Physician - Director of Echocardiography

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Duties

• The Cardiology Section at VA Boston Healthcare System invites applications for a Cardiologist with specialization in Echocardiography to serve as Chief of Echocardiography. The successful candidate will oversee all aspects of echocardiographic imaging at VABHS, including transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), stress echocardiography, and advanced cardiac imaging modalities. The Chief of Echocardiography will provide clinical leadership, operational direction, and supervision of the Echo Laboratory, working closely with sonographers, cardiologists, trainees, and interdisciplinary teams. The position includes clinical responsibilities in echocardiography at VABHS and collaborative academic and imaging-related activities with the Cardiovascular Division at BWH. Responsibilities include performing and interpreting echocardiographic studies, directing TEE services, participating in inpatient and outpatient cardiology services, and ensuring high-quality diagnostic imaging across all care settings. The Director serves as the primary clinical and administrative liaison for echocardiography between VABHS and BWH, ensuring alignment of imaging standards, protocols, equipment optimization, and quality assurance initiatives. Additional duties include leadership in Echo Lab accreditation, workflow oversight, and implementation of imaging best practices across the healthcare system. This position also involves active teaching of residents, Cardiovascular Disease Fellows, and subspecialty trainees in echocardiography and advanced cardiovascular imaging. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated track record in clinical research, quality improvement, or academic scholarship related to cardiac imaging. Academic appointment at Harvard Medical School (HMS) as Instructor, Assistant Professor, or Associate Professor will be provided commensurate with experience and academic accomplishments. VABHS is the major tertiary referral center for Veterans throughout New England and maintains strong academic affiliations with HMS and Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine. The system comprises three major campuses and five community-based outpatient clinics. VABHS is the largest recipient of VA intramural research funding nationally, consistently ranking among the top VA facilities in total research support. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Available for highly qualified eligible candidate. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Authorized Learn more. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VHA EDRP Program Support VHAEDRPProgramSupport@va.gov, for questions or assistance on how to begin the application process. 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 Work Schedule: Full-time; Monday through Friday; Tour of duty to be discussed during interview process.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation. Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians 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 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA), in the list published for the year the residency, or fellowship if applicable, was completed; OR (2) One year of post medical school training (internship, first year of residency, or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States; OR (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the Physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences. Exceptions: Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs. In rare and unusual circumstances, the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer, who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience, accomplishments, performance, and qualifications warrant such action. Proficiency in spoken and written English. Required Experience: National Board of Echocardiography Certification American Board Certification in Cardiovascular Disease Level III training in Echocardiography Proficient in advanced echocardiography Proficient in transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) Preferred Experience: ??Leadership or supervisory experience within an Echo Lab is strongly p…

Education

Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are: Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, confirmation must be made that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirement for year graduated. NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area.