Academic Deputy Chief of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Opportunity

The Salt Lake City VA Medical Center is actively recruiting a Board-Certified Deputy Chief of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation to help care for our Nation’s Veterans – America’s heroes. The Physician/Deputy Chief of PM&R reports directly to the Chief/Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS) of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service. The Physician/Deputy Chief of PM&R will work primarily in the outpatient setting. There is an opportunity to participate in collaborative clinical research as well as work in the inpatient acute care hospital setting. The Physician/Deputy Chief of PM&R will provide general Physiatry services for the outpatient medical management of neuromuscular disorders, musculoskeletal trauma, acute and chronic pain, deformity or amputation, cardiac or pulmonary disease, or other disabling conditions. There is also potential to participate in other rehabilitation services such as spasticity management, prosthetics, and inpatient rehabilitation consultation.

 This is an opportunity to co-lead a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Section comprised of a team of accomplished academic physiatrists, chiropractors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses and other affiliated staff supporting PM&R Service.

Selected candidate will be considered for a faculty appointment with the University of Utah Medical Center School of Medicine & will be actively involved with education & teaching of PM&R residents, fellows, medical students & other providers.

It is expected the candidate will have expertise in the management of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service, as well as leadership & administrative background, and the skills and knowledge necessary to provide high quality, evidence-based care to Veterans across the spectrum of disease severity.  

• Applicants must be U.S. Citizens (permanent residents may be appointed only if it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens).
• Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in the U.S.
• Board Certification in Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
• Medical Degree (or foreign equivalent)

Community Information

Utah is a home for fun, new experiences, whether you’re interested in exploring the mountain ranges, or heading to Arches National Park for the weekend. You’ll have access to a multitude of great hiking/biking trails only 10 minutes from the VA hospital. Salt Lake City is also a hub for four national parks, all within a 5 hour drive, and 10 ski resorts within 45 minutes to include Park City, Snowbird and Alta.  Outdoor concerts at these ski resorts have become a popular summer activity for all as we attract some of the best musicians in the country.

Benefits and Features

Expected salary range will be competitive for a well-qualified board-Certified certified physiatrist and include industry leading full benefits and features a package to support high quality professional practice and favorable work-life-family balance. The VA provides employees with a robust benefits package and fosters an environment where more time is spent on medical practice and less on business tasks. VA does this by offering paid time off in the form of 26 days paid annual leave, 13 days paid sick leave per year, 11 Federal holidays with pay, and 5-Days paid absence to attend approved CME courses. Insurance to include health-dental-vision care insurance programs to choose from with premiums partially paid by VA; flexible spending accounts; term life insurance, family, and additional coverage options are available with the cost shared by the Federal Government; and long-term care insurance available as an option. Federal Retirement Plan thru Federal employees are eligible to participate in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) - a three-tiered retirement plan composed of 1) Social Security benefits; 2) FERS-FRAE basic benefits (pension); and 3) Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) which is a 401K-type plan, with up to five percent government matching contributions.  An Educational Debt Reduction Program may be available for qualified candidates. 

Please forward a copy of your cover letter and curriculum vitae to Hank Laguatan @ Henry.laguatan@va.gov or call 360-459-7927.

The VA Salt Lake City Health Care System (VASLCHCS) consists of the George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada.

The George E. Wahlen Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center is a mid-sized affiliated tertiary care facility with 121 authorized active beds. It is a teaching facility, providing a full range of patient care services, with state-of-the-art technology as well as education and research. Comprehensive health care is provided through primary care, tertiary care, and long-term care in areas of medicine, surgery, psychiatry, physical medicine and rehabilitation, neurology, oncology, dentistry, and geriatrics. The VASLCHCS is part of the VA Network 19, which includes facilities in Utah, Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, Idaho, and Nevada.

Affiliations
VASLCHCS has a major affiliation with the University of Utah School of Medicine. Over 500 University of Utah residents, interns, and students are trained at the VASLCHCS each year. Additional Special Fellowship programs affiliated with the University of Utah are ongoing in Ambulatory Care and Medical Informatics Training Programs. Currently there are 115 physician resident positions funded at the VASLCHCS. There are also nursing student affiliations with numerous colleges and universities throughout the United States, including local Intermountain West affiliations with the University of Utah, Brigham Young University and Westminster College. The VASLCHCS has ongoing training programs and affiliations with numerous colleges and university throughout the United States involving our Associated Health Training Program. The associated health training includes dentistry, pharmacy, social work, psychology, occupational and physical rehabilitation, audiology, physician assistant, dietetics, and podiatry training programs. Many of these training programs have been integrated into our Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC).

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

Salt Lake City is the cultural and political center of Utah. With a metro area of 1 million residents, Salt Lake is Utah's most populous city by a significant amount, yet remains remarkably pleasant and livable. It has plenty of cultural offerings, numerous parks and some inspiring buildings, including the splendid structures of the Mormon Temple Square and the historic This is the Place Monument.

Some of the other spectacular draws of the city include the Clark Planetarium, which includes Utah's very first 3-D IMAX Theater. Surrounding the Planetarium is Downtown's Gateway, a partly open air shopping center that spans blocks. Hogle Zoo and Tracy Aviary are delightful for wildlife lovers, if the Zoo can be very crowded on the weekends. The Museum of Fine Arts has a beautiful wide range of works and performance landmarks such as Hale Theatre and Ballet West are well worth seeing.

Salt Lake City sits very attractively in a valley beneath the Wasatch Mountains. The mountains provide a wonderful backdrop and a variety of great recreational opportunities. In winter, piles of dry snow smother the Wasatch, providing excellent downhill skiing at 7 large resorts within 45 minutes of downtown, including Alta, Solitude, Snowbird and Brighton. In summer, there is good hiking and mountain biking. Wasatch's Little and Big Cottonwood Canyons are known for their rockclimbing spots. Head a little farther north to the delightful water and amusement park Lagoon to cool off after a day of exercise. Salt Lake City is part of the Wasatch Front, the name given to the string of cities and suburbs that forms a continuous urban area along the Wasatch Mountains from Ogden to Provo. Visit Salt Lake City.