Career Center

Physician/Psychiatrist serves as a primary provider of psychiatric care for designated patients, which includes psychiatric examination and treatment, coordination of medical care with the patient's Primary Care Provider as needed, and coordination of consultations and referrals of patients to other medical and/or Mental Health (MH) services. 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: Citizenship: United States Citizenship (Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy). English Language Proficiency: Proficiency in spoken and written English. Education: 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. Licensure: 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 and Fellowship 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),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. Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting (15-44 lbs.); moderate carrying (15-44 lbs.); reaching over shoulders; use of fingers; both hands required; walking (up to 4 hours); standing (up to 8 hours); repeated bending (up to 4 hours); both legs required; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/50 and to 20/40 in the other; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; both eyes required; ability to distinguish basic colors; ability to distinguish shades of color; hearing (aid permitted). ["Physician (Psychiatrist) duties will include but not limited to the following; Serves as the primary provider of psychiatric care for designated patients. Provides services in person, by phone, or through a telemedicine link to adult patients with mental, behavioral, substance use and/or emotional disorders. Performs quality management reviews as assigned, including (but not limited to) Peer Reviews, Clinical Pertinence Reviews, JC, CARF, VACO, and VISN8 indicator reviews. Maintains compliance with internal and external quality initiatives and regulatory agencies. Participates in interdisciplinary projects to improve organizational performance. Provides guidance and leadership, as needed, to interdisciplinary groups, including functional teams, committees, boards of investigation and root cause analysis (RCA) teams, which have the objective of improving organizational performance. Supports and promote established Medical Center performance improvement initiatives. Identifies issues, processes and situations that contribute to patient safety concerns. Implements an education plan to meet changing program or service needs for self and others. Will maintain knowledge of current techniques, trends and professional issues. Analyzes ethical issues and appropriate theoretical principles; ensure application of institutional policy; will serve as a resource and advocate for the protection of patient and family rights. The Psychiatry provider interacts with Psychiatry Service Leadership including section chiefs and program managers and has direct accountability to the Medical Director of the MH Program to which this provider is assigned, and ultimately to the Chief, Psychiatry Service. Collaborates with the Physician Supervisor of his/her program and interacts in a professional manner with other staff employees in that program. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): EDRP Authorized\nPay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases\nPaid Time Off: 50-55 days of annual paid time offer 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)\nRetirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA\nInsurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)\nLicensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory\nCME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement\nMalpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided\nContract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting\nWork Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm"]