The Sacramento VA Medical Center is recruiting an experienced, fully trained pathologist, board prepared in Anatomic Pathology and/or Clinical Pathology. Duties for the Staff Pathologist will include, but are not limited to, the following:
Application of accepted criteria in formulating and reporting diagnostic information on various anatomic pathology specimens to include surgical pathology, cytopathology and autopsy pathology.
Provide clinical laboratory consultation to technical personnel and healthcare providers.
Participate in a high complexity laboratory, in compliance with all VA Central Office, The Joint Commission, College of American Pathology, CLIA requirements, AABB, FDA and other agencies as required.
Participation in Quality Assurance measures for laboratory sections as required by accreditation agencies.
Teaching of residents, medical students, and other healthcare personnel who seek training within the field of Pathology.
Support of the research mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The pathologist is ultimately responsible for diagnostic interpretation of specimens processed within the laboratory.
The pathologist will provide staff and/or trainees information on specimen processing and evaluation.
Perform and review gross specimen examination
Processing and interpretation of intraoperative frozen sections.
Provide intraoperative and intraprocedural consultations as requested.
Interpretation/sign-out of surgical pathology and cytopathology specimens.
Ordering/interpretation of appropriate immunohistochemical stains and special stains, molecular and genetics tests as required to ensure accurate diagnosis and provide prognostic/therapeutic information.
Responsible for evaluating and interpretation flow cytometry, lymph nodes submitted for hematopoietic neoplasms and bone marrows. (Desired, but not required)
Participation in multi-disciplinary conferences such as Tumor Board, Endocrine, GI and Morbidity and Mortality Conference.
Review appropriate clinical history/medical record when responsible for autopsy coverage and discuss with clinical team ensuring appropriate consent documentation before proceeding with autopsy.
Perform/supervise autopsy.
Issue preliminary autopsy findings within 48 hours of autopsy.
Issue completed autopsy report with clinicopathologic correlation within 30 days of autopsy
Participate in Quality Assurance measures including 10% retrospective review of all anatomic pathology cases and inter-laboratory comparison programs as designated by Chief, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.
Participate in Non-GYN Cytopathology Proficiency tests as required by service obligations.
Provide 24 hour on-call services as designated in the monthly schedule (shared call schedule with other pathologists)
Direct/participate in a high complexity laboratory, with responsibility for daily, weekly, and monthly quality monitors as delegated by Chief PLM.
Select/evaluate new tests for laboratory section test menus as assigned.
Assist as needed in preparing the lab for accreditation inspections.
Offer consultation to other pathologists (intra-departmental consultations) for testing strategies and interpretation of results.
Participate in required continuing medical education (CME) to maintain licensure/privileges.
Responsible for timely completion of VA assigned TMS educational modules.
Support the educational and research mission of the VA, at a minimum through excellence in teaching.
Work Life Balance
Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm; however, weekend and evening hours may occur with on call rotating weekend and holiday coverage.
Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), and if approved, receive up to $200k in school loan repayment.
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)
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Licensure: 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 moonlight
Federal Retirement Plan:
Retirement System
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 8.3% of the employee’s salary each pay period for a total annual contribution percentage equal to 12.7% 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 2022, 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
Employees are vested in a federal pension after only 5 years’ service
Please email your CV to Gregory.Salmon@va.gov You may also text or call (321) 689-7080
Providing Health Care for Veterans: The Veterans Health Administration is America’s largest integrated health care system, providing care at 1,255 health care facilities, including 170 medical centers and 1,074 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics), serving 9 million enrolled Veterans each year.