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Memorandum
Word document of Memorandum with all
Attachments
Date: February 1, 2008
From: Acting Director, Associated Health Education (14)
Director, VA Advanced Fellowships & Professional Development (14)
Office of Academic Affiliations, VA Central Office, Washington, DC
Subj.: Nomination and Appointment of Postdoctoral and Postresidency Fellows in VA Advanced Fellowships, VA Interprofessional Fellowships, and Associated Health Fellowships for Academic Year (AY) 2008-2009
To: Fellowship Program Directors
1. Purpose. This memorandum provides Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA) instructions regarding nomination of medical and associated health (non-physician) Fellows for VA Advanced Fellowships and Associated Health Advanced Fellowships for the academic year 2008-2009 beginning July 1, 2008.
2. General Information
a. All physician Advanced Fellows must be nominated to and approved by OAA prior to appointment. Advanced Fellow funding for physicians is available only after completion of an Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or equivalent accredited specialty or subspecialty residency training program.
b. Associated health Advanced Fellows for the HSR&D, Advanced Geriatrics, Medical Informatics, Palliative Care, Quality Scholars, War-Related Illnesses and Injuries, and Patient Safety Fellowship Programs must be nominated to and approved by OAA prior to appointment.
c. Associated health trainees in other fellowship programs do not require OAA approval prior to appointment. However, information described in paragraph 5 must be submitted to OAA as soon as possible after acceptance into the fellowship program. This information is not required for trainees who are currently students in affiliated academic programs.
d. An individual selected for a year-long fellowship must have a VA physical examination verifying fitness for duty before being appointed to the fellowship program. (VA 5019 Handbook [April 15, 2002], Parts II, IV, and V). Documentation of medical clearance need not be sent to OAA , but must be completed locally.
e. Stipend rates for physician Fellows are based on the number of years of ACGME-accredited residency completed and must conform to the rate and benefits at the index hospital. The determination of the number of years must conform to OAA requirements and is subject to OAA approval. See paragraph 3.a. below.
f. Associated health stipends are locality-based and may be found on the OAA Intranet website, (vaww.oaa.med.va.gov/). Stipends are not to be supplemented locally.
g. Advanced Fellows are not eligible to participate in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) or the Thrift Savings Plan except in unusual circumstances. Human Resources Management Service should carefully verify eligibility before enrolling an Advanced Fellow into FERS.
h. Year-long associated health Fellows are eligible for health and life insurance benefits. These Fellows should be appointed for a period not to exceed three years. The appointment will be terminated at the end of the funding, which is one or two years, depending upon the specific program, as OAA provides funding only for a Fellow's designated number of hours.
3. Nomination of Physician Fellows. Nominations of physician Fellows must be received in OAA by close of business Wednesday, May 14, 2008, for Fellows starting July 1, 2008. Nominations for Fellows starting between July 1 and September 30, 2008 should be received 30 days prior to the anticipated start date. Nominations should include the following items in the order indicated:
a. Fellows Credentials Verification Letter (FCVL) (Attachment A).
More than one physician nominee may be listed on this form. The Post Graduate Year (PGY) level determines the Fellow's stipend and is based on the number of years completed in ACGME-accredited specialty and subspecialty residency training. Additional credit is not given for postresidency experience other than accredited subspecialty residency programs, except upon approval of the Director, Advanced Fellowships.
b. Fellows Credentials Verification Checklist (Attachment B). Primary source verification
is required for items 2 through 5 and 8.
c. Application for Residents, VA Form 10-2850b.
1) The form is available at the station level. It is also available on VA's Intranet in the Publications area (http://www.va.gov/vaforms/medical/pdf/vha-10-2850b-fill.pdf). Be sure to use
VA Form 10-2850b and not VA Form 10-2850.
2) Not all Advanced Fellowship Programs require U.S. citizenship. For those that do permit non-citizens of the U.S., program directors must ensure compliance with Federal laws regarding appointment of non-citizens if qualified U.S. citizens apply. Any questions about such appointments should be referred to the Director, Advanced Fellowships or to Regional Counsel for the appointing VA facility. In submitting applications to OAA for non-citizen physicians, please follow established procedures at the local level to verify required information about current visa status, Education Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) sponsorship if the applicant has a J-1 visa, and ECFMG certificate completion for international medical graduates.
3) All applicants must document current, unrestricted U.S. medical licensure and the completion of ACGME- or AOA- accredited specialty and subspecialty residency training. The following items on VAForm 10-2850b require special attention:
- Items 12 A-D - Visas expiring by June 30, 2008, must be renewed before sending the nomination to OAA. An individual with a J-1 visa must have current ECFMGsponsorship prior to starting the Advanced Fellowship.
- Item 14 A-D - All Fellows must have current, unrestricted medical licenses. Because a training license is restricted, training licenses do not meet this requirement.
- Item 24 - An international medical graduate (except graduates of Canadian medical schools) must provide the number of the ECFMG certificate, date of completion, and a statement whether it is valid indefinitely. If the ECFMG has an expiration date, it must be indicated.
- Item 26A-F - To determine accurate stipend, ensure that information about residency training on VA Form 10-2850b is consistent with information in the Fellow's current curriculum vitae.
d. A copy of the Fellow's curriculum vitae.
e. If the applicant is a VA staff physician, a statement of voluntary acceptance
of reduced pay for the duration of the fellowship.
f. Please do NOT send copies of licenses, diplomas, certificates, transcripts, verification
documents, reference letters, or physical examinations.
4. Nomination of Associated Health Advanced Fellows to HSR&D, Advanced Geriatrics, Medical Informatics, Quality Scholars, War-Related Illnesses and Injuries, and Patient Safety Fellowship Programs.
a. a. All associated health Fellows who are to be paid by VA's must be U.S. citizens.
b. Submit the following information:
- Fellows Credentials Verification Letter (FCVL) (Attachment C).
- Fellows Credentials Verification Checklist (Attachment D). Primary source verification is required for items 2 through 6 and 8.
- Application for VA Employment for the respective discipline.
- A copy of the nominee's curriculum vitae.
- Please do NOT send copies of licenses, diplomas, certificates, transcripts, verification documents, reference letters, or physical examinations.
5. Appointment of Associated Health Fellows to Other Year-Long Fellowship Programs.
a. These Fellows may be appointed locally to allocated positions without prior OAA approval.
b. All associated health Fellows who are to be paid by VA must be citizens of the United States.
c. Submit the following information:
- Fellows Credentials Verification Letter (FCVL) (Attachment C).
- Fellows Credentials Verification Checklist (Attachment D). Primary source verification
is required for items 2 through 6 and 8.
- Please do not send copies of licenses, diplomas, certificates, transcripts, verification
documents, reference letters, or physical examinations.
6. Transmittal Instructions
OAA prefers to receive documents electronically in a P.D.F. or Word Format. Scanned documents may be sent via VA's Outlook system if the message is appropriately encrypted., and should be addressed to:
Deborah Ludke (Deborah.Ludke@va.gov) for all physician and dentist fellows and associated health Fellows in HSR&D, Medical Informatics, Quality Scholars, Patient Safety, or War-Related Illnesses and Injuries.
Dr. Robert Zeiss (Robert.Zeiss@va.gov) for all other associated health fellows, including those in Psychology, MIRECCs, Psychosocial Rehabilitation, and Optometry Research.
If unable to submit electronically, you may send hard copies via an expedited delivery service to:
Department of Veterans Affairs
Office of Academic Affiliations(14)
810 Vermont Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C. 20420
Nominations must be received by May 14, 2008, for physician and other Advanced Fellows starting July 1, 2008 or not less than 30 days prior to the anticipated start date for Fellows starting after July 1, 2008. Faxes are not accepted. Scanned documents may be sent via VA's Outlook system if the message is appropriately encrypted.
Notification of appointment of other associated health Fellows must be sent to OAA as soon as possible after acceptance of the Fellow into the program.
OAA looks forward to receiving the required materials for these fellowship programs. If you have any questions about associated health programs, please contact Dr. Robert Zeiss at 202-461-9493 or by e-mail at Robert.Zeiss@va.gov. Questions about Physician Advanced Fellowship or associated health fellowships for the HSR&D, Palliative Care, Medical Informatics, Quality Scholars, or Patient Safety Fellowship Programs, may be directed to Dr. Stuart Gilman at 562-826-5323 or at Stuart.Gilman@va.gov.
Robert A. Zeiss, Ph.D.
Stuart Gilman, M.D.
Attachments: 4
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