Physician - Assistant Chief of Medicine

Exciting Leadership Opportunity for Physician Leaders – Assistant Chief of Medicine

Location: Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS), Tucson, Arizona

Join a Flagship VA Health Care Team, Shape the Future of Medicine, and Enjoy the Southwest Lifestyle!

Are you an experienced physician with a background in specialty medicine or health care leadership? Are you ready for your next big career challenge—with the opportunity to lead, teach, innovate and improve care for Veterans? Consider joining the award-winning team at the Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS) in beautiful Tucson, Arizona.

Why You Should Lead at SAVAHCS:

• Excellence & Recognition: SAVAHCS is Tucson’s ONLY Five-Star CMS-rated hospital and a winner of the prestigious Robert W. Carey Performance Excellence Award.
• Academic Distinction: As the principal teaching affiliate of the University of Arizona Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy, you will shape the next generation of clinicians and enjoy a rich academic environment.
• Strategic Growth & Innovation: SAVAHCS is actively expanding, with more capital being invested than ever in new facilities for Emergency and Primary Care.
• Dynamic Team Culture: Be part of a collaborative, collegial leadership group focused on exceptional patient care, innovation, and staff development.

About the Role – Make Your Leadership Mark: As Assistant Chief of Medicine, you will:

• Collaborate with the Chief of Medicine to develop strategy and help manage clinical, educational, and research programs across all Medicine Service Lines.
• Lead initiatives in recruitment, space planning, peer review, compliance, and the mentoring of faculty and trainees.
• Shape the future by directly supervising and teaching medical students, residents, and fellows from the University of Arizona.
• Champion quality improvement, regulatory compliance, and professional development of staff.
• Play a key role in expanding our academic and research mission—especially if you have contributions to scientific literature.
• All traditional medicine specialties welcome (including Neurology, Hospital Medicine, and Dermatology).

What We Offer:

• Competitive annual salary: $350,000 – $380,000 + annual performance bonuses
• Sign-on bonus (Recruitment incentive approved)
• Exceptional work-life balance: Monday–Friday, 8 am–4:30 pm, with NO overnight call
• Unmatched paid time off: Up to 55 days/year (including Federal holidays, vacation, and sick leave)
• Comprehensive federal benefits: Health/dental/vision/life/long-term care insurance, 401K with 5% VA match, and a robust pension plan (Federal retirement with 5 years vesting)
• Academic appointment at the University of Arizona, commensurate with experience and achievements
• $1,000/year CME reimbursement and protected time
• Malpractice insurance with full tail coverage – at no cost to you
• No employment contract and no moonlighting restrictions
• Enjoy the security and mission-driven culture of federal employment while living in the vibrant, sunny, affordable city of Tucson, renowned for outdoor recreation, culinary scene, arts, and the intellectual and cultural advantages of a major university town!

Requirements:

• U.S. MD/DO degree (or equivalent), successful completion of residency training, and Board Certification/Eligibility in your specialty
• Current, unrestricted U.S. medical license
• Eligible for faculty appointment at the University of Arizona
• Prior leadership experience and academic interest strongly preferred
• Commitment to teaching, quality improvement, and patient-centered care

Ready to take your career to new heights and make a meaningful difference for Veterans and trainees?

Apply Today and Lead Excellence at SAVAHCS!

Submit your CV, please contact [virginia.deutsch@va.gov].

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