Staff Physician – Primary Care-Lakeland Florida

Join the dedicated Primary Care team at James A. Haley Veterans’ Hospital, one of the largest and most innovative VA healthcare systems in the nation. The Lakeland VA Outpatient Clinic, located in the growing Central Florida region, seeks a compassionate and skilled Staff Physician to provide comprehensive outpatient care to our nation’s heroes.

You will serve as a core member of a Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), working collaboratively with a multi-disciplinary team to manage the health of an assigned panel of adult Veterans.

Practice Highlights

• Deliver comprehensive primary care to both male and female Veterans.
• Serve as an integral part of a multidisciplinary team focused on health promotion, disease prevention, and chronic disease management.
• Perform detailed history and physical examinations, order/interpret diagnostic tests, develop treatment plans, and provide patient education.
• Utilize the VA’s electronic health record system (CPRS) for documentation, order entry, and patient communication.
• Respond timely to electronic alerts, patient inquiries, and abnormal test results.
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives and meet clinical performance measures.

Preferred Experience

• Experience managing a dedicated panel of primary care patients under the PACT model.
• Proficient in preventive care, chronic disease management, and adult medicine in an outpatient setting.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a commitment to team-based, Veteran-centered care.
• Familiarity with VA clinical practice guidelines and performance metrics is preferred.

Why Choose VA?

• Mission-Driven Work: Serve those who served America.
• Competitive Compensation: Generous salary plus recruitment incentives.
• Loan Repayment Opportunities: EDRP offers up to $200,000 for student loan repayment.
• Robust Benefits: Federal health/retirement benefits, 11 paid federal holidays, and generous paid leave.
• Work-Life Balance: No call for inpatient admissions; outpatient-focused care.

Our main campus provides primary care and specialty health services, including cardiology, foot care (podiatry), mental health care, treatment for spinal cord injuries, prosthetics, and more. Below, you’ll find our address and hours, parking and transportation information, and the other health services we offer at James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital.

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

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