Physician - Medical Director (Psychiatrist)

Veterans Health Administration • Fredericksburg, VA

4d

About The Position

The Medical Director (Psychiatry) at the Fredericksburg Health Care Center (FxHCC) is an independent-care physician who provides skilled management of patients’ mental health needs, including subspecialty evaluation and treatment. The Fredericksburg Veterans Affairs Health Care Center provides outpatient Primary Care and Mental Health services to Veterans in Northern and Central Virginia. It is part of the Central Virginia VA Health Care System and the Veterans Health Administration’s effort to improve Veterans’ access to care in their communities.

The role combines direct psychiatric care with clinical and provider-management responsibilities. The physician conducts assessments, diagnoses and treats patients, coordinates care with a multidisciplinary team, and oversees outpatient psychiatric care in assigned divisions. Responsibilities also include supporting and managing providers and helping maintain high-quality care in accordance with the physician’s scope of practice.

The position is scheduled Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The work is primarily sedentary and is typically performed in an adequately lighted, climate-controlled office and/or home space. The physician must respond to time-sensitive reports while balancing competing demands. The role is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program, subject to program requirements and approval. Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized for highly qualified applicants.

Requirements

• Doctor of Medicine or equivalent degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine from an appropriately approved or accredited institution.
• Current, full, unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Completion of qualifying residency training in an accredited core specialty program leading to board-certification eligibility, or qualifying alternative training and independent-practice experience described in the announcement.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• U.S. citizenship, except that non-citizens may be appointed when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Selected applicants must complete required background/security checks, onboarding, and pre-employment requirements; applicants in testing-designated positions are subject to urinalysis.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Male applicants born after December 31, 1959, must meet Selective Service registration requirements.

Nice To Haves

• Veterans Affairs experience.
• Supervisory experience.
• Board certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Responsibilities

• Conduct history, physical examinations, and mental status examinations for assigned patients.
• Complete intake assessments, formulate diagnoses, develop and present treatment plans to the multidisciplinary treatment team, order necessary laboratory and radiological assessments, and initiate consultations and referrals.
• Provide psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy as indicated in treatment plans.
• Maintain effective and up-to-date documentation of patient encounters.
• Oversee Saturday virtual clinics; participation in the clinics is optional.
• Provide clinical coverage for colleagues when the staff psychiatrist is on planned or unexpected leave.
• Assist the local same-day access clinic by providing medical or second opinions when needed, beneficiary travel consultation, or communications with external hospitals and local or external police.
• Provide the highest quality of care for the assigned area in accordance with scope of practice.
• Recruit and orient providers; counsel providers when needed; manage time and leave, provider scheduling grids, consults, and provider performance ratings; review provider metrics; and assist Veterans with concerns.
• Manage psychiatric care in outpatient mental health clinics in the divisions served by the Medical Director’s supervisees.

Benefits

• Education Debt Reduction Program student loan repayment, subject to eligibility and approval, with awards up to $200,000 and an eligibility period of one to five years.
• Recruitment or relocation incentive may be authorized for highly qualified applicants.
• Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, and regular salary increases.
• 50–55 days of paid time off per year, including annual leave, sick leave, federal holidays, and possible paid CME absence.
• Traditional federal pension, with five-year vesting, and federal 401(k) with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many programs may be carried into retirement.
• Possible $1,000 per year CME reimbursement for full-time, board-certified physicians.
• Free liability protection with tail coverage.
• No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree