Physician - Chief Spinal Cord Injuries and Disorders

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Duties

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact V21CCOEEDRP@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance Work Schedule: Full-time, schedule to be determined by supervisor. 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 Major duties include but are not limited to: Administrative: The Chief, SCI/D Service, provides oversight and leadership for the clinical, education, and research functions within the SCI/D Service at VAPAHCS. All Section Chiefs within SCI/D Service report directly to the Chief, Spinal Cord Injury Service. He/she may have oversight responsibility for performance measures. He/she is directly responsible for the recruitment and retention of faculty and staff and initiates areas of programmatic development. Ensuring that written policies and procedures are developed in compliance with all applicable VHA Central Office, SCI Strategic Health Group (SHG), and accrediting organization standards and requirements which must be reviewed annually and updated as necessary. Contribute and provide input to the annual performance evaluations for all SCI/D Center staff. Managing service-level quality improvement (QI) activities that monitor critical aspects of care. An ongoing and continuous evaluation of the program must be conducted to ensure the quality and appropriateness of care provided to patients. Ensuring that a QI or Performance Improvement (PI) committee meets at least quarterly to identify important aspects of care and function and to monitor areas of service delivery which are identified as high-risk, high-volume (such as preventive health maintenance program), or problem prone. Ensure performance measures are met, e.g., access to care, patient satisfaction, patient outcomes, and risk management shall be addressed. A systematic plan must be used for collecting and analyzing data, taking corrective action, and reporting results. Clinical: Despite the incumbent's extensive administrative responsibilities, he/she maintains a clinical workload. Admitting eligible SCI/D veterans consistent with the medical and functional requirements of patients. Providing annual comprehensive preventive health evaluations by the SCI/D Center multidisciplinary team. Notifying the SCI/D Coordinator of discharges from the SCI/D Center. Designating appropriate SCI/D Center personnel to support documentation procedures and requirements necessary for quality and accuracy of data in the SCI/D Registry. Supervising the clinical and administrative aspects of the SCI Home Care (SCI-HC) Program. The planning and administration of the urodynamic laboratory and providing consultation to other services requesting urodynamic studies. Research: The Chief, SCI/D Service, promotes research in all areas, including basic science, clinical trials, and health services research, as well as endeavors that advocate for improved care delivery through outcome evaluation and scientific inquiry. He/she advocates ethical decision-making for VA staff and patients. Developing, implementing, and maintaining a program of research that addresses topics of importance to Veterans with SCI/D. Actively participating in identification of avenues of novel SCI/D research as well as design of appropriate methodology and analytical approaches. Overseeing all clinical research activities that involve the patients or staff of the SCI/D Center, both those originating from within the SCI/D Center as well as from outside (i.e., representing collaborations with other services within VAPAHCS, VA SCI/D System of Care, Stanford University School of Medicine, and other VA and non-VA facilities) Coordinating and involved in dissemination of outcomes of SCI/D research activities via publications in peer-reviewed journals and presentation at local, regional, national, and international conferences. Providing mentorship and directing training opportunities for medical and academic students and professionals pursuing training in SCI Medicine (e.g., medical students, residents, etc.)

Requirements

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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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. Complete TB Testing and Immunization evaluations. 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.

Qualifications and evaluation

Your application, resume, C.V., and/or other supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. Veterans' Preference Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

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. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, confirmation must be made that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirement for year graduated. NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area.

How to apply

To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. To apply for this position online, complete steps 1 and 2 above by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/30/2026 to receive consideration. Please note, this announcement may close prior to the closing date indicated if the position is filled through other means. If you are unable to apply online before the closing date click here and include the CBSW-13061140-26-GM in the Notes field. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Required documents

To apply for this position, you must submit a C.V. and/or resume. Other documents may be requested later in the process if needed.

Additional information

The VA Palo Alto Health Care System is excited to announce that it is currently recruiting an exceptional physician candidate for the position of Chief, Spinal Cord Injury & Disorders (SCI/D) Service. This is a transformative opportunity to lead a specialized team devoted to meeting the needs of individuals with SCI/D. As a tertiary care institution, VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS) provides a full range of advanced medical services, complex surgical procedures and subspecialities. VAPAHCS is a regional hub for rehabilitation services offering a comprehensive range of advanced medical services and specialized programs such as the Polytrauma Rehabilitation Center, Traumatic Brain Injury Center of Excellence, Headache Center of Excellence, Regional Amputation Center, Assistive Technology Center, and the Western Blind Rehabilitation Center. The VA Palo Alto SCI/D Center opened in 1974 and has a reputation for excellence in clinical care, education of staff, training of future health care professionals, and clinical research. Our newly renovated 43-bed inpatient unit coupled with a robust outpatient team provides holistic care - from complex acute rehabilitation to outpatient vocational support. The SCI/D programs provide state-of-the-art services including comprehensive rehabilitation, annual evaluations for health maintenance and prevention of secondary complications, medical care for acute and chronic needs, surgical services, and a comprehensive wound care management program. The ideal candidate for the position of Chief of the Spinal Cord Injury & Disorders (SCI/D) Service will embody the three pillars of our mission: clinical excellence, education, and research. This leader will guide a nationally recognized SCI/D center, advancing research that pushes boundaries, cultivating a culture of clinical excellence by upholding the highest clinical care and research standards in safety and quality, and fostering education that shapes future healthcare professionals through collaboration with Stanford University School of Medicine. They will be a steward of excellence, leading the team to surpass quality measures, ensure compliance, and continuously improve the care we deliver. Join our team of dedicated professionals and help shape the future of SCI/D care - where clinical excellence, education, research, and quality converge. 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.