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. ***Use of the pay limitation waiver authority under Section 142 of the Senator Elizabeth Dole 21st Century Veterans Healthcare and Benefits Improvement Act, (P.L. 118-210) has been authorized for highly qualified candidates.*** VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is recruiting for a Physician (Thoracic Section Chief) to join our dynamic and multidisciplinary team. This is a unique opportunity for a visionary surgeon to build, lead, and expand a comprehensive thoracic surgery program dedicated to delivering exceptional care to our nations Veterans. Our thoracic surgery service encompasses advanced lung cancer care, robotic-assisted thoracic surgery, esophageal and foregut disease, benign foregut disorders, pleural disease, chest wall tumors, pulmonary nodules, and other complex thoracic pathologies. Enjoy opportunities for teaching residents and medical students, as well as engaging in educational conferences, clinical research, quality improvement initiatives, and academic collaborations. Candidates interested in leadership and program development will find support in helping grow and shape the service. Major Duties include but are not limited to: Providing care of Veteran patients in the Cardio-Thoracic Surgery service. Diagnose and surgically treat complex diseases of the chest, including lung cancer, esophageal cancer, mediastinal tumors, pleural disease, airway disease, and thoracic trauma. Perform high risk operations such as lobectomy, pneumonectomy, esophagectomy, mediastinal mass resection, and minimally invasive or robotic thoracic surgery. Responsible for the development, administration and process, assignment, education, and evaluation of all students and resident programs within the service. Responsible for outlining the service's workflow processes, procedures, protocol, and policies within regulatory guidelines. Ensuring quality assurances of the service and the delivery of healthcare. Responsible for seeing patients in consultation in both inpatient and outpatient setting. Responsible for the scopes of practices, privileges, and competences including their oversight for all personnel assigned to the service. Practice in accordance with VA guidelines; VA Northeast Ohio Health Care System policies/procedures; medical staff bylaws, rules and regulations; and in accordance with current Joint Commission standards. Responsible for heading a diverse section with physicians, advanced practice providers and other support staff. Attending required staff meetings, communicating up and down the chain of command, and helping prepare heads-up and issue briefs related to adverse patient outcomes. Recruitment Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): A Recruitment incentive may be available for highly qualified applicants. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN10HRCCOE@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance 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 - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm 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. 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. 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.