Designated Education Officer

The Designated Education Officer (DEO) is the designated VAMC employee who has oversight responsibility for all health professions training at the VAMC. The DEO receives guidance on Health Professions Education (HPE) program requirements from the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA).

The DEO provides leadership, advice, and subject matter expertise in tasks, projects, and assignments related to HPE programs. Provides policy development, analysis, decision making, and implementation activities affecting the VA health care system. Responsibilities and duties are described in VHA Directives (OAA 1400 series) and summarized below. Oversees all functions related to the administration of HPE funding, accreditation, appointment process, and affiliate relationships in accordance with VHA OAA directives, handbooks, policies, memos, and notices; The Joint Commission Standards; and accreditation standards for multiple health professions.

• Provides oversight to identify, evaluate, and mitigate risk of injury to HPTs, patients, staff and visitors in collaboration with facility Occupational Health and Patient Safety.
• Reviews and ensures that minimal qualifications and credentials are met by HPTs coming to
  VA for academic programs as attested to by the Trainee Qualifications Certification Verification
  Letter (TQCVL).
• Interacts with affiliated institutions as appropriate on matters pertaining to HPT assignments
  and curricula and on evaluation of the VA medical facility as a training site.
• Acts as a consultant to other VA medical facility staff on educational matters and interpreting policies according to VA requirements; provides comprehensive support to residency and training program and site directors.
• Advocates for sufficient VA resources for appropriate management of HPE programs.
• Exercises oversight and administration of all clinical training programs at the VA medical facility and ensures compliance with all pertinent requirements and program accreditation standards. This oversight responsibility includes fiscal matters, affiliation and disbursement agreements, programmatic accreditation, credentials of HPTs, appointment, and payment of HPT stipends.
• Establishes local procedures for Educational Activity Record (EAR) keeping and disbursement including training, reconcile invoices, submitting rate schedules and reimbursing affiliates in a timely manner.
• Works closely with OAA to expand programs, collect and report data, and obtain guidance for unusual circumstances.
• Assigns work to staff in the DEO service.
• Other duties as assigned.

THIS POSITION COMES WITH RECRUITMENT AND RELOCATION INCENTIVES.

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed
  when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed.
• Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR
  [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR
  (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences.
  Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Additional Requirement: Board Certified in Specialty
Preferred Experience: DEO experience

Paid Time Off:

• 26 Days paid annual (vacation/personal) leave
• 13 Days paid sick leave each year with no limit on accumulation
• 11 Federal holidays with pay annually
• 5 Days paid absence to attend approved CME courses

Insurance:

• Health Insurance: VA employees have an outstanding number of health insurance plans from which to choose (premiums are partially paid by VA) Lifetime Healthcare Insurance options available
• Dental & Vision: Our insurance options also include exceptional vision and dental plans (premiums are partially paid by VA)
• VA employees have the option to use Flexible Spending Accounts, which allow you to use tax-free dollars to pay for medical, dental, and vision care expenses that are not reimbursed by your health insurance plan
• Term life insurance, family, and additional coverage options are available with the cost shared by the Federal Government
• Long-term care insurance is available as an option

Federal Retirement Plan:

• 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 12.2% of the employee’s salary each pay period for a total annual contribution percentage equal to 16.6% 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 2025, employees under the age of 50 may contribute up to $23,500, while those over age 50 are eligible to make catch-up contributions that allow them to defer up to $31,000.
• 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
• For retired military personnel, these benefits are in addition to full monthly retirement pay or pension
• In addition to FERS, VA provides health care insurance coverage for retired personnel
• Disability Retirement
• Employees are vested in a federal pension after only 5 years service

The VA Hudson Valley Health Care System Castle Point is located in Scenic Dutchess County, NY, nestled in the Hudson River Valley, with an abundance of historic landmarks, restaurants, festivals, natural scenic beauty, fascinating sites, lively events and breathtaking vistas.  Castle Point VA Medical Center opened in 1924 on a campus 65 miles north of New York City and is accessible by car, train, bus, and air.

Visit the VA Hudson Valley health services page. 

The VA Hudson Valley Healthcare System Castle Point is one of the leading health care systems serving Veterans in the New York/New Jersey VA Health Care Network.