Summary Serves as the lead psychiatrist in the Psychiatry Section of the Tennessee Valley Healthcare System (TVHS) Mental Health Care Line (MHCL) as well as a multidisciplinary supervisor at his/her station. The Mental Health Ambulatory Care Clinics provide comprehensive, multidisciplinary clinical services to Veterans and their families. Will perform general psychiatric assessments and treatment along with his/her supervisory duties for all Psychiatry staff assigned to Ambulatory Care Services. Responsibilities This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. 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 a. Provide direct administrative, clinical, and professional supervision of all assigned psychiatry staff including psychiatrists, nurse practitioners, GS employees and other mental health staff. b. Ensures efficient operation of outpatient care delivery at the Ambulatory Care site. c. Works closely with the Section Chief of Psychiatry and may be asked to be available as the Acting Section Chief or Acting Assistant Section Chief in his/her absence. d. Seeks additional resources as warranted, with use of data-driven criteria in support of all requests. e. Provides direct administrative supervision of all mental health staff at the MH Ambulatory Care site as assigned by the Section Chief. f. Specifically, the incumbent has the supervisory responsibilities noted above, with additional responsibilities that include the following: Lead in attending to hiring and disciplinary action, Labor/ Management relations, performance appraisals and professional boarding procedures for various disciplines. Primary responsibility for all aspects of administration in the Outpatient Mental Health Clinic within MHCL and TVHS. Monitors and reports to Chief of Psychiatry and as assigned by TVHS or Veterans Integrated Services Network (VISN), Office of Mental Health Operations (OMHO) or any other designated Leadership group regarding status of Mental Health Performance Measures. This includes preparation and implementation of oversight for corrective actions as may be necessary. g. Decisions are made by the incumbent exercising wide latitude and independent judgment. The incumbent reports to the Chief of Psychiatry while largely operating on a day-to-day basis in an independent manner, with responsibility to keep the supervisor apprised of activities and any issues in need of collaboration and/or awareness. h. Will assign others to treatment teams and ensure adherence to team responsibilities. The incumbent will provide leadership for the implementation and maintenance of the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) initiatives. i. Will provide treatment for beneficiaries with general psychiatric disorders primarily in the outpatient setting including Tele-Mental Health. The incumbent will be responsible to support the essential components of the mental health programs that are to be implemented nationally, to ensure that all Veterans, wherever they obtain care in VHA, have access to needed mental health services per Uniform Mental Health Services Handbook, and all applicable directives or memorandums. j. Must be skilled in the provision of a full range of general psychiatric clinical care. k. Will ensure accreditation requirements are met for all applicable survey and inspection processes, to include, but not limited to, compliance with JCAHO. CARF, OIG, and ACGME. l. Shall document patient care in the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS). Training regarding the use of CPRS along with all applicable expectations for content, timeliness, and other standards will be provided by the VAMC. All documentation shall be completed in accordance with VA policy and procedures. m. Will be assigned to treatment teams and adhere to team meeting responsibilities. The incumbent will provide leadership for the implementation and maintenance of the Behavioral Health Interdisciplinary Program (BHIP) initiatives. Work Schedule: 7:30am - 4:00pm, Monday - Friday 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. 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). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. 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. Additional Requirement: Completion of an accredited residency training program in general psychiatry. DEA registration is required. BLS certification is required. Preferred Experience: Familiarity with mental health law, including the procedures for involuntary commitment and treatment. Board Certified or Board Eligible; Board Certified preferred. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: In accordance with 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 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.
