Working at the VA is great, and has it's special quirks as I'm sure you're aware of from residency. This page will give you a guide on how to maximize the experience there as soon as possible.
The scope of work at the VA includes a retina-only clinic in which you are the attending and see all the patients, a retina or general clinic in which you are the attending and staff the residents, and an OR in which you may perform retina procedures or staff residents cataracts.
Employment Modules
There are a lot of these in TMS - try to complete them all in the first month and not get too far behind
HR / Benefits Selection
Make sure you elect a health and dental plan before the qualifying event (your being hired) timeline expires
Note that you are automatically enrolled in life insurance through the VA - you may want to manually disenroll from this
Pyxis Access
Unsure how to do this - probably talk to Liz
Keys Access
Talk to Liz about this - it takes going to a building across the street from the VA police station (on the way to the parking lots) to check out a set of keys.
Badge Access
Talk to Liz about this - make sure that you have clinic access and access to the OR.
What Can I Bill For?
You are paid through the VA, which means you're paid on an hourly basis there. You are scheduled to be there for two 5-hour shifts per week.
If you go in for any of the following, you can write additional time in the logbook and be paid for it:
You're on call and a resident asks you to come to the VA to do a procedure or see a patient
You did a pneumatic on a Friday and someone needs to see the patient on Saturday
Dr. Lu invites you to come cover for someone e.g., to staff cataracts or staff general clinic
Clinic Selection
Templates
The cryo probes are in the locked closet with all the sterile gear adjacent to the gurney room
All other material is in the laser room
If missing materials (e.g. gas), can go to OR and get missing suppliesÂ
Ask a resident
Make sure Amy Delfin knows about it