VHC Health logo
VHC Health
Arlington, Virginia

Lead Physician (Hospitalists)

Hospital MedicineIncludes callFull-Time

Listed compensation

$250K - $552K

The week · per this posting · weekdays assumed

Ask the employer about the work setting, weekend coverage, nights and shift pattern and time off.

Posted 3mo ago · Verified live

Job Description

Position Title

Lead Physician (Hospitalists)

Job Description

Purpose & Scope:

The Physician is a member of the healthcare team who works in collaboration with other staff to provide comprehensive healthcare services to patients. The physician is the lead of the patient’s care team within their Practice(s).

The scope of practice of each physician is defined through the health system’s credentialing and privileging committee. The Lead Physician supports objectives, budget and performance metrics at the Practice level.

Directs and coordinates all medical activities within the Practice including implementation of quality control standards, risk management and compliance programs.

Handling clinical issues at practice level - PTO issues, clinical grievances, schedules, etc. The role of a physician is to provide quality clinical care to those individuals who have chosen VHC Health in a timely manner to meet the needs of our patients.

Education

Doctorate from an accredited medical school is required.

Experience

One year of medical/surgical experience is required.

Certification/Licensure

Licensed to Practice Medicine by the Virginia Department of Health Professions required.

Awards & Recognition

Washington Commanders selected VHC Health as its women’s health partner because of the health system’s continued commitment to advancing women’s health, reducing the stigma of mental health, and creating greater access to care in the Washington, DC metro region.

Received a top ranking in Newsweek’s World’s Best Hospitals for the fourth year in a row. Ranking over 2,800 hospitals in 28 countries, this study asked 85,000 medical experts across the world to participate in an online survey covering topics such as recommendation of hospital, satisfaction of patient care, quality of care for specific treatments, among other factors.

Recognized by the Women’s Choice Award for Best Hospital in eight categories: bariatric surgery, obstetrics, heart care, minimally invasive surgery, orthopedics, cancer care, comprehensive breast care, women’s services, mammogram and patient experience. This award is graded based on the best publicly available information, patient surveys and accreditation information, and the Women’s Choice Award delivers a simplified, objective ranking to each category.

Named a 2023 Best Cancer Hospital by Newsweek. One of 175 hospitals and just three in the Washington, DC metro region to be included in the rankings.

Named best hospital for billing ethics by Money magazine and The Leapfrog Group. This is the first-ever Leapfrog Best Hospitals ranking to help patients make educated decisions about which institutions are best for the money.

Our Community

Living in Northern Virginia, one of the best places to live near D.C., you can have it all: a lucrative job at a forward-thinking company – plus access to the country’s greatest historical sites, a bustling café culture, active nightlife and concert going, a thriving wine region, seven professional sports teams, and a mild four-season climate with year-round kayaking, biking, and hiking.

We offer some of the best public and private schools in the nation and access to 60 colleges and universities. In fact, we are the most educated region in the country. Here, there are no compromises. NOVA is one of the best places to live and work in the country.

Arlington is home to the Pentagon, and the Arlington National Cemetery.

Home to more than 100 U.S. and global corporate headquarters, including the 6th highest number of Fortune 500 companies.

Northern Virginia is one of the fastest growing and most diverse communities in the United States

Fairfax County has many of the highest ranking schools in the nation according to U.S. News and World Reports.

Arlington County also offers outstanding schools - about 94 percent of all graduating high school seniors in Arlington go on to attend college.

Two major airports with direct flights to 109 domestic and 60 international destinations.

Northern Virginia has many recreational and community amenities including: over 89 miles of biking/jogging trails, 167 public parks, approximately 14 community centers, 7 live stage theaters, 8 libraries, and 652 restaurants.

Minutes to the Kennedy Center, Smithsonian Museums, Tyson’s Corner, and Wolftrap National Park for the Performing Arts

Whether you choose to live in Arlington County, Fairfax County, City of Alexandria or in any of the other great areas in the DC area, you will have little problem in finding a location that is right for you.

We look forward to hearing from qualified candidates interested in joining us in a highly collegial environment where the patient is at the center of what we do.

Additional Job Description

Additional Job Description

At VHC Health, every role contributes to exceptional care, better outcomes, and stronger communities.

In addition to your base compensation, VHC Health offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage (subject to eligibility requirements), as well as additional wellness and retirement benefits designed to support our employees and their families.

VHC Health is committed to wage transparency and equitable pay practices. The compensation offered for this position—whether expressed as an annual salary or hourly rate—is determined based on a variety of legitimate, non-discriminatory factors.

These factors include, but are not limited to, a candidate’s qualifications, relevant training and experience, skill level, shift differentials (where applicable), internal equity, and current market conditions.

The compensation range set forth above is a good-faith estimate of the minimum and maximum hourly rate or annual salary for this position and assumes a 1.0 FTE status.

Actual compensation for this position will be determined based on specialty, and the candidate’s education, training, skills, experience, certifications, and other relevant qualifications. This range may be adjusted in the future based on business needs or market changes.

No portion of compensation is considered earned until it is vested and determined in accordance with the terms of applicable policies and benefit plans.

The availability and amount of any bonuses, incentives, or other benefits are subject to the terms of those plans and may be modified at the sole discretion of VHC Health, in accordance with applicable law. VHC Health is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity or expression, marital status, national or ethnic origin, political affiliation, pregnancy (including childbirth, pregnancy-related conditions and lactation), race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, genetic information, or any other characteristics protected by law.

VHC Health maintains a drug-free workplace. The unlawful manufacture, distribution, dispensing, possession, or use of a controlled substance is prohibited at all VHC Health locations.

Key Responsibilities

The Lead Physician directs and coordinates all medical activities within the practice, including quality control, risk management, and compliance. They provide comprehensive clinical care to patients while managing practice-level issues such as scheduling and clinical grievances.

Requirements

A doctorate from an accredited medical school and a valid license to practice medicine in Virginia are required. Candidates must have at least one year of medical/surgical experience.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Key Skills

Medical LeadershipBudget ManagementPatient Care CoordinationClinical Grievance Handling

Hospital Medicine — Physician Career Context

In Virginia, the Hospital Medicine weighted monthly median benchmark on WeekdayDoc is ~$316k (34 salary observations; 141 listings), vs ~$307k nationally (385 salary observations; 3,091 listings). Monthly aggregates cover 2025-12-01 through 2026-10-01; these are not the modal's selected comparable-job medians.

The cost-of-living index for Virginia is 101.1 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$401k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $397k in an average-cost state. 61.1% of Virginia clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Of the 48 active Hospital Medicine listings this role was benchmarked against, 79% have no call, 42% require no weekends.

Hospital Medicine pay on WeekdayDoc is down 4.1% vs. the prior quarter (through Sep 2026).

Top Hospital Medicine Jobs

23 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution23 jobs · 8 employers

17
<$315k
0
$315k-330k
1
$330k
3
$345k-360k
2
$366k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks22 jobs · 8 employers

401k / retirement match
95% this job
Sign-on bonus
9%
CME allowance
9%
Relocation assistance
9%
PSLF eligible
9%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Physician - Hospitalist - Swing Shift

MultiCare Health System · Yakima, Washington

$358k-$366k
#2

Physician - Hospitalist (Swing Shift)

MultiCare Health System · Yakima, Washington

$358k-$366k
#3

Physician Advisor

$300k–$350k
#4

Physician, Hospitalist (Santa Barbara, CA)

$300k-$350k
+ 21 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 2.1this job 1.5
Better work-life than 20% of Hospital Medicine listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,198 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

  • Includes call

Living in Arlington

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$1.00M≈ 4.0× annual pay
Typical market rent
$2,702/mo≈ 13% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
26 min
Metro price indexU.S. average = 100
108.9
State income tax
Up to 5.8%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), Zillow market rents (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

BEA 2024 · Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro prices. Housing figures are city-level.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

VHC Health logo

About VHC Health

Hospitals and Health Care
Arlington, VA
1,001-5,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical, Dental, Vision Coverage
Wellness and Retirement Benefits