Did you know that every Veteran receiving health care through the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is provided a primary care physician? Over 9 million Veterans are enrolled in the VA health care system, so we’re always looking for qualified, caring primary care physicians to join our team and provide the best care to those who served.
Primary care at VA goes far beyond routine checkups; it’s the foundation of a care model built around each Veteran’s life, goals and well-being. Keep reading to learn more about how primary care physicians fit into VA’s whole health approach while leveraging the latest technology. Explore your next steps toward a rewarding career serving Veterans today.
VA primary care is meaningful
VA primary care physicians aren’t just diagnosing conditions; they’re also partnering with Veterans on their entire health journey through a whole health approach that considers physical, emotional and social factors. As a key member of a Veteran’s Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT), primary care physicians are often the first providers to see Veterans as they start their journey to health. They often get to spend more quality time with their patients as they are not bound by the restraints of insurance companies and profitability, resulting in meaningful, trusting relationships.
“I really encourage people to do primary care because you get to be so close with your patients,” said Dr. Stacey S. Weeks. “You get that doctor-patient relationship that you don’t get with a lot of specialty medicine.”
VA primary care is modern
With access to some of the most advanced tools in modern medicine, from integrated electronic health records to industry-leading telehealth platforms and innovative prevention initiatives, VA primary care physicians can deliver more coordinated, informed and personalized care than ever before. VA values research and innovation and connects with external partners across industries to ignite transformative changes in health care.
VA primary care is made for you
VA offers employee benefits that fit your lifestyle, like consistent schedules, generous personal and sick leave, and education incentives to keep you at the top of your game. You’ll also have the flexibility to work at any of our nationwide facilities on one license and with less administrative burden than in the private sector.
“After being out in private practice, and then being at VA, the benefits at VA are really nice,” said Dr. Weeks.
Join VA
If you’re all about Veterans like we are, consider a rewarding primary care career at VA. Learn more about working at VA on VA Careers.
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Veterans bring unmatched experience, leadership, and dedication to the workforce. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is proud to be one of the largest employers of Veterans in the nation, offering meaningful careers that allow former service members to continue their mission in a new way, as well as support in getting started on a civilian job search.
VA is leading the nation in transforming mental health care for America’s Veterans and we’re looking for passionate providers to join us.
One of the main reasons the VA is constantly struggling to hire qualified new hires is the outdated hiring procedures used. It is outdated by at least 20 years. Many new hires across the board complain that it often takes months (6-9) to get hired. In the meantime, most can get hired by a non government entity in 30 days or less. Why bother with putting up with all the government red tape to get hired when you can go elsewhere and get hired on the spot or within a few weeks? The other complaint I here is the pay scale for the VA is typically below what the private sector pays. So why would a qualified health care professional wait for months to get a lower paying job? The VA has been battling the hiring procedure for years, and they always “church it up” by listing a platitude of nonsensical reasons. Every VA Secretary always says they are going to change the hiring practice, but nobody can. The reason they can’t is that Congress is the only entity that can change government hiring practices. Until Congress changes, the VA will never change. Because of this failure by Congress, the case is made to privatize the VA. To privatize the VA or get Congress to change the hiring rules is probably never going to happen, so the VA will just continue to limp along like it has for decades.