Physician - Geriatrics

Physician - Geriatrics–opportunity in beautiful Tucson, Arizona

The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS) is seeking a Board-Certified or Board Eligible Geriatrician to join the Geriatrics and Extended Care (GEC) Service Line. This physician will play a key role in delivering high-quality, evidence-based inpatient geriatric care to Veterans and advancing age-friendly hospital initiatives.

The selected Geriatrician will report directly to the Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) for Geriatrics and Extended Care and will provide clinical coverage for the Inpatient Geriatric Consultation Service and the Inpatient Hip Fracture Program.

• Provide inpatient geriatric consultation services for hospitalized Veterans with complex medical, cognitive, and functional needs.
• Serve as a core clinician for the Inpatient Hip Fracture Program, supporting co‑management and interdisciplinary care of older Veterans with fragility fractures.
• Conduct comprehensive geriatric assessments addressing:
  • Delirium, dementia, and other cognitive disorders
  • Falls, gait instability, and mobility limitations
  • Polypharmacy and high‑risk medication use
  • Frailty, functional decline, and sarcopenia
  • Goals of care, advance care planning, and capacity evaluations
• Participate in interdisciplinary rounds with hospital medicine, orthopedic surgery, nursing, pharmacy, rehabilitation services, social work, and case management.
• Support safe transitions of care, including discharge planning and coordination with outpatient and home‑based services.
• Contribute to quality improvement, patient safety, and age‑friendly health system initiatives within SAVAHCS.
• Participate in teaching and clinical education of trainees and interdisciplinary staff, as applicable.
• Maintain compliance with VA documentation, performance measures, and clinical practice standards.
• Work schedule:
  
  Monday‑Friday, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm. No evenings, weekends or holidays.

• United States citizenship.
• Non‑US citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified US citizens in accordance with VA policy.
• Doctor of Medicine (MD) or an equivalent degree (DO).
• Current, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in all US states.
• Successful completion of residency training in the USA.
• Board‑certified Geriatrician.

• Experience providing inpatient geriatric consultation.
• Clinical experience managing hospitalized older adults with delirium, frailty, multimorbidity, and post‑operative complications.
• Experience or strong interest in hip fracture co‑management programs.
• Comfort working within interdisciplinary, team‑based inpatient care models.

The Tucson VA Medical Center is a 295‑bed hospital that provides training, primary care, and subspecialty health care in numerous medical areas for eligible Veterans. It is the Flagship for the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS), which serves over 170,000 veterans located in eight counties in Southern Arizona: the medical center in Tucson, Arizona and seven Community‑Based Outpatient Clinics in Casa Grande, Green Valley, Safford, Sierra Vista, Yuma, Northwest, and Southeast Tucson.

• Pay: $265,000 to $315,000 per year with annual performance bonus and regular salary increases.
• Paid Time Off: 50–55 days per year (26 days annual leave, 13 days sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays, possible 5 days paid absence for CME).
• Retirement:
  Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5 % VA contributions.
• Insurance:
  Federal health, vision, dental, term life, long‑term care (many programs can be carried into retirement).
• Licensure:
  One 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.
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign‑on Bonus):
  May be approved for highly qualified applicants.
• Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment):
  Approved. The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student‑loan payment reimbursement program. Applicants must meet specific eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit the EDRP application within four months of the start date. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the application.
  
  Contact VHA.ELRSProgram
  
  Support for questions and assistance.

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