Inpatient Palliative Physician in the Blue Ridge Mountains

About Our Practice

The Centra Palliative Care team is dedicated to improving the quality of life for patients with serious illnesses and supporting their loved ones throughout every stage of care.

We are seeking a compassionate, collaborative Palliative Care Physician to join our interdisciplinary team. In this primarily inpatient role, you will partner closely with Hospitalists, intensivists, and specialists in oncology, pulmonology, nephrology, cardiology, neurology, and other disciplines to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care.

The ideal candidate is an excellent communicator with expertise in serious illness care and complex symptom management. They are committed to compassionate, culturally sensitive care, thrive in a collaborative team environment, and are skilled at guiding patients and families through difficult conversations while ensuring care aligns with each patient's values and goals.

You Can Expect:

• Schedule: Full-time, Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM

• Volume: 6–10 patients per day, mix of new consultations and follow-up visits

• Team: Collaborative, multidisciplinary -1 MD, 4 APPs, 2 dedicated palliative RNs, 1 LCSW, hospital chaplain and other team members for inpatient care coordination

• Provide hospital-based inpatient consultation and management for patients requiring palliative care services, including ED

• Assess and manage complex symptoms, including pain, dyspnea, nausea, agitation, and psychosocial distress.

• Lead goals-of-care discussions, advance care planning, and end-of-life conversations with patients and families.

• Collaborate with Hospitalists, specialists, and interdisciplinary team members to develop patient-centered care plans aligned with patient values and preferences. 

• Support care transitions through discharge planning and hospice referrals.

• Partner with an interdisciplinary team including nursing, social work, chaplaincy, and care coordination.

• Participate in case conferences and interdisciplinary care planning meetings.

• Educate and mentor clinical staff on palliative care principles and best practices.

• Hospital Employed

• On-call responsibilities include shared call rotation—including ED coverage, and back-up coverage for APPs. Provide after-hours consultation as needed for urgent symptom management and guidance.

Physician Compensation & Benefits:

• Competitive Compensation—Base $212,700 

• Upfront Bonuses

• Up to $120K Student Loan Reimbursement

• Up to $15K Relocation Assistance

• $7500 CME allowance plus 5 Days

• 403 (b) and 457 (b)tax deferred savings plan; immediate vested employer contribution match

• Health, Dental, Vision, and Supplemental Insurance Options

• Sponsorship Available

• Leadership opportunities available

Required Qualifications

• Completion of Palliative Care Fellowship preferred

• Completion of Medical Degree and Residency Training in Related Specialty

• MD/DO with Certification by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) Board in Physician's Primary Specialty.

• Board-certified/board-eligible in Hospice & Palliative Medicine (or eligible to obtain certification)

?

Lynchburg, VA (Pop. 85,000) offers a safe, family-friendly environment with a low cost of living and diverse, affordable housing—from urban lofts to waterfront condos. Outdoor enthusiasts enjoy hiking Sharp Top Mountain or the Appalachian Trail, biking Blackwater Creek or Percival’s Island, and activities like boating, fishing, and camping. Families love local festivals, orchards, and the interactive Amazement Square Museum. Travel elsewhere is easy with the Amtrak train station located in downtown Lynchburg or the Lynchburg regional airport. The city also features top-tier arts at the Academy Center and minor league baseball with the Lynchburg Howlers. Nearby, scenic Smith Mountain Lake offers even more recreation. 

Centra Medical Group (CMG) is a comprehensive network of nearly 600 employed providers within Centra Health. Centra Health services a population of 600,000 community members with 70 different outpatient and specialty practices. Centra offers primary care and specialty services across Central and Southern Virginia—from Lynchburg to Danville, Farmville, Moneta, and Bedford. CMG includes family practices, specialists, and surgeons in fields such as cardiology, neurosurgery, psychiatry, urology, and more.

CMG is also home to the Lynchburg Family Medicine Residency, a training program for future family physicians, many of whom hold academic appointments with institutions like UVA, VCU, VCOM, and Liberty University.

EOE
Centra Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer and provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age (40 or older), disability, genetic information, or veterans status.

About Centra

Centra Health (Centra) is a regional nonprofit healthcare system based in Lynchburg, Virginia, serving over 500,000 people as the dominant provider of critical medical services in central and southern Virginia.

Mission, Vision and Values

Centra's mission, vision and values are our guiding principles. Our mission is why we exist. It is the compass or true north we use to chart our course and guide our steps. Our vision answers the questions, "where are we going and what will it look like when we get there?" It is who we aspire to be and fuels us to reach for great things. Our values are the fabric of who we are and how we succeed at our mission and vision. They define our culture and remind us what it is to be Centra Caregivers, partnering with you to live your best life.

Mission

We exist to improve the health and quality of life for the communities we serve.

Vision

Our hope for the future is to pursue excellence, inspire hope and advance health and healing.

Values

Our standards of behavior are respect and kindness, excellence, stewardship, integrity, teamwork and diversity, equity and inclusion.

Reach out to learn more about how you can thrive at Centra Health.