Staff Pathologist

The Sacramento VA Medical Center is recruiting an experienced, fully trained pathologist, board prepared in Anatomic Pathology and/or Clinical Pathology. Duties for the Staff Pathologist will include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Application of accepted criteria in formulating and reporting diagnostic information on various anatomic pathology specimens to include surgical pathology, cytopathology and autopsy pathology.
• Provide clinical laboratory consultation to technical personnel and healthcare providers.
• Participate in a high complexity laboratory, in compliance with all VA Central Office, The Joint Commission, College of American Pathology, CLIA requirements, AABB, FDA and other agencies as required.
• Participation in Quality Assurance measures for laboratory sections as required by accreditation agencies.
• Teaching of residents, medical students, and other healthcare personnel who seek training within the field of Pathology.
• Support of the research mission of the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• The pathologist is ultimately responsible for diagnostic interpretation of specimens processed within the laboratory.
• The pathologist will provide staff and/or trainees information on specimen processing and evaluation.
• Perform and review gross specimen examination
• Processing and interpretation of intraoperative frozen sections.
• Provide intraoperative and intraprocedural consultations as requested.
• Interpretation/sign-out of surgical pathology and cytopathology specimens.
• Ordering/interpretation of appropriate immunohistochemical stains and special stains, molecular and genetics tests as required to ensure accurate diagnosis and provide prognostic/therapeutic information.
• Responsible for evaluating and interpretation flow cytometry, lymph nodes submitted for hematopoietic neoplasms and bone marrows. (Desired, but not required)
• Participation in multi-disciplinary conferences such as Tumor Board, Endocrine, GI and Morbidity and Mortality Conference.
• Review appropriate clinical history/medical record when responsible for autopsy coverage and discuss with clinical team ensuring appropriate consent documentation before proceeding with autopsy.
• Perform/supervise autopsy. 
• Issue preliminary autopsy findings within 48 hours of autopsy.
• Issue completed autopsy report with clinicopathologic correlation within 30 days of autopsy
• Participate in Quality Assurance measures including 10% retrospective review of all anatomic pathology cases and inter-laboratory comparison programs as designated by Chief, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine.
• Participate in Non-GYN Cytopathology Proficiency tests as required by service obligations.
• Provide 24 hour on-call services as designated in the monthly schedule (shared call schedule with other pathologists)
• Direct/participate in a high complexity laboratory, with responsibility for daily, weekly, and monthly quality monitors as delegated by Chief PLM.
• Select/evaluate new tests for laboratory section test menus as assigned.
• Assist as needed in preparing the lab for accreditation inspections.
• Offer consultation to other pathologists (intra-departmental consultations) for testing strategies and interpretation of results.
• Participate in required continuing medical education (CME) to maintain licensure/privileges.
• Responsible for timely completion of VA assigned TMS educational modules.
• Support the educational and research mission of the VA, at a minimum through excellence in teaching.

Work Life Balance 

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm; however, weekend and evening hours may occur with on call rotating weekend and holiday coverage.

•  Education Debt Reduction Program  (EDRP), and if approved,  receive up to $200k  in school loan repayment.
• 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)
• Insurance:  Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
• Licensure:  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 moonlight
• Federal Retirement Plan:

Retirement System

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 8.3% of the employee’s salary each pay period for a total annual contribution percentage equal to 12.7%  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 2022, employees under the age of 50 may contribute up to $19,500, while those over age 50 are eligible to make catch-up contributions that allow them to defer up to $25,500.

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

Employees are vested in a federal pension after only 5 years’ service