Chief/Podiatric Surgery (Advanced Rearfoot/Ankle)

Summary The VA St. Louis Health Care System seeks a board-certified Chief of Podiatric Surgery specializing in advanced rearfoot/ankle reconstruction. This leader will oversee clinical operations, surgical care, and lead development and implementation of the OAA Podiatric Residency Program. Must be eligible for faculty appointment with an established academic affiliate. Serves as primary advisor on podiatric surgery and education. Duties VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. The Chief of Podiatric Surgery is a board-certified specialist in complex rearfoot and ankle reconstruction. This position provides supervisory and programmatic oversight of the Podiatry Section at the VA St. Louis Health Care System, including leadership in clinical operations, surgical care, and the establishment of a Podiatric Residency Program. The Chief serves as the primary advisor to the Associate Chief of Staff for Surgical Service on all podiatric matters. Major Duties and Responsibilities Clinical Responsibilities Outpatient Care: Expert diagnosis and treatment of complex foot and ankle conditions, including diabetic limb salvage and reconstructive surgery. Oversees clinic operations and mentors APPs, nurses, and staff. Inpatient Care: Serves as attending surgeon, coordinating care with inpatient teams. Operative Care: Performs advanced rearfoot/ankle surgeries (e.g., Charcot reconstruction, arthrodesis, tendon transfers). Leads perioperative teams and provides intraoperative teaching. Emergency Surgical Care: Responds to urgent consults and emergent cases in collaboration with ED and inpatient teams. On-Call Duties: Participates in call schedule, triages emergency consults, and ensures appropriate interventions. Community Care Coordination: Collaborates with Care in the Community staff to manage external referrals and integrate outside care into VA treatment plans. Team-Based Care Leads a multidisciplinary team including APPs, nurses, and allied health staff. Ensures team members operate within their full scope of practice. Participates in multidisciplinary care planning and discharge planning. Teaching and Education Leads development and implementation of the OAA Podiatric Residency Program. Provides structured educational experiences for residents and students. Conducts in-service training for OR and clinic staff. Promotes a culture of learning, safety, and academic excellence. Administrative and Professional Duties Provides strategic leadership and oversight of the Podiatry Section. Develops workflows, protocols, and policies in compliance with regulations. Participates in Surgical Service meetings, peer reviews, and quality initiatives. Oversees clinical privileging and re-privileging. Manages inventory, databases, and resource allocation. Chairs Service committees and maintains records of business. Handles personnel actions, evaluations, grievances, and corrective actions. Ensures quality assurance and participates in root cause analyses. Maintains accurate documentation in the Electronic Health Record (EHR). Prepares budget briefs and monitors resource utilization. Research and Scholarly Activity (if applicable) Encouraged to engage in or support research related to podiatric surgery and limb salvage. Supports scholarly activity among staff and trainees, including QI projects and publications. Scope of Practice / Privileges Includes outpatient, inpatient, elective, and emergent podiatric surgical care with a focus on advanced rearfoot/ankle procedures. Oversees care provided by APPs, RNs, and technicians. Responsible for scopes of practice and competencies of all assigned personnel. Privileges subject to Professional Standards Board and Chief of Staff approval. Supervisory Controls Reports to the Associate Chief of Staff for Surgical Service. Provides direct clinical and administrative supervision of podiatric staff. Performance is reviewed through clinical outcomes, peer review, and quality metrics. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, Tour to be negotiated upon start. Compressed/Flexible: Not authorized. Telework: Not Eligible. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorize Requirements Conditions of employment All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens. 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). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. 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. Qualifications Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Podiatrist Basic Requirements Degree as a doctor of podiatric medicine, or its equivalent, from a school of podiatric medicine approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Approved schools are United States schools of podiatric medicine approved by the Council on Podiatry Education of the American Podiatry Association in the year in which the degree was granted. ~AND~ Completed, or currently completing, residency training, or its equivalent, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. VA Podiatrists involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status. Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the accrediting bodies for graduate medical education, the Council on Podiatric Medical Education, in the list published for the year the residency was completed, or (2) Other residencies and training experiences, or their equivalents, which the local Professional Standards Board determines to have provided an applicant with appropriate professional training. ~AND~ Currently hold, or will hold, a full and unrestricted license to practice Podiatry in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia. Preferred Experience: This position requires documented, consistent experience performing complex and advanced rearfoot and ankle surgical procedures, including reconstructions, during the past 3 years. This surgical podiatric experience must be clearly demonstrated in the applicants CV and/or application materials and verified during the credentialing process. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: More information can be found in the VA Handbook 5019. Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act. Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution. Benefits A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits. Review our benefits Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.