Career Center

Summary

***These positions are eligible for a Recruitment/Relocation Incentives along with the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) - and the Physician Contract Buy Out Program (CBOP).*** See the Benefits section below for more information.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position - you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine
• The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed
• Current - full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State - Territory - or Commonwealth of the United States - or in the District of Columbia
• Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training - approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification
• (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) - b) OR [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) -OR (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States) - which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences
• Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs)
• PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e. - not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis
• PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged
• rather - they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision
• Additionally - surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs
• Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Preferred Experience: Previous experience with Veteran populations - co-occurring substance use disorders - working on an interdisciplinary team - and familiarity with virtual care options
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Walking - bending - stooping - and some lifting in the direct care of patients
• There may also be extended periods of sitting.

Duties

• This physician provides ongoing psychiatric care to a vulnerable population of Veterans in an outpatient setting and provides a full array of psycho-diagnostic - psychotherapeutic and pharmacological management
• They will provide services to Veterans in a BHIP/Outpatient team setting that will include multi-disciplinary approaches
• Outpatient psychiatrists have on call responsibility
• The Outpatient Psychiatrist functions within the Mental Health Service
• The Chief of Psychiatry provides direct clinical and administrative supervision
• The clinician is further responsible to the Chief - Mental Health Service and the Chief of Staff
• Major duties and responsibilities include: Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including assessment and the most appropriate psychotherapeutic techniques in providing quality care
• Performs psychiatric evaluations for a diverse population of patients of males - females - geriatric - and post deployment combat veterans who are mentally ill and have psychosocial issues that may include homelessness - unemployment - and poor family support network
• Responsible for identification of patient problems requiring consultation with other multi-disciplinary medical center staff and making appropriate referrals
• Assures that appropriate referrals to specialty programs - including community resources - are accomplished
• This may include referrals to other Mental Health Programs (i.e. - Mental Health Clinic - Substance Abuse Rehabilitation Program - Neuropsychology - PTSD Clinic - Mental Health Intensive Case Management - Compensated Work Therapy - Homeless services - Vocational Rehabilitation)
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions to units/programs in the Medical Center to which the psychiatrist is assigned and has clinical privileges to practice including diagnostic assessment - medication evaluation and management - suicide risk assessments - crisis intervention - and overall care of patients with psychiatric disorders - including depression - anxiety - psychosis - PTSD - substance abuse - cognitive impairment - and other psychiatric disorders in various clinical settings including the outpatient - inpatient - emergency department - primary care/mental health integrated programs - and hospital ward settings
• Participates effectively in team meetings and treatment planning conferences and collaborates with multidisciplinary team members which enhances coordination of comprehensive patient care
• Orders diagnostic tests and consultations and discriminates between normal and abnormal findings and makes appropriate treatment decisions
• Ensures that the practice of psychiatric medicine is consistent with Joint Commission - CARF - VA policies and procedures - clinical practice psychiatric guidelines - VISN standards - national statutes and regulations - medical record documentation - mandatory continuing education - and HIPPA policies
• Participates in supervision and teaching in support of the psychiatric residency program - performs on call duties - and performs other directly related duties as assigned
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Approved for highly qualified applicants Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Pay: Competitive salary - annual performance bonus - regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave - 13 days of sick leave - 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory CME: Possible $1 -000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification) Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting Work Schedule: M-F 8:00AM-4:30PM