Department of Veterans Affairs

Physician - Chief of Staff

Buffalo, New York Full time

Physician - Chief of Staff

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Buffalo, New York

Salary Range: $330000 - $360000 Per Year

Job Summary: The Chief of Staff will report to the Medical Center Director. The COS has specific responsibility to preside over the medical staff and assure clinical excellence, uniform standards of practice, education, and research. The COS is entrusted with many of the VHA clinical and administrative directives to ensure they are appropriately translated into relevant local policies

Major Duties:

  • The Chief of Staff will report to the Medical Center Director. The COS has specific responsibility to preside over the medical staff and assure clinical excellence, uniform standards of practice, education, and research. The COS is entrusted with many of the VHA clinical and administrative directives to ensure they are appropriately translated into relevant local policies and appropriately executed. The COS must take an active role in developing and maintaining a good working relationship with the affiliated medical school; recruiting board certified licensed professional staff; ensuring medical staff compliance with agency regulations; overseeing a successful research program; and facilitating a culture of continuous process improvement and patient safety. The COS will also serve as professional liaison of the heath care field to other VA, federal, community, affiliate, congressional, and constituent organizations. The overall responsibilities of the Chief of Staff include but are not limited to: Assures the overall quality, appropriateness, and timeliness of patient care delivered by all members of the medical staff. Directs and oversees the medical staff functions and committees, the medical staff bylaws, and the credentialing and privileging of health care providers. Participates in strategic planning, resource allocation and performance improvement activities. Ensures participation of the medical staff in performance improvement activities. Serves as member of the Executive Leadership team and on a variety of committees and meetings. Ensures patients receive quality care in a timely and courteous manner. Ensures that all patients receive quality, preventive health care through screening, counseling and education. Ensures that all medical staff (ancillary staff, pharmacy, nursing, mental health and medical/surgical providers) are knowledgeable and provide appropriate psychosocial care and counseling to patients. Ensures competence of medical staff and each of its members to provide care to the young, middle, older and geriatric patients served. Encourages the development of and adherence to clinical guidelines for patient populations. Monitors and evaluates clinical practice patterns through the participation in performance improvement, risk management and peer review activities. Reviews all VHA Directives and directs them appropriately through committees and services. Acts as VISN liaison to the medical center, closely communicating with the Medical Center Director and disseminating VISN tasks and responsibilities to the appropriate Medical Center personnel. Assures excellent standards of patient care. Directs and implements processes and programs to maintain accreditation and other standards. Interacts effectively with the professional schools and the medical community. Maintains and enforces continuing medical educational standards for the medical staff and appropriate health care education accrediting organizations. Evaluates teaching programs to determine effectiveness in meeting patient needs and program goals. Ensures appropriate supervision of house staff and residents. Ensures that medical staff is active in providing appropriate preventive and therapeutic counseling and health care education for patients and their families. Is responsible for staff and resident education Other duties as assigned Preferred Experience: Chief Medical Officer, Deputy Chief of Staff, Chief of large Clinical Department or service line, or Chief Quality for 3 or more years. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. 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: Monday-Friday 8:00AM to 4:30PM

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 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 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), 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. 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 or fee-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. Proficiency in spoken and written English. Preferred Experience: Preferred Experience: Chief Medical Officer, Deputy Chief of Staff, Chief of large Clinical Department or service line, or Chief Quality for 3 or more years. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

How to Apply: To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire. Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. To apply for this position online, complete steps 1 and 2 above by 11:59 PM (ET) on 03/09/2026 to receive consideration. Please note, this announcement may close prior to the closing date indicated if the position is filled through other means. If you are unable to apply online before the closing date click here and include the CAYI-12901049-26-VL in the Notes field. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Application Deadline: 2026-03-09