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
• 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
• Additional Requirement: Board certified or board eligible in psychiatry Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: Applicants must meet physical standards for the position
• A physical examination prior to placement is required
• This is a designated drug testing position
• After appointment - you will be subject to random testing for illegal drug use
• Requires lifting 15-44 pounds
• pushing (approx
• 2 hours)
• reaching above shoulder
• use of fingers and both hands
• walking and standing from 3-5 hours and kneeling
• Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
• Must have depth perception and ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of colors
• Hearing aid is permitted.

Duties

• **This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until May 11th - 2026
• The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be March 16th - 2026 - with subsequent cut-off dates every 2 weeks
• Eligible applications received after that date will be accepted on an ongoing basis and qualified candidates will be considered as vacancies become available.** VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more
• EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive
• Contact V21CCOEEDRP@VA.GOV - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance Work Schedule: Full-time
• Schedule will be determined by supervisor
• 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 Major duties include but are not limited to: Clinical: Acts as Attending Psychiatrist for Veterans admitted to the MHRRTPs
• Performs psychiatric evaluations and risk assessments - and ongoing pharmacological management of all Veterans in the MHRRTPs for psychiatric - SUD and PTSD related illnesses
• Orders and interprets labs - tests - and diagnostic studies
• Responsible for compliance with documentation and provision of care in accordance with the VA Palo Alto Physician Bylaws
• Responsible for evaluation of patients in residential - outpatient - inpatient - and other medical inpatient and emergency room settings
• Acts as supervisor for trainees - including medical students and residents
• Provides didactic trainings as appropriate
• Actively collaborates with co-Attending Psychiatrists to ensure safe and comprehensive continuity of care
• Provides consultation and acts as liaison with nursing staff regarding any appropriate medically supervised withdrawal for Veterans entering the MHRRTPs
• Demonstrates skills in working collaboratively with a multidisciplinary treatment team and be able to provide specialty consultative knowledge and liaison regarding evidence based case conceptualizations of psychiatric and SUD related and behavioral issues and collaborates on complex conceptualizations and challenging presentations
• Provides advanced client de-escalation - behavioral intervention and motivational enhancement to increase programmatic completion
• Provides assessment and placement of 5150 holds
• Provides training to program staff and other health care providers - as needed
• Consults with other services including addiction treatment services - acute care medicine - inpatient mental health - emergency department - other residential rehabilitation treatment programs - etc
• to ensure patients receive advanced case management - safe management of withdrawal (including pharmacological intervention if needed) - expertise regarding psychiatric or medical stabilization - and input from other relevant departments - e.g
• infection control
• Provides patient and family education on medical/MH conditions - substance use disorders - preventive measures - and prescribed treatments
• Administrative: Establishes an environment conducive to accountable - professional practice - treating all employees in a fair - objective manner
• Functions collaboratively keeping supervisor and the MHRRTP Director appraised of all critical incidents - the program's changing needs - staff issues/concerns - proposing needed changes in operating procedures and policies for review in consultation with leadership
• Remain knowledgeable about current Joint Commission standards - current VHA policies and current VHA clinical practice guidelines and those of other relevant oversight groups and assists with policy and procedure development needed to insure compliance
• Serves on Medical Center or Healthcare System - VISN - and/or National VA committees or task forces as needed
• Exemplifies the ICARE core values of Integrity - Commitment - Advocacy - Respect - and Excellence.