Physician (General Surgery) - ESEP/MP

Summary The purpose of this position is to serve as a technical expert within the specialty area of General Surgery, the incumbent assumes responsibility for the diagnosis, care and treatment of patients. ***NOTE: This is an Open Continuous announcement; applicants will be referred when vacancies occur. Responsibilities Interviews and examines patients, reviews past medical history, and requests and/or performs diagnostic tests and examinations deemed necessary to obtain all appropriate information related to each case. Makes preliminary diagnosis, directs, prescribes or provides treatment, or arranges for specialized care or patient referral as required. Provides urgent and emergency care as required. Provides difinitive management of emergency care cases that do not require referral. Responds to acute emergency interventions, working closely in consultation with members of other medical departments as deemed appropriate by the clinical problem. Serves as an expert in the specialized area and assumes appropriate administrative duties as assigned by the supervisor. This position is being announced concurrently under Delegated Hiring Authority (DHA) procedures. Please review vacancy announcement number IHS-24-GA-12335447-DHA for eligibility requirements. NOTE: Applicants must apply separately to each announcement in order to be considered. Requirements Conditions of Employment Selectee may be subject to a probationary/trial period ESEP appointees typically serve a two year trial period U.S. Citizenship is required Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes. Confidential Financial Disclosure Form required. Measles and Rubella immunization required for selectees born after 1957 and seasonal influenza immunization is required for all staff working in Indian Health Service health care facilities. COVID-19 vaccination is required for all selectees prior to entrance on duty. The selected individual is required to obtain and maintain medical staff clinical privileges, including any licensure requirements. If privileges are not obtained or maintained during employment, the employee will be subject to adverse actions, up to and including removal from Federal service. On-call hours or standby duty may be required. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/. You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you. Background Investigation: If you are selected for this vacancy, you must undergo a pre-employment fingerprint check and background investigation. Fingerprint results and background investigation documentation must be cleared prior to hire. After you begin your employment, your continued employment is contingent upon the outcome of a complete background investigation as determined by the sensitivity level of your position. The investigation must find that you are suitable for Federal employment in your position. If you are found not suitable, you will be terminated after you begin work. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or subject to possible criminal charges. You may be subject to a credit check as a part of the background investigation process. Qualifications To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. 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; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. BASIC REQUIREMENT(S): 1) Degree: Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy from a school in the United States or Canada approved by a recognized accredit body in the year of the applicant's graduation. A Doctor of Medicine or equivalent degree from a foreign medical school that provided education and medical knowledge substantially equivalent to accredited schools in the United States may be demonstrated by permanent certification by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) or a fifth pathway certificate for Americans who completed pre medical education in the United States and graduate education in a foreign country. 2) Licensure: For positions involved with direct patient care, candidates must have a permanent, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine in a State, District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States. Applications will be accepted from physicians who are not currently licensed; however, if selected for a Federal appointment, they must (a) obtain a license before entering on duty, or (b) meet the following provisions: Appointments Pending Meeting Licensure Requirement: Individual circumstances may warrant appointments pending meeting the licensure requirement (e.g., when a candidate has a temporary license to practice until the next regular session of the licensing board). Persons appointed pending licensure may not be retained beyond 1 year of appointment if they do not obtain the license. 3) Graduate Training: Subsequent to obtaining a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy degree, a candidate must have had at least 1 year of supervised experience providing direct service in a clinical setting, i.e., a 1-year internship or the first year of a residency program in an institution accredited for such training. (This 1 year of supervised experience may be waived for research or administrative positions not requiring direct patient care.) For purposes of this standard, graduate training programs include only those internship, residency, and fellowship programs that are approved by accrediting bodies recognized within the United States or Canada. Listings of accredited programs are published yearly in the Directory of Residency Training Programs and the Yearbook and Directory of Osteopathic Physicians. An internship program involves broadly based clinical practice in which physicians acquire experience in treating a variety of medical problems under supervision (e.g., internal medicine, surgery, general practice, obstetrics-gynecology, and pediatrics). Such programs are in hospitals or other institutions accredited for internship training by a recognized body of the American Osteopathic Association (AOA). A residency program involves training in a specialized field of medicine in an institution accredited for training in the specialty by a recognized body of the American Medical Association (AMA) or AOA. A fellowship program involves advanced training (beyond residency training) in a given medical specialty in either a clinical or research setting in a hospital or other institution accredited in the United States for such training. Additional Requirements for Grades GS-12 and Above For GS-15 -- 5 years of residency training in Surgery or equivalent Surgical specialized experience and training that demonstrates the ability to provide independent patient care. Substitution of Experience for Residency Training: Experience MAY NOT BE SUBSTITUTED: for residency training that is essential for the performance of specialized duties. For example, specialists such as psychiatrists and surgeons must complete the number of years of accredited residency training required in their respective specialties. An exception may be made when a peer panel of physicians (subject-matter experts) determines and documents that the knowledge, skills, and abilities acquired in professional medical practice are equivalent to those acquired during the same period of time in a graduate training program. SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR - Board Certification: Applicants applying in a specialty must meet one of the following as an approved agency-wide selective factor. This becomes part of the minimum requirements to qualify for the position. Board Certified in the Specialty to which the applicant is applying or Active Registrant of the Board in the Specialty to which the applicant is applying. The selected individual is required to obtain and maintain medical staff clinical privileges, including any licensure requirements. If privileges are not obtained or maintained during employment, the employee will be subject to adverse actions, up to and including removal from Federal service. Time In Grade Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP). **Note: This is an Open Continuous Announcement; applicants will be referred when vacancies occur. You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the closing date of the announcement. Education This position has an education requirement. You are strongly encouraged to submit a copy of your transcripts or a list of your courses including titles, credit hours completed, and grades. Unofficial transcripts will be accepted in the application package. Official transcripts will be required from all selectees prior to receiving an official offer. Only attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education may be credited. Applicants can verify accreditation at the following website: https://www.ed.gov/accreditation. Degree from Foreign Medical School: A Doctor of Medicine or equivalent degree from a foreign medical school must provide education and medical knowledge equivalent to accredited schools in the United States. Evidence of equivalency to accredited schools in the United States is demonstrated by permanent certification by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates, a fifth pathway certificate for Americans who completed premedical education in the United States and graduate education in a foreign country, or successful completion of the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination. Additional Information Per IHS policy (SGM 21-04) IHS selectees to positions located in Federally operated hospitals, health centers, and clinics must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 before entry on duty or have IHS approve a medical or religious exemption. If an exemption is approved then wearing a face mask and regular testing for COVID-19 will be required. Your Human Resources Specialist will provide a list of documents acceptable as vaccination proof and instructions on how to submit your vaccination documentation or how to request a medical or religious exemption, if needed. Additional selection(s) of candidates may be possible within 240 days from the date the certificate of eligibles was issued for this announcement. Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. IHS may offer newly-appointed Federal employees credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit. Government housing is NOT available. Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. A one-year service agreement will be required. This position meets the criteria specified in pillar number one of the five pillars of the PHS Commissioned Corps. PHS Commissioned Officers interested in performing the duties of this position within the Commissioned Corps MUST apply online under the merit promotion announcement indicated above in order to receive consideration. For more information on PHS Commissioned Corps, visit the website at: https://www.usphs.gov/. The Indian Health Service (IHS), National Health Service Corps (NHSC), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) have student loan repayment programs for qualifying health disciplines. This is a competitive process separate from the hiring process. Opportunities for LRP are based on agency hiring priorities and availability of funds. For additional information please visit: For IHS - http://www.ihs.gov/loanrepayment/ For NHSC - https://nhsc.hrsa.gov/loanrepayment/ For HRSA Nurse Corps - https://bhw.hrsa.gov/loansscholarships/nursecorps