Position Overview

Understanding the Role

A Practice Where Your Skills Fill a Critical Community Need

You will join Good Shepherd Health as the permanent outpatient gastroenterologist serving Hermiston, Oregon and the surrounding region. This employed position places you in a community that has been waiting for comprehensive GI services, particularly advanced endoscopic procedures. With more than 130 patients currently on the backlog and a locum provider who cannot perform ERCP, your arrival will immediately transform access to digestive health care for thousands of residents across Eastern Oregon.

Good Shepherd's service area extends throughout Umatilla County and into rural communities to the west and south. The hospital sits on the southern shore of the Columbia River, approximately 30 minutes from the Tri-Cities metropolitan area. This geography means you will serve as the primary gastroenterology resource for a population that currently travels significant distances for ERCP and other advanced procedures. Your presence eliminates that burden and keeps care local.

Your Role and Responsibilities

Your practice will balance clinical consultations with procedural work across a structured weekly schedule. You will spend approximately three days seeing patients in clinic and two days performing endoscopic procedures. The 4-day workweek reflects Good Shepherd's commitment to sustainable practice patterns, allowing you to maintain the energy and focus that quality patient care demands.

General gastroenterology practice covering the full spectrum of digestive disorders, from acid reflux and IBS to liver disease and colon cancer screening
ERCP capability required, filling the most critical gap in current services
Hospital will purchase EUS equipment if you have that training and want to offer those procedures
Clinic located in the hospital's medical office building for convenient access to diagnostic and support services
Physician leadership opportunities available within the health system for those interested in administrative roles

Schedule and Workflow

The clinic operates Monday through Friday with hours from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Scoping days provide you adequate time for thorough procedures without feeling rushed. Patient volumes target 18 to 22 visits per clinic day, a number that allows meaningful patient interactions rather than the assembly-line pace common in high-volume metropolitan practices.

4-day clinical workweek
Approximately 3 days clinic, 1-2 days procedures weekly
No general gastroenterology call obligation
Rotating ERCP call only, with 30-minute response requirement per hospital bylaws
CRNA support for procedural sedation

Qualifications

Good Shepherd seeks a board-certified gastroenterologist with ERCP experience. The ideal candidate brings strong general GI skills alongside the interventional capability that this community needs most.

MD or DO degree with completed gastroenterology fellowship
Board certification or eligibility in gastroenterology
ERCP training and competency required
Oregon medical license or eligibility
EUS training welcomed but not required

Reporting Structure

You will practice within a supportive administrative framework that values physician input. The clinical leadership team includes Dr. Brian T. Larsen as Chief Medical Officer, Danielle Tao as Vice President of Clinics, and a dedicated practice manager for the GI service line. This structure provides clear channels for addressing operational needs while preserving your clinical autonomy.

This position offers the rare combination of high compensation, manageable workload, and genuine community impact. You will build a practice from a position of strength, with patients already waiting and a health system prepared to invest in your success.