Join the South Texas VA as the Pulmonary Section Chief in San Antonio, Texas!

Are you ready to elevate your career and make a lasting impact on the health of our nation's veterans? The South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) is searching for a visionary and dedicated Pulmonary/Critical Care Physician to take on the significant role of Pulmonary Section Chief. Lead a passionate and skilled team in the vibrant and welcoming city of San Antonio, Texas, where your expertise and leadership will shape the future of veteran healthcare.

In this pivotal role, you will supervise a talented team of physicians, nurses, and advanced practice providers while continuing to engage in hands-on clinical work. This is a unique chance to shape the future of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine within the VA system, promoting the highest standards of patient care, education, and administration.

Position Information

• Type: Permanent - Full Time
• Location: San Antonio, Texas
• Compensation: $315,000 - $351,000 (plus incentives)
• Incentives: Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), Relocation, Sign-On Bonus

Opportunity Highlights

Comprehensive Job Description: As the Pulmonary Section Chief, you will supervise physicians, nurses, and advanced practice providers, while maintaining clinical duties. Key responsibilities include:

• Overseeing outpatient pulmonary clinics, outpatient bronchoscopy, inpatient pulmonary consults, and the medical intensive care unit.
• Promoting the VA's educational mission by supporting trainees and trainee programs.
• Communication with higher levels of administration to achieve patient care metrics.

Work Environment: This role involves a blend of inpatient and outpatient duties within South Texas VA—a facility that is rapidly growing and providing exceptional care for a predominantly older, male veteran population with significant medical comorbidities.

Team Structure: You will lead a team comprising 5 Advanced Practice Providers (APPs), 11 physicians, and 4 Registered Nurses (RNs). Collaboration is essential with Respiratory Therapy departments and Medicine Service Leadership.

Facilities and Equipment:

• State-of-the-art pulmonary function testing, including methacholine challenge.
• Interventional pulmonary program with robotic bronchoscopy and bronchoscopic lung volume reduction.
• Robust Lung Cancer Screening program, situated in the San Antonio Medical Center.

Opportunities for Professional Development: Benefit from close ties to the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), with ample opportunities for research funding, educational involvement, and support for new researchers.

Patient Population: Common conditions treated include asthma, COPD, lung cancer, and interstitial lung disease.

Quality of Life Information: Enjoy a favorable work-life balance with robust benefits, typical work hours of Mon-Fri, 8am-4:30pm, and limited on-call duties.

Community and Location Benefits: San Antonio offers a culturally rich environment with a high quality of life. Known for its friendly residents, lower cost of living, and vibrant economy supported by a substantial military presence, a growing tech sector, and a robust healthcare industry. It's an ideal place for both working and living.

Excellent VA Benefits

• Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS): FERS offers a comprehensive retirement package that includes three components: a basic benefit plan, Social Security benefits, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). The basic benefit plan is akin to a pension plan where you receive monthly payments upon retirement, calculated based on your salary and years of service. Additionally, you contribute to Social Security and receive those benefits upon retirement to supplement your income.
• Thrift Savings Plan (TSP): The TSP is a tax-deferred retirement savings plan similar to a 401(k) in the private sector. It offers federal employees the opportunity to save and invest part of their income with matching contributions from the VA. You can choose from various investment options, allowing you to tailor your retirement savings according to your financial goals. The VA matches your contributions up to 5%, significantly boosting your retirement savings.
• Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP): The EDRP is designed to assist VA employees with qualifying student loan debt. As part of this program, you may receive up to $200,000 in reimbursement over a five-year period.  This is $40,000 Tax Free Per year for up to five years.
• Generous leave policies: Annual leave, sick leave, and 10 paid federal holidays.  8 Hours per pay period annual leave.  4 Hours per pay period Sick Leave. 
• Health Insurance: Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, including dental and vision.
• Life Insurance: Coverage options under the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI).

Basic/Preferred Qualifications

• U.S. Citizenship: The physician must be a U.S. citizen.
• Licensure: The physician must have a full, unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a state, territory, or commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Education and Training:
• A degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine.
• Completion of residency training approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an approved specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification.
• Board Certification: Pulmonary Critical Care.
• Physical Requirements: The physician must meet physical requirements as per VA policies and be willing to undergo a physical examination.
• Background and Security Clearance: Must successfully pass background investigation and obtain the appropriate security clearance.
• English Language Proficiency: Physicians must be proficient in spoken and written English.
• Veterans' Preference: Preference eligible veterans are given consideration for employment according to the Veterans' Preference laws

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

South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS) is comprised of two inpatient campuses: the Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital in San Antonio and the Kerrville VA Hospital in Kerrville, Texas. STVHCS serves one of the largest primary service areas in the nation and is part of the VA Heart of Texas Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN 17), with offices located in Arlington, Texas. South Texas provides health care services for 80,000 unique Veterans. The Audie L. Murphy Memorial Veterans Hospital (ALMMVH), named after the nation’s most decorated World War II hero, is a quaternary care facility, which is affiliated with the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA). Comprehensive health care is provided through acute medical, surgical, mental health, physical medicine and rehabilitation, geriatric, and primary care services. Comprised of a Spinal Cord Injury Center, a Community Living Center, a Domiciliary, and a Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (SARRTP). ALMMVH provides quaternary services including bone marrow transplantation, open-heart surgery, magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography. As a Level II Research facility ALMMVH has projects that include aging, cardiac surgery, cancer, diabetes and HIV. The facility has one of three National Institutes of Health sponsored clinical research centers in the VA. In addition, the Geriatric Research, Education & Clinical Center (GRECC) is a “Center of Excellence.” The Kerrville VA Hospital (KVAH), located 65 miles northwest of San Antonio, provides primary care, some specialty care, geriatric evaluation and management, palliative care, and long-term care services with a Community Living Center. Outpatient clinics offer primary care and some specialty care while sharing resources with each other and their respective communities. When required, Veterans are referred to ALMMVH or KVAH for specialty care including medicine, surgery, neuropsychiatry, rehabilitation, spinal cord injury, and long-term care services.