Psychiatrist

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP) – 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 for incentive.

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.

• 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 allopathic 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 accrediting bodies for graduate medical education – the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA) – in the list published for the year the residency – or fellowship if applicable – was completed
• OR (2) One year of post medical school training (internship – first year of residency – or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States
• OR (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement) – 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
• Exceptions: 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 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
• In rare and unusual circumstances – the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer – who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience – accomplishments – performance – and qualifications warrant such action
• Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard – please visit
• Physical Requirements: Moderate lifting (under 15‑44lbs)
• Moderate carrying (Under 15‑44lbs)
• Straight pulling (1 hour)
• Reaching over shoulder
• Use of fingers
• Both hands required
• Walking (approx 5 hours)
• Standing (approx 4 hours.)
• Kneeling (approx 1 hour)
• Repeated bending (approx 4 hours)
• Both legs required
• Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
• Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4
• Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other
• Mental/Emotional Stability.

Duties

• The Psychiatrist shall be expected to cooperate with and participate in - medical duties or functions related to quality of care - peer review - improvement and with other performance improvement activities which do fulfill requirements for PIP for ABPN board certification. Duties include - but are not limited to: Provide general outpatient clinical psychiatric services to Veterans and including on-call services
• General psychiatric care of adult Veterans to include: conducting diagnostic evaluations with ongoing medication management along with brief individual therapy as indicated
• The psychiatrists will work as part of a team which includes a nurse - social workers and psychologists
• Additionally - there are referral options for Neuropsychological Testing
• Some of the specific counseling programs that Veterans can be referred to include: Trauma Recovery Program - DBT Program - Substance Abuse Program - TBI Clinic - Chronic Pain Program - etc
• Psychiatrist may be expected to provide direct clinical supervision of mid-level providers - psychiatric advanced practice nurses or physician assistants and other staff as appropriate
• Required to exercise judgment in the selection of or adaptation of standard and accepted clinical theories - techniques - and practices in treating patients or developing new techniques and programs for the treatment of specialized problems or clinical populations
• Common patient diagnoses treated include: PTSD - Anxiety Disorders - ADHD - Personality Disorders - Mood Disorders (MDD - BP) - Schizophrenia - Substance Use Disorders - Dementia and Sequela from Traumatic Brain Injuries
• There are specialty care clinics staffed by Psychiatric Specialty Pharmacists - NP's and various other support staff including: Clozapine - Suboxone (as part of the Substance Treatment program- STARS) and MHICM (for veterans with severe mental illness and increased level of care needed)
• Refer for internal and external specialty care such as Neurology - Sleep Lab - Endocrinology - etc when indicated and coordinate care
• There are local external resources for various somatic treatments including: Ketamine/Esketamine - TMS and ECT
• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): This position may be eligible for student debt reduction
• Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact information regarding this eligibility will be provided at a later time from the EDRP Coordinator and you will receive contact information for questions/assistance
• 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% matching 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 This position is expected to be a full‑time position
• If at a later time the needs of the service change - your schedule may be impacted
• Work Schedule: Typically – Monday – Friday – 8:00 am to 4:30 pm although this is flexible with opportunity to work #4 10 hour shifts per week
• Hours are subject to change based on agency needs
• Call requirements will be rotational
• Historically average 1‑2 nights of on call per month.