Physician (Chief of Rheumatology) – Salisbury, NC – Sign-On Bonus Authorized

The Salisbury VA Medical Center, located in Salisbury, NC, is seeking a physician leader in adult Rheumatology to oversee clinical operations at three sites: Salisbury, Charlotte, and Kernersville. As a recognized Complexity 1a institution, our medical center features a diverse specialty medicine team of more than 100 experts and is consistently ranked among the top ten VA facilities nationwide for patient care volume.

Why Join Salisbury VA HCS?

• High Impact:  Join a top 10 VA medicine specialty service with over 100 specialists.
• Comprehensive Rheumatology:  Lead robust inpatient and outpatient services, including bedside ultrasonography and infusion, at three locations.
• Academic Excellence:  Benefit from a Wake Forest University School of Medicine affiliation, with faculty appointment and protected time for education and research.
• Team Leadership:  Direct a team of approximately 3 FTEs, as well as fellows, residents, and medical students.
• Multi-Site Practice:  Provide care and leadership across Salisbury, Charlotte, and Kernersville, supported by an established, resourceful staff.

Key Duties:

• Oversee and supervise all aspects of clinical rheumatology care.
• Lead and manage a multidisciplinary team and quality assurance activities.
• Ensure high standards of care, process improvement, and compliance.
• Participate in education, training, and research activities.
• Provide strategic and operational leadership across multiple sites.

Requirements:

• U.S. Citizenship:  Non-citizens may only be appointed when qualified citizens are unavailable, in accordance with VA policy.
• Education:  Doctor of Medicine (MD) or equivalent degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine.
• Licensure:  Current, full, and unrestricted license to practice medicine in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or District of Columbia.
• Residency:  Completion of residency in an accredited core specialty.
• Board Certification:  Board-certified or board-eligible in Rheumatology.

Additional Requirement:

• The selected candidate will receive a faculty appointment at Wake Forest University School of Medicine, with rank commensurate with experience and academic achievements. Protected time is provided for educational and research activities within the clinician-educator-research track.

Preferred Qualifications:

• MD/DO with fellowship training in Rheumatology.
• ABIM board certification preferred; board-eligible applicants considered.
• Active, unrestricted U.S. medical license.
• Demonstrated leadership in multi-site or complex health care settings.
• Strong commitment to education, patient outcomes, and quality improvement.
• Sleep Medicine training/certification is desirable but not required.

Benefits:

• Salary:  $300,000–$400,000
• Pay:  Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, and regular increases.
• Recruitment Incentive:  Sign-on bonus may be available for highly qualified candidates.
• Paid Time Off: ?50–55 days per year (26 annual leave, 13 sick, 11 federal holidays, possible 5 days CME).
• Retirement: ?Traditional federal pension (5-year vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% VA matching contributions.
• Insurance: ?Federal health, vision, dental, life, and long-term care insurance (many carry into retirement).
• Licensure:  Only one full and unrestricted U.S. state or territory license required.
• CME: ?Up to $2,500 per year possible reimbursement.
• Malpractice: ?Free liability protection with tail coverage.
• Contract: ?No physician employment contract; no significant moonlighting restrictions.
• Work Schedule: ?Monday–Friday, 7:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Interested candidates, please send your CV to Physician Recruiter Annie Luckey at  Show Email annie.luckey@va.gov .

The W.G. Hefner VAMC is a 484-bed medical center located in Salisbury, North Carolina. Inpatient services are provided for acute medicine, cardiology, surgery, psychiatry, physical rehabilitation, subacute and extended care, neuropsychiatry services, psychiatric intensive care, and geropsychiatry. Primary and specialized outpatient services are provided at the medical center and outpatient clinics. The medical center is affiliated with Wake Forest University School of Medicine, with a focus on resident involvement in primary care, dermatology, rehabilitation, ophthalmology, and psychiatry. The Salisbury VAMC is recognized as one of the largest employers in Rowan County and enjoys the recognition and respect of the community through an active outreach program.

Community Information:

Salisbury provides all the perks of a small town but is located just 40 minutes down Hwy I-85 from Charlotte,NC which is the 33rd largest metropolitan in the nation boasting 1.84 million in population. Both Greensboro, NC and Winston-Salem NC are located within 1 hours drive. Salisbury has a population of 26,548, and is the county seat of Rowan County. It is also the home of three colleges: Catawba College, Rowan-Cabarrus Community College and Livingstone College

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