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 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
• (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences
• Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs)
• PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis
• PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged
• rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision
• Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs
• Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Additional Requirement: Transplant Surgery Expertise - Fellowship training in abdominal organ transplantation from an ASTS-accredited program, with a primary focus on kidney transplantation
• -Demonstrated experience performing deceased donor and living donor kidney transplants as primary surgeon
• -Experience with complex transplant recipient operations, including vascular reconstruction, re-transplantation, and management of sensitized recipients
• - Familiarity with donor nephrectomy techniques, including laparoscopic/robotic-assisted living donor nephrectomy
• -Experience in the evaluation and management of transplant recipients and living donor candidates across the transplant continuum
• Preferred Experience: Program Development and Leadership - Experience in building, launching, or leading a kidney transplant program, including OPTN certification activities, protocol development, and regulatory compliance
• - Demonstrated leadership in multidisciplinary transplant programs, including collaboration with nephrology, transplant coordinators, anesthesiology, and hospital administration
• - Prior service as OPTN-designated Primary Surgeon or in a transplant program director/leadership role
• -Experience with UNOS/OPTN data reporting, quality metrics, and outcomes monitoring
• Academic and VA Affiliation -Experience working in academic medical center, teaching hospital, or VA healthcare system
• - Prior experience with VA or federal healthcare system administrative and regulatory frameworks
• - Record of scholarly activity, including peer- reviewed publications, presentations, or teaching in transplant surgery
• The following Selective Placement Factor (SPF) is a prerequisite for this position
• Applicants who do not meet this requirement will be found ineligible and will not be referred for further consideration, regardless of other qualifications
• SPF: Candidates must: (1) be board eligible or board certified in General Surgery by the American Board of Surgery (ABS);(2) have completed a fellowship in abdominal organ transplantation from a program accredited by the American Society of Transplant Surgeons (ASTS) or equivalent, with primary training in kidney transplantation: AND (3) be eligible to serve as OPTN- designated Primary Surgeon for a kidney transplant program in accordance with current OPTN Bylaws
• Applicants must provide documentation of ABS board eligibility or certification, transplant fellowship completion, and current status or eligibility for OPTN Primary Surgeon designation with their application materials
• QRF1: Knowledge of OPTN /UNOS Regulatory Framework and Transplant Program Compliance -Demonstrated knowledge of OPTN Bylaws, UNOS policies, and CMS Conditions of participation as they relate to kidney transplant problem operations
• This includes experience with OPTN membership requirement, Primary Surgeon designation criteria, data submission obligations, and program certification or recertification activities
• QRF2: Skill in Surgical Leadership and Multidisciplinary Program Development -Ability to provide strategic and operational leadership for a kidney transplant program, including clinical protocol development, quality improvement initiatives, and coordination across nephrology, transplant coordinators, anesthesiology, and hospital administration
• Experience building or growing a transplant program from early-stage development through operational maturity is highly valued
• QRF3: Ability to Perform the Full Spectrum of Kidney Transplant Surgical Procedures -Proficiency in decease donor and living donor kidney transplantation as primary surgeon, including complex recipient operations, vascular anastomosis techniques, re-transplantation, and management of surgical complications
• Experience with minimally invasive living donor nephrectomy techniques (laparoscopic or robotic-assisted) is preferred
• QRF4: Ability to Collaborate Within a Federal Healthcare Environment Demonstrated ability to work effectively within a large, complex health care systems, particularly VA, DoD, or other federal healthcare settings, including familiarity with federal administrative structures, academic affiliation agreements, and health professions training programs
• Experience or familiarity with VA-specific quality and safety frameworks (e.g., NSQIP, VASQIP) is a plus
• QRF 5: Skill in Communication, Teaching, and Scholarly Contribution Ability -Ability to communicate effectively with patients, families, multidisciplinary care teams and hospital leadership
• Evidence of contributions to transplant surgery education, training of residents and fellows, and scholarly activity (publications, presentations, quality improvement projects) in field of transplantation
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: The physical demands of this position involve primarily walking, sitting, talking, driving, use of the telephone, etc
• Strenuous physical activity is not required although the incumbent is expected to withstand pressure and stress as part of their day-to-day activities
• Light lifting, under 15 pounds, Light carrying, under 15 pounds, Hearing (aid permitted).