Thought on VA?

[hellojed]

Inspired by a recent posting for a position at the VA in San Francisco, I searched prior posts on this board for thoughts on the VA. One thing that stuck out was someone saying the VA is one of the last lifeboats on the Titanic (maybe I’m recalling the wording differently Do you all think that’s still the case?

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[mike-sheree]

VA is good for 3 things.
1) short stint right out of training to get independent sign out experience.
2) you want a low stress, 9-5 ( or 4 or 3 or 2) govt job with good bennies early retirement and adequate (not more) pay. 2nd career possibility after VA retirement.
3) semi retired old guys who still want to push glass for awhile longer because they like it.

 

[LADoc00]

Good, minimal case load, low stress, no business concerns, no research, minimal meetings and conference, decent pension. Pay is too low if your student loan burden is high or if you are looking to buy a home though. I would peg it at about 1/2 high volume practice practice.

But yah if you are already sitting on a ton of financial resources a great coast position for sure.

SF VA though you will be a life long renter with a standard of living lower than a Costco manager in Fresno....

 

[octopusprime]

also in-house autopsies in civil war-era dungeons not a huge perk.

 

[Zarniwoop]

A short while ago I thought the VA was the best deal in pathology. However, with other employers ponying up more for salaries in our new bizarro post Covid reality, the VA is looking less shiny. The VA isn't going to pivot as fast with the ducats as other employers.
That said, it can still a good bet, especially if you're seeking a desirable geographical location where your private employer is likely to use and abuse. Rural VA makes no sense. No real way to come back from that.

 

[WEBB PINKERTON]

VA is for people that don't like to work. The labs need to be either taken over or consolidated. Extremely wasteful. I would privatize virtually the whole VA system. Just leave orthopedics and mental health, dump the rest.

 

[KeratinPearls]

Pathology was left out….


The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) just recently initiated a new program called the Specialty Education Loan Repayment Program (SELRP). SELRP is only available to final year medical students who have matched or going to match to a residency, and to physicians currently in a residency/fellowship program. SELRP will pay a resident $40,000 for each PGY year they are currently in and have remaining (minimum 2 years – max 4) in their residency or fellowship. SELRP is designed to help physicians pay down their medical school student loan debt. This tax-free money cannot be used for any other student loan debt outside medical school (MD/DO). The maximum amount received is $160,000. In return the physician comes to work for the VA in the specialty for which they were trained, for a minimum of 2 years (maximum 4).

Currently, the primary specialties are listed below. However, the VA will consider other specialties on a limited basis. Please feel free to share this information with other students/residents/fellows.

Eligible Specialties:

Psychiatry
Family Practice
Internal Medicine
Emergency Medicine
Gastroenterology
Urology
Geriatric Medicine

 

[Med Director New England]

based the specialities on need at VAs.

Doesn’t surprise me I have a good friend in the VA system. Tells me they are crazy overstaffed for pathologists.

 

[mike-sheree]

also in-house autopsies in civil war-era dungeons not a huge perk.

Many, many VA’s have some kind of academic affiliation. Due to the shortage of posts for residents it is easy to farm them out to the “mother ship” or get the resident to come over.
And, if you can’t do that, it is almost ALWAYS possible to talk your way out of a full post.
At most, a couple incisions and focused sampling is necessary to answer most questions.