Summary
This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), 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.
Duties
Major Duties and Responsibilities of the Psychiatrist include: Provides a full range of psychiatric services, diagnoses behavioral disorders particularly for complex or unusually difficult Veterans. Provides comprehensive interventions. Provides consultation to professional staff with Behavioral Health as well as other specialty programs. Develops, implements and documents the psychiatric treatment plan for an assigned caseload of Veterans, including prompt completion of clinical reminders. Functions independently as a member of the Behavioral Health service line and VA Pittsburgh Medical Center, with full clinical privileges. Assumes complete professional responsibility for his/her clinical assessments and findings, Veteran care decisions and medical documentation. Provides outreach services to Veterans and their families as needed and/or required. As requested, provides consultation for all Behavioral Health clinicians regarding the clinical care of complex cases. Assists the section chief and service chief in the design, development and implementation of clinical programs for a team of treatment clinicians when called upon to do so. Adheres to operational policies and procedures in all phases of assignments focusing on providing quality care to the Veterans. Assists the section chief and service chief in the execution of ongoing program evaluation and data-driven quality improvement projects to monitor the effectiveness of the program. Facilitates liaisons with other medical programs in order to effectively coordinate services. Complies with national and local performance measures, including timely medical care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients. Complies with all CPRS documentation procedures and requirements, including timeliness standards for documentation with all notes and encounters, enters proper diagnostic and procedure codes. Complies with proper procedures for Veteran check-out, to ensure continuation of care. Attends and participates in administrative and informational meetings held by the ACOS of Behavioral Health or higher-level staff members. Attends regular team and Behavioral Health staff meetings. Complies with VA Pittsburgh peer review procedures. Provides clinical supervision and instruction for psychiatry residents and fellows as needed. Serves as a mentor for junior and new hire psychiatrists. Works cohesively with Behavioral Health staff to assure that all aspects of the Behavioral Health Service Line are functioning optimally. This includes strategic planning, setting operational priorities and deployment of resources, engaging in quality improvement, performance measure outcomes, and encouraging and improving team-oriented care for Veterans. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact vhavisn04edrp@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: Monday - Friday, 8a-4:30p with ad-hoc telework
Requirements
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.
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. Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation (COCA) for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, confirmation must be made that the medical school meets (or met) Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) eligibility requirement for year 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.
How you will be evaluated
Your application, resume, C.V., and/or other supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. Veterans' Preference Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.