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Vice President, Medical Affairs

Sanford Health · Minocqua, WI · Full time

Posted Oct 1, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time you had to address a physician whose behavior or outcomes were a real problem. What did you do, and how did it end?

What they are checking: Whether they will actually confront a peer physician, and whether they do it fairly and with documentation.

Walk me through a quality or patient safety improvement you led from the data to a lasting change in practice.

What they are checking: Whether they have moved a measure themselves, not just presided over a committee that reported on it.

Physician recruitment in rural markets is hard. What have you personally done to recruit and keep physicians somewhere they did not grow up?

What they are checking: Whether they understand retention as much as recruitment in a rural system that depends on hard-to-fill positions.

Tell me about a time physician engagement scores or burnout were a problem on your watch. What did you change?

What they are checking: Whether they treat engagement as something they own and can act on, not a survey result to explain away.

Why do you want to move from clinical or departmental leadership into a regional VPMA role, and what part of clinical work are you prepared to give up?

What they are checking: Whether they have thought clearly about the tradeoffs of executive leadership and want the job for the right reasons.

What would you do

You would be the one-up for every Department Chair in the region. How would you run your monthly meetings with them so they produce improvement and not just updates?

What they are checking: Whether they can hold chairs accountable for results while keeping them as partners rather than subordinates who report status.

A department has no appointed chair and you have to step into that role on top of your own. How do you decide what to take on and what to let wait?

What they are checking: How they triage when stretched thin, and whether they protect patient safety work over administrative tasks.

You report to the Chief Physician but work daily with the Market President. What do you do when the two of them want different things from your region?

What they are checking: Whether they can manage a dual reporting line openly instead of quietly picking a side or stalling.

How do you take a system-wide goal and make it make sense to physicians in a small hospital who feel decisions are made far away?

What they are checking: Whether they can translate system priorities for local physicians without dismissing their concerns or simply passing orders down.

How do you balance operational efficiency targets with physicians who say a change will hurt patient care?

What they are checking: Whether they can weigh cost and quality honestly and know when to push back on the business side.

About the work

What is your experience with the Medical Executive Committee, credentialing and peer review, and where have you seen those processes break down?

What they are checking: Real working knowledge of medical staff governance and the honesty to name its weak points.

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The full job description

As published by Sanford Health.

Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. 

 Visas Accepted N/A

 Specialty 

 Practice Details JOB SUMMARY: The Vice President of Medical Affairs (VPMA) is a key physician leader responsible for advancing Sanford Health’s mission, vision, and values within their designated sub-region/market. Reporting directly to the Chief Physician, the VPMA collaborates with the Market President, Chief Medical Officer, and other system and local leaders to ensure clinical excellence, operational efficiency, and superior patient experience. This role provides strategic and operational leadership in physician engagement, quality improvement, patient safety, and recruitment, aligning regional performance with system-wide goals. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS Strategic Leadership and Governance • Serve as the primary physician leader for the region, ensuring alignment with organizational priorities and standards. • Act as the ‘one-up’ for Department Chairs and assume Department Chair responsibilities when a department lacks appointed leadership. • Conduct monthly meetings with Department Chairs to review performance, address challenges, and drive improvement initiatives. • Attend local Medical Executive Committee (MEC) meetings in a non-voting advisory capacity, supporting governance and collaboration between medical staff and administration. Quality, Safety, and Patient Experience • Co-lead with the Regional President and Chief Medical Officer to monitor and improve ambulatory and acute care quality metrics. • Champion evidence-based practices and patient safety initiatives to achieve top-tier performance in clinical outcomes. • Drive strategies to enhance patient experience, ensuring care is compassionate, timely, and patient-centered. Provider Engagement and Professionalism • Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement among physicians and advanced practice providers. • Address physician and advanced practice providers' behavior concerns promptly and constructively, promoting professionalism and adherence to organizational standards. • Participate in peer review processes to ensure fair, consistent, and transparent evaluation of clinical performance. Clinical & Operational Oversight • Partner to implement system initiatives such as timely documentation, provider-based billing (PBB), EHR optimization, and other enterprise priorities. • Collaborate with regional leadership to develop and expand clinical services that meet community needs. • Monitor operational performance and work with administrative teams to resolve barriers impacting patient care delivery. Provider Recruitment and Workforce Development • Partner with recruitment teams to attract and retain high-quality physicians and advanced practice providers. • Support onboarding and integration of new providers to ensure smooth transitions and alignment with organizational expectations. • Mentor physician leaders and department chairs to strengthen leadership capabilities within the region.

 Community Description In the Northwoods you will find a relaxed, safe, and secure environment. The area is known for its small-town friendliness - a place where neighbors truly care about each other. With an extremely low crime rate, our Northwoods communities are perfect for raising children and supporting old-fashioned family values. Education is a top priority in Minocqua, with the state of Wisconsin ranking consistently in the top 3 nationally, and our elementary schools ranking higher than state averages. When you want to travel out of the area, you will have access to the Rhinelander Airport in 30 minutes and the Central WI Airport is 90 minutes away; Madison is a 3-hour drive, Minneapolis/St. Paul is a 4-hour drive, Milwaukee or Chicago is a 5-hour drive, and you’re only 90 minutes to the Shores of Lake Superior. Lakeland area population is approximately 10,000. Fun Fact: Minocqua is home to a 30' tall snowman in the winter called "Snowmy Kromer" due to the Stormy Kromer that is placed on top of his head!

 Job Description The Vice President of Medical Affairs (VPMA) is a key physician leader responsible for advancing Sanford Health’s mission, vision, and values within their designated sub-region/market. Reporting directly to the Chief Physician, the VPMA collaborates with the Market President, Chief Medical Officer, and other system and local leaders to ensure clinical excellence, operational efficiency, and superior patient experience. This role provides strategic and operational leadership in physician engagement, quality improvement, patient safety, and recruitment, aligning regional performance with system-wide goals.

 Qualifications MD or DO required. Rural experience preferred. Board certification required. Primary Care Specialty certification preferred.

 Compensation Sanford Health offers a nationally competitive compensation plan with an additional physician benefits package including a health, dental and vision insurance, 401K plan, short-term and long-term disability, life insurance, CME allowance, allowed time away, malpractice insurance and tail coverage, and a relocation allowance. Sanford Health – Marshfield Clinic is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. This may qualify you for additional state and/or federal education loan forgiveness programs.

 Recruiter Information Brad Sharkey, Manager, Physician Recruitment

Phone: +1 (414) 6270312 or Email: brad.sharkey@sanfordhealth.org Sanford is an EEO/AA Employer M/F/Disability/Vet. If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request an accommodation for help with your online application, please call 1-877-673-0854 or send an email to talent@sanfordhealth.org.

Apply at Sanford Health