$175/hr (1099)

Canoncito Band of Navajos Health Center, Inc.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Family Practice Physician

Locum Tenens — Independent Contractor

Job Title

Family Practice Physician

Engagement Type

Locum Tenens — Independent Contractor (1099)

Department

Medical

Reports To

Chief Medical Officer

Schedule

Per assignment; standard clinic hours Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM

Assignment Length

To be determined per coverage need (short-term, recurring, or extended)

Location

129 Medicine Horse Dr., To’Hajiilee, NM 87026

Effective Date

May 14, 2026

Engagement Overview

This is a locum tenens (independent contractor) position. The Family Practice Physician is engaged on a contract basis to provide temporary or intermittent coverage at CBNHC and is not a CBNHC employee. Compensation is paid only for hours or days actually worked under the terms of the locum agreement. This position does not receive holiday pay, paid time off, health insurance, retirement contributions, malpractice tail coverage (unless explicitly stated in the contract), or any other employee benefits. The physician is responsible for their own taxes, insurance, and benefits in accordance with 1099 independent contractor status.

Performance Expectations

All providers working at CBNHC, including locum tenens contractors, are expected to:

• Uphold all principles of confidentiality and patient care to the fullest extent.
• Adhere to all professional and ethical behavior standards of the healthcare industry.
• Interact in an honest, trustworthy, and dependable manner with patients, employees, and vendors.
• Possess cultural awareness and sensitivity.
• Maintain a current insurable driver’s license.
• Comply with all CBNHC policies and procedures, as well as all applicable federal, state, and tribal laws, for the duration of the locum assignment.

Position Purpose

The locum tenens Family Practice Physician provides comprehensive, patient-centered primary care to infants, children, adolescents, adults, and geriatric patients at the Canoncito Band of Navajos Health Center, Inc. (CBNHC), a 638 tribal healthcare organization serving the To’Hajiilee community. Working under the clinical oversight of the Chief Medical Officer for the duration of the assignment, the physician delivers acute, chronic, and preventive medical services across the full spectrum of family medicine, with a strong emphasis on culturally responsive, whole-person care. The physician collaborates with behavioral health, dental, pharmacy, nursing, and community health colleagues to support an integrated model of care during the coverage period.

Essential Duties, Functions, and Responsibilities

• Serves as the primary care physician for infants, pediatric, adolescent, adult, and geriatric patients presenting with acute and chronic conditions across the full scope of family medicine.
• Interviews and examines patients, reviews past medical history, and orders or performs diagnostic tests and procedures needed to evaluate each case.
• Diagnoses and treats patients of all ages with a wide range of medical problems, ranging from routine preventive care to complex, difficult-to-identify conditions, including urgent and emergent presentations.
• Develops, documents, and updates individualized treatment plans, including prescribing medications, ordering therapies, and arranging referrals to specialty care when clinically indicated.
• Provides preventive care services consistent with USPSTF, AAP/Bright Futures, ACIP, and IHS clinical guidelines, including immunizations, screenings, and age-appropriate health maintenance.
• Manages chronic conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, asthma, COPD, behavioral health comorbidities, and substance use disorders using evidence-based protocols.
• Supports behavioral health integration within primary care, including screening, brief intervention, basic medication management, and warm hand-offs to behavioral health colleagues.
• Performs minor in-office procedures within scope (e.g., laceration repair, skin biopsies, joint injections, IUD insertion/removal as credentialed).
• Completes timely, accurate, and compliant clinical documentation in the electronic health record (EHR), including coding and billing in accordance with CMS, IHS, and CBNHC standards.
• Participates in peer review, chart review, quality improvement (QI), and quality assurance (QA) activities, and supports patient safety initiatives.
• Adheres to all federal, state, tribal, and accreditation standards, including HIPAA, OSHA, and CBNHC clinical policies and procedures.
• Collaborates with nursing, medical assistants, pharmacy, dental, behavioral health, community health representatives (CHRs), and case management to coordinate care.
• Provides patient and family education on diagnoses, treatment options, medications, self-management, and preventive care in a culturally appropriate manner.
• Participates in scheduled clinics, walk-in clinics, and call coverage as assigned, including coordination with on-call and after-hours resources.
• Supports public health and emergency preparedness efforts, including outbreak response, immunization campaigns, and community health events.
• Maintains professional competence through continuing medical education (CME) and remains current with evolving standards of family medicine practice.
• Maintains regular attendance and punctuality, and performs other duties as assigned within the scope of the position.

Minimum Mandatory Qualifications

Education

• Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree from an accredited medical school.
• Successful completion of an accredited residency program in Family Medicine or Family Practice.
• Board certification in Family Medicine by the ABFM or AOBFP (or board eligible with a requirement to obtain certification within a specified timeframe).

Licensure and Credentials

• Current, active, unrestricted license to practice medicine in the State of New Mexico (or eligible to obtain prior to start date).
• Current, active, unrestricted DEA registration (or eligible to obtain prior to start date).
• Current BLS certification; ACLS and PALS preferred (or required within a specified timeframe after hire).
• Eligible for credentialing and privileging at CBNHC and, where applicable, with the Indian Health Service.
• Valid, insurable driver’s license.

Experience

• Clinical practice experience as a family medicine physician is preferred; new graduates of accredited family medicine residency programs will be considered.
• Experience in outpatient primary care strongly preferred.
• Experience working within or alongside Indian Health Service (IHS) or 638 tribal healthcare systems is preferred.
• Experience with electronic health records (EHR) RPMS and quality improvement (QI) initiatives preferred.

Mandatory Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, and Other Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to perform and lead the essential duties of a family practice physician across all ages.
• Strong knowledge of clinical standards of care, evidence-based medicine, and population health principles.
• Working knowledge of federal, state, and tribal healthcare regulations, including HIPAA, OSHA, CMS billing standards, and IHS clinical guidelines.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with patients, families, multidisciplinary teams, and external partners.
• Strong clinical judgment, problem-solving skills, and the ability to manage complex cases and competing priorities.
• Proficiency with electronic health records (EHR) and Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and exercise sound judgment in handling sensitive clinical and personnel matters.
• Ability to foster a collaborative, culturally respectful, and patient-centered environment that supports whole-person care.
• Understanding of the unique health needs of Native American populations and commitment to culturally competent care.
• Must meet and maintain all organizational requirements, including background check and drug screening, in accordance with policy.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bilingual skills in English and the Navajo language.
• Experience in a 638 tribal health program and/or with the Indian Health Service.
• Experience in rural or underserved healthcare settings.
• Additional training or experience in obstetrics, pediatrics, behavioral health integration, addiction medicine, or geriatrics.

Work Environment

The Family Practice Physician works primarily in a healthcare setting, including exam rooms, procedure rooms, and other patient care areas, with some time spent in office and administrative environments. Noise level may vary from low to moderate depending on operational activity. The position may require occasional travel for meetings, trainings, or community events. The role involves exposure to communicable diseases and other health risks inherent to a healthcare environment; appropriate safety protocols and personal protective equipment (PPE) are required.

Mental Demands

Must manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, respond to acute and complex clinical situations, exercise sound judgment, maintain high concentration, and make critical decisions that impact patient care.

Schedule and 2026 Clinic Closure Dates

Standard clinic hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, including scheduled and walk-in clinics. Coverage days, hours, and call expectations are defined per individual locum assignment.

The CBNHC clinic is CLOSED on the dates listed below per the 2026 CBNHC, Inc. Calendar. As a locum tenens contractor, the physician is NOT scheduled and is NOT paid on these dates unless specifically requested and approved by CBNHC leadership for coverage outside of normal clinic operations.

Date

Day

Holiday

Jan 1

Thursday

New Year's Day

Jan 19

Monday

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Feb 16

Monday

Presidents Day

Apr 6

Monday

Easter Monday

Apr 27

Monday

Navajo Nation Sovereignty Day

May 25

Monday

Memorial Day

Jun 19

Friday

Juneteenth

Jul 3 (observed)

Friday

Independence Day (Jul 4 falls on Saturday)

Aug 14

Friday

Navajo Nation Code Talker Day

Sep 7

Monday

Labor Day

Oct 12

Monday

Indigenous Peoples Day

Nov 11

Wednesday

Veterans Day

Nov 26

Thursday

Thanksgiving Day

Nov 27

Friday

Day after Thanksgiving

Dec 25

Friday

Christmas Day

Total: 15 clinic closure dates in 2026. No holiday pay applies to this locum position.

Credentialing timeframe: 3 months