrative and leadership skills. The responsibilities include hands-on clinical work, oversight, and administration of all aspects of the service, including an extensive research program and guidance and training for residents and other trainees.

Leadership & Program Management

Provide daily leadership for DESL operations including staff supervision, workload oversight, scheduling coordination, and clinic management. Ensure compliance with VHA and VBA exam timeliness, quality, and accuracy standards. Develop and update processes, workflows, and performance expectations. Drive continuous improvement efforts to reduce backlog, enhance efficiency, and improve Veteran experience.

Clinical Oversight & Quality Assurance

Oversee the clinical accuracy and completeness of disability examinations. Ensure proper completion of Disability Benefits Questionnaires (DBQs) in CAPRI. Ensure accurate documentation for Environmental Health Registry (EHR) examinations. Maintain separation between clinical care and benefits evaluation; no treatment or prescribing within DESL. Conduct quality reviews, provide feedback, and implement corrective action plans.

Environmental Health Registry (EHR) & Military Exposures

Ensure DESL physicians complete military exposure examinations per Health Outcomes Military Exposures (HOME) Office guidelines. Provide clinical and programmatic support for EHR operations. Support DESL and EHR integration across FVACHCS. Maintain staff competency in exposure documentation, screening protocols, and registry requirements.

Toxic Exposure Screening (TES)

Perform TES duties as assigned. Ensure staff understand TES protocols when serving as TES Navigators or supporting workflows. Assist with TES program planning, reporting, and internal review processes.

Collaboration & Interdisciplinary Coordination

Serve as primary liaison with VBA Regional Offices regarding exam workflows, requests, and priorities. Coordinate with clinical services, scheduling teams, EHR staff, and administrative partners. Collaborate with external contracting partners to ensure continuity and compliance.

Administrative & Compliance Responsibilities

Develop and maintain local DESL/EHR policies. Ensure compliance with VHA directives, HOME Office guidance, Joint Commission standards, and other regulatory requirements. Oversee workload capture, productivity monitoring, data integrity, and documentation compliance. Participate in audits, administrative reviews, and executive-assigned duties.

Staff Supervision & Professional Development

Supervise physicians, APPs, and administrative personnel. Provide onboarding, education, performance evaluations, and competency assessments. Foster a positive work environment and support staff development.

Veteran-Centered Service

Ensure Veterans receive respectful, timely, and transparent examinations. Address Veteran concerns related to exam processes, documentation, or exposure evaluations. Promote a culture of trust, communication, and service excellence. He/she is accountable and responsible for providing the most effective delivery of administrative oversight and care throughout the medical center while meeting and exceeding compliance standards for the DESL.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.

VHA Physician Total Rewards

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. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements.

Effective May 7, 2025,

driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. 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). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed.
• Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification.

Additional Requirement:

Must be board certified.

Preferred Experience:

Familiarity with VBA and VHA workflows, including exams, ratings, and appeals processes. Coordinating C&P exam operations, scheduling, and compliance efforts. Ensuring alignment with national VA directives.

Physical Requirements:

Requires exerting up to 50 pounds of force occasionally and up to 25 pounds frequently to move objects, including equipment and assisting with client movement. Emotional Demands-Includes regular interaction with patients and families, meeting their needs and expectations. May involve working with critically ill patients and witnessing patient suffering. Visual Requirements: Must be able to read printed materials and distinguish colors, such as reading medical orders and assessing skin tone or wounds. Requires the ability to visually inspect patients, accurately read measurements on medical equipment (thermometers, gauges, IV pumps, monitors, etc.), and perceive depth to move safely and interact appropriately with patients and staff. Intellectual/Emotional Requirements: Ability to function effectively in high-stress environments with frequent interruptions, urgent situations, and collaboration with a multidisciplinary team. Must be able to shift tasks without loss of efficiency, meet workload and scheduling demands, and balance patient care, documentation, and participation in meetings or committees. Requires effective, courteous communication with diverse individuals, the ability to work independently, recognize when to seek assistance, and maintain confidentiality to protect patient privacy.

Education

Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed.

Approved schools are:

• Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted.
• Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted.

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding.