Interventional Radiology at the VA: What IR Physicians Can Expect

Interventional radiology has become one of the most essential specialties in modern medicine. Procedures that once required open surgery, long hospital stays, and general anesthesia can now often be done through a needle or catheter, with image guidance, in a fraction of the time.

Nowhere is that more valuable than in the VA. The veteran patient population is older and sicker than average, with high rates of the exact conditions interventional radiologists treat every day. For IR physicians, that makes VA practice clinically rich, consistently busy, and unusually meaningful.

Here’s why IR matters so much for veterans, what practicing interventional radiology at a VA medical center actually looks like, and the two main ways IR physicians can get there.

Why Interventional Radiology Matters for Veterans

The VA cares for more than 9 million enrolled veterans, and the population skews older. Age alone increases demand for image-guided procedures, but veterans also carry a disproportionate burden of several conditions that sit squarely in IR’s wheelhouse.

Vascular disease. Peripheral artery disease is common among veterans, driven by age, smoking history, and diabetes. One large study of veterans newly diagnosed with PAD identified more than 175,000 cases over a three-year period. The average patient was nearly 70 years old, and almost half had diabetes. Angiography, angioplasty, and stenting are core IR tools for keeping blood flowing and limbs intact.

Liver cancer. Veterans have higher rates of the conditions that lead to liver disease, including chronic hepatitis B and C, environmental exposures, diabetes, and alcohol use disorder. According to the American Liver Foundation, between 2,100 and 2,500 veterans are diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma each year. Embolization and ablation, two of IR’s signature therapies, are central to treating it, often for patients who aren’t candidates for surgery.

Kidney disease. About 1 in 6 veterans has chronic kidney disease, compared with about 1 in 7 Americans overall, according to the American Kidney Fund. More than 40,000 VA-enrolled veterans with kidney failure rely on dialysis or a transplant. Every one of those dialysis patients needs reliable vascular access, and placing and maintaining that access, from tunneled catheters to declotting procedures, is routine IR work.

Cancer and toxic exposures. Under the PACT Act, the VA expanded care for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances, adding presumptive conditions that include respiratory cancers of any type, kidney cancer, and gastrointestinal cancers. Every enrolled veteran now receives toxic exposure screenings. As more veterans are evaluated for exposure-related conditions, the need for image-guided biopsies and diagnostic procedures grows with them.

Put simply, many of the procedures that fill an IR schedule, including biopsies, drainages, vascular access, embolization, and ablation, are exactly the procedures veterans need most.

Two Ways to Practice IR at the VA

Interventional radiologists can work at VA medical centers in two main ways.

As a VA staff physician. The VA hires radiologists directly as federal employees, with positions posted through USAJOBS. Staff roles come with federal benefits, including retirement, leave, and insurance, and a long-term career path. The trade-offs are the federal hiring timeline and a pay ceiling: VA physician compensation is capped at $400,000 a year. We break down the full comparison in our guide to VA radiologist pay.

As a contract interventional radiologist. Many VA facilities also bring in interventional radiologists through staffing partners that hold or support VA contracts. Contract IR physicians work on-site as part of the VA care team, typically on defined terms, often 6 to 12 months with extension options, and are paid hourly. For many IR physicians, contract work offers higher hourly earning potential and more control over their commitments.

Both paths lead to the same patients and much of the same clinical work. The right choice depends on whether you value long-term federal employment or flexibility and hourly pay.

What a VA IR Contract Can Look Like

Every VA contract is written around a specific facility’s needs, so there’s no single template. But looking at a real example helps. Here’s what one current VA interventional radiology contract that Summit supports, at a large VA medical center in Texas, requires.

Scope of procedures. The contract calls for the full range of image-guided IR procedures, including:

• Image-guided biopsies (liver, kidney, lung, bone, soft tissue, lymph node, thyroid, and bone marrow)
• Abscess and fluid drainage, thoracentesis, and paracentesis
• Tunneled and non-tunneled central lines, dialysis catheters, and port placement and removal
• Diagnostic and therapeutic angiography, angioplasty, and arterial and venous stenting
• Embolization, including hemorrhage control and uterine fibroid embolization
• Mechanical and catheter-directed thrombectomy and thrombolysis
• IVC filter placement and retrieval
• Biliary interventions, nephrostomy, and renal tumor ablation
• Gastrostomy and gastrojejunostomy tubes
• Conscious sedation for applicable procedures

Time split. Roughly 90% of the physician’s time is direct patient care, including call and follow-up. The remaining time covers quality and professional duties: monthly quality meetings, a monthly tumor board, an IR lecture series, and ongoing peer review.

Team structure. Two interventional radiologists are on site together during clinic hours, so the physician isn’t working alone. Care is delivered alongside VA physicians, residents, and clinical staff, following American College of Radiology practice parameters.

Coverage and call. Clinic hours run Monday through Friday, with an on-call and call-back rotation for evenings, weekends, and holidays. On call, the physician responds to phone consults within 15 minutes; on call-back, they acknowledge within 15 minutes and arrive on site within 60.

Reporting. Clinically, the physician reports to the VA Chief of Staff or Chief of Radiology Service. Contract performance is overseen by a Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR).

Other VA IR contracts look different. Some are full-time, some have lighter call, and procedure mix varies by facility. That’s why it pays to review the specific requirements of any contract before you commit.

What Makes VA IR Practice Different

A few things set VA interventional radiology apart from private practice.

The case mix is complex. Veterans often have multiple chronic conditions at once, which makes procedures more challenging and consultation more important. Many IR physicians find that complexity professionally rewarding.

The teaching environment. Many VA medical centers are affiliated with academic medical schools, so IR physicians may work alongside residents and participate in teaching conferences.

Federal systems and standards. Documentation happens in the VA’s electronic health record, and federal requirements for credentialing, privileging, training, and time documentation apply. For a detailed walkthrough, see our guide to VA locum tenens.

The mission. VA patients are the men and women who served, many living with the long-term effects of their service. For many physicians, that’s what makes VA work more than just another assignment.

Is VA Interventional Radiology Right for You?

VA IR work tends to be a strong fit for:

• IR physicians who want high procedure volume across a broad case mix, from routine access work to complex embolization and ablation
• Experienced interventionalists looking for a defined-term commitment rather than a permanent partnership track
• Physicians between positions who want meaningful, well-paid work while they plan their next move
• IR physicians with VA, military, or large-system experience, which many VA contracts list as a preferred qualification
• Anyone drawn to caring for veterans, whether or not they served themselves

Board certification or eligibility in interventional radiology, a full and unrestricted medical license, and current DEA registration are typical baseline requirements. Specific licensing and credentialing requirements vary by contract.

The Demand Isn’t Going Away

Interventional radiologists are in short supply nationally, and the VA feels it acutely. In its latest staffing report, the VA Inspector General found that 97% of VA facilities reported severe physician shortages, with interventional radiology among the specialties appearing on facility shortage lists. We explore the broader picture in our look at the radiologist shortage.

For IR physicians, that means options. Whether you want a full-time contract, a defined-term assignment between positions, or a new chapter caring for veterans, the need is real.

Summit’s Current Interventional Radiology Openings

Summit Operations Group is a service-disabled veteran-owned staffing company that places physicians in contract roles at VA medical centers. The openings below are Summit’s current IR contracts. They’re a small slice of IR opportunities across the VA system, and they change as positions are filled and new contracts open.

• Interventional Radiologist, Brooklyn, NY: VA New York Harbor Healthcare System. Full-time, Monday through Friday, with on-call rotation. 6 to 12 months with option to extend. $380 per hour.
• Interventional Radiologist, San Antonio, TX: Audie L. Murphy VA Medical Center. Full-time with on-call and call-back rotation.
• Interventional Radiologist, Syracuse, NY: Syracuse VA Medical Center. Full-time, on-site and on-call coverage.

We’ll walk you through the schedule, call, credentialing, and pay for each opportunity before you commit.

View all current openings → · Compare VA radiologist pay → · Learn about locum tenens physician staffing →

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