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Physician (Psychiatrist C&L/Gap/Access)

Department of Veterans Affairs
Veterans Health Administration
This job announcement has closed

Summary

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. 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. Learn more.

Overview

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Job canceled
Open & closing dates
01/20/2022 to 04/20/2022
Salary
$225,000 to - $282,480 per year

Education and length of practice are considered through a formal pay-setting process to determine the final compensable salary (Base Pay + Market Pay)

Pay scale & grade
VM 15
Location
1 vacancy in the following location:
Prescott, AZ
1 vacancy
Telework eligible
No
Travel Required
Not required
Relocation expenses reimbursed
No
Appointment type
Permanent
Work schedule
Full-time
Service
Excepted
Promotion potential
None
Job family (Series)
Supervisory status
No
Security clearance
Other
Drug test
Yes
Position sensitivity and risk
Non-sensitive (NS)/Low Risk
Trust determination process
Announcement number
CBSX-11360124-22-SM
Control number
632018400

This job is open to

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Clarification from the agency

All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens. ***The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be February 3, 2022. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals until the closing date April 20, 2022.

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Duties

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The Northern Arizona VA Healthcare System (NAVAHCS) is a Joint Commission-accredited, complexity level three facility serving over 29,000 Veterans across Northern Arizona. NAVAHCS provides a continuum of primary and secondary level medical, rehabilitative and long-term care to Veterans residing in northern and central Arizona. Acute medical care consists of primary and secondary inpatient medicine and ambulatory care, which includes general medicine, ambulatory procedures, and selected specialized medical clinics. The Emergency Department is open 24 hours/7 days a week. The VA Medical Center is located in Prescott, Arizona and Community Based Outpatient Clinics are located in Anthem, Flagstaff, Cottonwood, Kingman and Lake Havasu City, AZ. NAVAHCS has six VA Outreach Clinics; Holbrook, Page, Tuba City, Polacca, Chinle and Kayenta, AZ. NAVAHCS catchment area covers over 65,000 square miles.The Mental Health Behavioral (MHBS) Access Psychiatrist is a member of the Access Team within the Mental Health & Behavioral Sciences (MHBS) Service Line of the (NAVAHCS), located within the Mental Health Access Program at the Prescott facility.The incumbent will be an integrated part of an interprofessional team. The role will entail active participation in ongoing team consultation and coordination to triage and treat Veterans, with an increasing role in assessment and crisis management. Will serve as a gap provider for both, same day, and short-term coverage. This position plays a central role in and is essential to Veteran access to timely and quality care within MH Programs.This position requires specialized knowledge, training and skill in the field of mental health in order to successfully perform the duties of the position. Duties include:

  • Provide coverage and evaluates patients during staffing outages and planned leave (Gap/float role), should be able to utilize all VA virtual care modalities
  • Mental health assessments, including suicide risk assessments and diagnostic assessments for both acute and chronic mental health conditions, crisis evaluation & intervention/management
  • Consultation and liaison (C&L) services in various hospital settings, coverage scenarios and locations may change daily based on patient care needs
  • Treatment, including psychiatric pharmacotherapy within the VA formulary guidelines (including clozapine and buprenorphine) and non-pharmacotherapy interventions when appropriate (e.g. psychotherapies)
  • Demonstrate flexibility in responding to clinic demands, adheres to personal and professional obligations and responsibilities, practices and maintains ethical standards, and sustains a work environment that is harmonious and customer service oriented
  • Treatment planning and coordination with other disciplines; referrals to specialty care services as indicated
  • Order and interpret diagnostic tests
  • Complete documentation using the VA electronic medical record (i.e. CPRS)
  • Teach and counsel patients/families including health promotion and disease prevention
  • Teach and consult with other staff regarding psychiatric conditions/treatments, teaching trainees
  • Coordinate admissions for acute, mental health conditions requiring hospitalization
  • Work as part of a multidisciplinary treatment team
  • Perform on-call and administrative duties, as assigned
  • Other duties as assigned within the physician's scope of practice
VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards.

Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): This position is eligible for the (EDRP).EDRP Authorized: Contact Natasha L. Brant, natasha.brandt@va.gov , 602-277-5551 x3062 or Miriam A. Ubiles, miriam.ubiles@va.gov , 210-773-7180, the EDRP Coordinators for questions/assistance.

Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases
Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of annual paid time offer 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
Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided
Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm

Requirements

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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.
  • You may be required to serve a probationary period.
  • Subject to background/security investigation.
  • Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process.
  • 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).
  • Participation in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Personnel.

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

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.
Reference: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-2 Physician Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

Physical Requirements: This position requires heavy lifting 45 pounds and over; light to moderate lifting 15-45 pounds; light to moderate carrying under 15-45 pounds; straight pulling more than 1 hour; pushing more than 1 hour; reaching above shoulders; use of fingers; both hands required; walking more than 2 hours; standing 8 hours; kneeling more than 2 hours; repeated bending more than 2 hours; 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 eye; ability to distinguish basic colors, hearing (aid permitted); working around moving objects or vehicles; working with hands in water; working closely with others; unusual emotional strain.

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:
  1. Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or
  2. 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.
  3. 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.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Financial Disclosure Report:Not required

As required by Executive Order 14043, Federal employees are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 regardless of the employee's duty location or work arrangement (e.g., telework, remote work, etc.), subject to such exceptions as required by law. If selected, you will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and submit documentation of proof of vaccination before your start date. The agency will provide additional information regarding what information or documentation will be needed and how you can request a legally required exception from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process.

Due to COVID-19, VA is currently in an expanded telework posture. If selected, you may be expected to temporarily telework, even if your home is located outside the local commuting area. Once employees are permitted to return to the office, you will be expected to report to the duty station listed on this announcement. Management officials will provide information about returning to the official, pre-pandemic worksite, when applicable. At that time, you may be eligible to request to continue to telework depending upon the terms of your organization's telework policy and the duties of the position.

If you are unable to apply online or need to fax a document you do not have in electronic form, view the following link for information regarding an Alternate Application.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Your application, résumé, 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.

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.

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