Physical Medicine and Rehab - Physician
The South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) is seeking a skilled, compassionate, and motivated Physician to serve as the Outpatient Section Chief for the Spinal Cord Injury/Disorders (SCI/D) Service at the Audie Murphy VA Hospital in San Antonio, Texas. This is a full-time, leadership-focused clinical and administrative role supporting one of the nation's largest and most respected VA healthcare systems. Position Overview The SCI/D Outpatient Section Chief provides both hands-on clinical care and high-level administrative leadership. The role supports four other physicians and a multidisciplinary clinical team providing care to approximately 600 Veterans living with spinal cord injuries or disorders. Primary responsibilities include: Administrative Duties: • Lead outpatient SCI/D physicians and assigned staff. • Participate in staff meetings, committees, accreditation activities, and peer review. • Ensure timely documentation, credentialing maintenance, mandatory training completion. • Manage time and leave processes, clinic cancellations, and clinical coverage needs. • Oversee productivity, access metrics, open encounters, and consult management. • Collaborate with the Assistant Nurse Manager on efficient clinic operations. • Support performance improvement and quality initiatives across the service. Clinical Duties: • Maintain active privileges and clinical practice in the physician's specialty. • Deliver high-quality patient care including assessment, diagnosis, and management. • Demonstrate strong clinical judgment using evidence-based medicine. • Communicate effectively with Veterans, families, and interdisciplinary team members. • Model professionalism, ethics, and a commitment to continuous growth. • Provide off-tour inpatient/consult coverage on a rotational basis (nights, weekends, holidays). Work Environment • Outpatient practice based at Audie Murphy VA Hospital. • Review SCI/D service consults for neuro-rehab appropriateness. • Participate in facility-wide performance measures including access and utilization. • Engage in accreditation, quality management, peer review, and hospital committees. • Maintain licensure, board certification, and academic affiliate requirements. • Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm. Team Structure: Four physicians, Assistant Nurse Manager, two RNs, one LVN, one CNA • Full interdisciplinary support: physical therapy, occupational therapy, recreational therapy, pharmacy, social work Patient Population: Approx. 600 Veterans with spinal cord injuries or neurologic disorders • Highly rewarding care environment serving chronic and complex neuro-rehab needs Professional Development: Strong VA-supported opportunities for training, education, QI projects, research involvement, and academic participation. Qualifications Basic/Preferred Qualifications: Board Certified or Board Eligible in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation or Neurology • Experience in neurorehabilitation (inpatient or outpatient), specializing in SCI/D preferred • Experience or interest in spinal cord medicine, pain, musculoskeletal medicine, or rehab subspecialties • Minimum three years of supervisory or leadership experience VA Employment Requirements: • U.S. Citizens strongly encouraged; non-citizens will be considered when qualified candidates are not available • Unrestricted medical license from any U.S. state or territory • Completion of residency training approved by the VA • Successful background check and onboarding requirements Compensation and Benefits Competitive VA Total Rewards Package • Salary Range (Tier 2): 240,000 to 335,000 • Recruitment/Relocation Incentive available • Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) eligible • Federal benefits package including comprehensive insurance options Federal Retirement Benefits: • FERS - Federal Employees Retirement System: A secure, government-backed pension paid for life, based on years of service and high-3 salary. • Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): The federal equivalent of a 401(k) with government matching. The VA contributes up to 5% automatically when you do. Together, FERS TSP provide one of the strongest, most stable retirement packages available in the U.S. Work-Life Balance: • 26 days of annual leave • 13 days of sick leave • 11 paid federal holidays • Possible 5 days of paid absence for CME • Predictable Monday-Friday schedule • No RVUs or private-sector style productivity pressure This is one of the best work-life balance environments in modern medicine. Why San Antonio? San Antonio offers an outstanding quality of life with a low cost of living and no state income tax. Highlights include: • Beautiful, warm climate with year-round outdoor living • Vibrant culture, food, music, and arts • Excellent schools and family-friendly communities • One of the nation's fastest-growing medical ecosystems • Easy travel, major airport, and central location in Texas • Highly affordable housing and a strong local economy Living in Texas means keeping more of your income-your VA salary stretches even further in a tax free state. Interested Candidates We welcome applications from mission-driven physicians committed to caring for America's Veterans.
