Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. Responsibilities The Mental Health Service Line provides care in several psychiatric settings: inpatient units, ambulatory programs, residential program for substance abuse, residential program for PTSD, emergency department, medical-surgical ward, psychiatric consultation, and geriatrics with extended programs. Psychiatrists assigned to the Mental Health Service Line are expected to provide psychiatric care in those settings as required. The ACOS/Mental Health Service is responsible for the overall clinical and administrative function of the Mental Health Service Functions: Psychiatrists are able to perform and teach all of the services required in the practice of psychiatry to psychiatry residents. Educational experiences are also provided to appropriate health care personnel who seek training in mental health services (e.g. medical students, psychology and social work interns, physician assistant and nursing students, and nonpsychiatric medical residents). Major duties include: a. Application of accepted protocols for assessment of the individual presenting for psychiatric care. Assessment may include gathering verbal and documented history, mental status examination and medical and laboratory evaluation. b. Diagnostic description or formulation to guide appropriate acute and secondary treatment interventions. c. Provision of psychiatric care according to his/her privileges. d. Staff psychiatrists are ultimately responsible for all aspects of psychiatric care. e. During on-call hours, staff psychiatrists shall be available for all emergency psychiatric interventions. Additional Functions: a. Staff psychiatrists provide or assist residents and/or advanced clinical providers in the process of evaluation and treatment of the psychiatric patient, and actively participate in corrective actions against untoward responses to psychiatric interventions. b. Staff psychiatrists evaluate the patient to assess changes in the physical and mental status. A progress note is written in the patient's chart. Notes also include the concurrence with notes written by the resident and attending notes as appropriate. c. Staff psychiatrists perform inpatient and outpatient psychiatry evaluations and treatment as the team leader. d. Staff psychiatrists are appropriately credentialed and privileged. They may participate in various hospital committees, departmental and hospital in-service programs, and education programs of the department and the hospital. They are also involved in continuous quality improvement through the peer review process. e. Staff psychiatrists may initiate or participate in an ongoing research activity. Faculty appointments to affiliated medical schools are available, as teaching medical students, residents and other disciplines is essential. Supervisory Controls: The individual is administratively and clinically responsible to the Chief, Mental Health Service Line. Customer Service: a. Continually promotes teamwork by cooperating with and supporting staff, visitors and customers in achieving hospital goals/mission. b. Consistently communicates with and assists customers, visitors, and staff in a courteous and professional manner. Promotes a positive image of veterans and the Department of Veterans Affairs (DVA). c. Regularly creates and maintains an environment that ensures confidentiality of privacy for patients. d. Greet customers and readily identify yourself before communicating or conducting business. Computer Security: In the performance of official duties, the employee has regular access to printed and electronic files containing sensitive data that must be protected under the provision of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, federal regulations, VA statutes and policy. The incumbent is responsible for: 1) protecting data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion and 2) following applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc., as set out in a computer access agreement which the employee signs. Requirements Conditions of Employment U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a probationary period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Must be able to physically and mentally perform the duties of Physician under normal and emergent conditions. Moderate lifting 15-44 lbs and over with assistive devices, heavy carrying of 15-44 lbs and over with assistive devices; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers, both hands required, walking or standing up to 4 hours per day; repeated bending up to 1-2 hours per day; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination; near vision correctable; hearing aid permitted. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. Education Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are: Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated.] NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area. Additional Information VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment Incentive or Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for those that qualify. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more. 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: Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
