Career Center

Summary

The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information - refer to Required Documents below. As staff psychiatrist for the Louis A. Johnson VA Medical Center (LAJVAMC) - the incumbent will be assigned to the Behavioral Health Service. The staff psychiatrist will work under the Service Chief of Behavioral Health and is responsible for direct psychiatric and medical management care of Veterans at the LAJVAMC.

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: Board Certified or Board Eligible Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Lifting up to 35 pounds - intermittently
• moderate carrying (15-35 pounds) - intermittently
• lifting over 35 pounds with assistive devices in accordance with the Safe Patient Handling Policy except in emergent situations requiring prompt patient care
• pulling - intermittently
• pushing - intermittently
• reaching above the shoulders - intermittently - both hands required
• walking - intermittently
• standing - intermittently
• kneeling - intermittently
• and repeated bending.

Duties

• Functions as a provider in the psychiatry specialty
• The staff psychiatrist will be responsible for the overall psychiatric care of patients with conditions requiring treatment in his/her specialty to include consultative - prescriptive and ordering authority in the outpatient setting at the LAJVAMC
• The incumbent will ensure the quality and timeliness of the services provided and collaborates with referring providers
• Clinical duties include but are not limited to: provision of psychiatric care in an outpatient setting including diagnosis - management - and follow-up of psychiatric patients - review and make recommendations for transfer to a tertiary care center when appropriate - serve as an attending to medical students and psychiatry residents - call duties - and inpatient coverage
• Compensation & pension exams as assigned by the Chief of Behavioral Medicine
• Intervenes with appropriate individuals/departments/agencies regarding delays in service that may have an impact on quality of patient care - length of stay or inappropriate patient admissions
• Work as a collaborate team with assigned nurse case manger when appropriate
• Assesses patient's/family's adaptation to patient illness and ability to provide for patient's care needs and provide resources in areas that are identified as areas for improvement
• Serves as a resource to the interdisciplinary team for community based social service agencies and VA programs
• Attend treatment team rounds and actively participate in regards to psychiatric issues and discharge needs
• Reviews patient information for assigned caseload - determines anticipated length of stay and discharge plan and begins discharge planning process in collaboration with the care management team - patient - family
• Interacts with home care staff - community agencies and facilities to ensure safe and timely discharge
• Negotiates with care management team follow up contact with patient/family - community agency or facility to evaluate the effectiveness of the discharge plans and identifies problems in service delivery
• Ensures coordination of the communication process with patient/family concerning the discharge plan - including coordination of family meetings
• Demonstrates active - ongoing commitment to professional growth and development of self and creates an environment conducive to the professional growth of others
• Provides clinical consultation and supervision to students and residents
• Provides education and consultation to interdisciplinary health care providers on psychiatric issues for patients
• Meets continuing education requirements to maintain licensure and VA requirements
• Participate on committees that pertain to psychiatry roles and /or quality issues that support excellent care for Veterans
• Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am - 4:30 pm 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 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
• 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 Contract Buy Out Program: This position may be eligible for the Physician / Provider Contract Buy Out Program (CBOP) - which authorizes VHA to buy out service contracts (Locum agreements - loan repayments - sign-on bonus contracts - Physician-owned practices) in exchange for employment at certain rural or highly rural facilities for a period of obligated service (minimum 4 years)
• For additional information and eligibility requirements - contact the VHA Contract Buy Out Program Manager at vacontractbuyoutprog@va.gov.