Career Center

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.

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
• Language: 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
• License: 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) - 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
• Residency Note: 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: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Duties

• The psychiatrist will undertake a spectrum of clinical duties that include but are not limited to - providing psychiatric treatment to patients with a vast array of mental health diagnoses involving clinical evaluation - Diagnostic determination and clarification - medication management and monitoring clinical response to treatment across different clinical settings
• The psychiatrist within Central Texas Veterans Health Care System is assigned to the Psychiatry section of the Mental Health & Behavioral Medicine Service
• Performs psychiatric evaluations for veteran population with a vast array of mental health problems including personality - emotional adjustment - or mental illness and may have psychosocial issues such as homelessness - unemployment - and poor family support network
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including diagnostic assessment - medication evaluation and management - suicide risk assessments - crisis intervention - and overall care of patients with psychiatric disorders
• Practice evidence based pharmacological interventions as deemed necessary for the treatment of mental illnesses with its goal of reducing psychiatric symptoms - improving interpersonal functioning and overall mental health
• Ensures practice of psychiatric medicine is consistent with TJC - CARF - HIPPA - VA policies and procedures - clinical practice guidelines - national statutes and regulations - medical record documentation - and mandatory continuing education
• Able to work effectively and in a collegial manner within a multi-disciplinary team comprising of other mental health professionals including but not limited to Psychologists - Social Workers - License Practicing Counsellors - Nurses - Peer Support Specialists and with Primary Care Providers and staff as well
• Participates effectively in team meetings and treatment planning conferences and collaborates with multidisciplinary team members that enhances coordination of comprehensive patient care
• Orders diagnostic tests - consultations - discriminates between normal and abnormal findings and makes appropriate treatment decisions
• Will be expected to participate in the teaching and supervision of residents and medical students
• Psychiatric clinical care will be provided by face-to-face encounters or via using the VA Video Connect Modality Performs other directly related clinical and administrative duties as assigned
• Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Authorized - see details in below - 'Education Section.' Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator 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% 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: TBD (Typically Monday to Wednesday - 08:00am-04:30pm) VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards.