Summary The VA Central Texas Health Care System in Temple, TX is seeking a Chief of Psychiatry. A Recruitment/Relocation Incentive may be available to a highly qualified individual. This position is announced a physician and podiatrist. To apply as a Podiatrist, please apply at the following: CAZM-12581212-25-JMS Responsibilities This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT & will remain open until January 23, 2025, or until all positions are filled. The first cut-off date is November 07, 2024. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled. Applicants will remain active for 3 months after their initial application is received and/or updated. After that time, you must update your application through your USAJobs account if you would like to be made active again for possible consideration during the open period. The Chief of Psychiatry is involved in providing the framework for planning, directing, coordinating, implementing, and improving the health care services in collaboration with the Associate Chief of Staff (ACOS), Mental Health & Behavioral Medicine (MHBM). Serves as a member of the Mental Health Service Senior leadership team, including providing coverage for the ACOS of MHBM as needed. Provides oversight of all psychiatric and medical care provided within the Mental Health Service. Participates in Mental Health Service meetings, mental health leadership meetings, and facility committees as a representative of the Mental Health Service as requested. Develops, implements, and has oversight of operational policies and procedures for the prescribing providers in the service. Provides management and supervision of staff assigned to psychiatry section. Monitoring the prescribing providers for compliance with VA performance-based measures and effectively addresses non-compliance. Completes proficiency reports, personnel actions, recruitment and retention, and all related personnel tasks with support and guidance from the Mental Health Service Chief. Monitors compliance of psychiatry section in ensuring leave requests are appropriately dispositioned with applicable clinical coverage arranged for patient care responsibilities in accordance with VA policy. Ensures quality, safety, and value of psychiatric services via ongoing professional practice evaluation, medical records reviews, and support of staff in implementing quality clinical care. 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. Contributes to process improvement within the Mental Health Service and leading teams in meeting national initiatives. Provides clinical services as a psychiatrist to patients including but not limited to assessing, diagnosing, and treating mental health and substance use disorders as per facility expectations and as assigned. Participates in the teaching and supervision of medical students, residents and other trainees as assigned. Performs other administrative duties as assigned. Performs other directly related clinical duties as assigned. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 0800-1630 or Monday - Friday 0730-1600 Bargaining Unit Status: This position is Not part of the bargaining unit. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): May be authorized for a highly qualified individual (only for those in their first appointment to the the government) Relocation Incentive: May be authorized for a highly qualified individual (only for government employee moving for this position) 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 Requirements 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 Veterans Health Administration Health Care Personnel (HCP) - See "Additional Information" below for details. 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. 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), 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. English Language Proficiency: Proficiency in spoken and written English. Preferred Experience: Board Certified in Psychiatry Minimum of 1 year clinical experience as a Supervisory Physician Recent outpatient/inpatient adult psychiatric healthcare experience Experience as a member of a multi-disciplinary treatment team providing a full range of MH services to patients Demonstrates a high level of practice using evidence based medicine principles involving patients who have complex illnesses Skilled at multitasking, working under pressure of multiple responsibilities with deadlines, and providing MH care through Telehealth modalities Excellent customer service skills (internal and external) Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Light lifting, under 15 pounds; Pulling hand over hand; Use of fingers; Walking; Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; Hearing (aid may be permitted); Emotional and mental stability. 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, or 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. 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. Pursuant to VHA Directive 1193.01, VHA health care personnel (HCP) are required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 subject to such accommodations as required by law (i.e., medical, religious or pregnancy). VHA HCPs do not include remote workers who only infrequently enter VHA locations. 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 accommodation from this requirement using the reasonable accommodation process. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.