Staff Physician/Neurosurgery

The Staff Neurosurgeon at VA St. Louis Health Care System provides advanced Complex Spine and peripheral nerve care within Surgical Service. Candidates must be Board Certified or Board Eligible with a Complex Spine Fellowship or other neurosurgery-based advanced spine fellowship. Duties include clinical care, spinal procedures, teaching, and administrative support. A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive has been authorized for highly qualified individuals.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized and may be offered to highly qualified individuals. Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification) Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting Major Duties and Responsibilities The Staff Neurosurgeon is a key member of the Surgical Service team, responsible for delivering high-quality, patient-centered neurosurgical care to Veterans. This role encompasses a wide range of clinical, educational, administrative, and potentially research-related duties. Outpatient Care: Evaluate, diagnose, and treat Veterans with cranial, spinal, and peripheral nerve conditions. Collaborate with Advanced Practice Providers (APPs), nurses, and technicians to ensure efficient clinic operations and timely follow-up. Delegate tasks appropriately while maintaining oversight of all clinical care. Inpatient Care: Serves as an attending neurosurgeon for admitted patients, supported by APPs, RNs, and residents (if present). Work closely with inpatient nursing staff, case managers, and technicians to manage daily care, post-operative recovery, and discharge planning. Operative Care: Perform complex spinal surgical procedures, including spinal reconstruction. Lead perioperative teams, including anesthesiologists, surgical nurses, APPs, and scrub technicians. Provide intraoperative teaching and model best practices in teamwork, sterile technique, and safety. Emergency Surgical Care: Respond promptly to urgent neurosurgical consults and emergent operative cases. Direct multidisciplinary emergency responses involving ER physicians, ICU staff, and nursing teams. On-Call Duties: Participate equitably in the neurosurgical call schedule. Collaborate with inpatient and on-call surgical teams to triage and manage emergency consults. Community Care Coordination: Work with Care in the Community staff, APPs, and case managers to coordinate external referrals. Review and integrate external operative and imaging reports into VA care plans. Team-Based Care Provide leadership within a multidisciplinary team of APPs, nurses, surgical technicians, and allied health professionals. Ensure team members operate at the top of their license and competencies. Mentor and guide APPs in both clinic and inpatient settings. Collaborate with nursing leadership to optimize patient care processes and perioperative protocols. Participate in interdisciplinary care teams, tumor boards, and spine conferences Teaching and Education Supervise and educate residents, APPs, nursing staff, and other health professions trainees. Deliver structured learning experiences focused on neurosurgical principles, patient safety, and team-based care. Conduct in-service training for OR nurses and technicians on neurosurgical instrumentation and sterile technique. Administrative and Professional Duties Attend Surgical Service meetings and participate in peer review and quality improvement initiatives. Collaborate with nursing leadership, OR managers, and APP supervisors to enhance workflows and patient outcomes. Ensure timely and accurate documentation in the Electronic Health Record (EHR). Research and Scholarly Activity (if applicable) Engage in research related to neurosurgical outcomes, spine surgery, and neuromodulation. Promote APP and nursing involvement in scholarly projects and quality improvement initiatives. Scope of Practice / Privileges Includes outpatient, inpatient, elective, and emergent neurosurgical care, with a focus on complex spine and functional neurosurgery. Provide oversight of care delivered by APPs, RNs, and technicians. Clinical privileges are subject to approval by the Professional Standards Board and Chief of Staff. Supervisory Controls Reports directly to the Associate Chief of Staff, Surgical Services. Provides direct clinical supervision to APPs and indirect oversight of nurses and surgical technicians. Performance is evaluated through clinical outcomes, peer reviews, and quality metrics. Work Schedule: Full-Time tour of duty to be negotiated upon selection.

U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: - your performance and conduct; - the needs and interests of the agency; - whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and - whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.