Physician- Psychiatrist

Veterans Health Administration • Houston, TX

2d

About The Position

The Physician - Psychiatrist evaluates patients’ mental states and behavior, develops clinical formulations and differential diagnoses, and provides psychiatric evaluation, risk assessment, and treatment for mental illness and problems involving personality, behavior, or emotional adjustment. The psychiatrist plans and recommends appropriate treatment, develops individualized treatment plans, and provides psychotherapy and comprehensive psychiatric and medical care, either by overseeing other professionals or as a key team member. The role provides psychiatric consultation and specialty expertise to medical-center programs and staff, including homeless-program teams, and supports a therapeutic clinical environment. The psychiatrist supervises trainees, including psychiatry residents and medical students, and ensures timely, accurate clinical and administrative documentation in accordance with VA policies. The position also participates in and initiates quality-improvement efforts.

The position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), subject to VHA eligibility requirements and application review. EDRP approval, award amount (up to $200,000), and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the program office. Former EDRP participants are ineligible. A recruitment incentive may be available to highly qualified applicants. The position offers competitive salary, annual performance bonuses, regular salary increases, paid time off, federal retirement and insurance programs, possible CME reimbursement, and malpractice protection with tail coverage. There is no Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting.

Work schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The role requires a medical degree, an unrestricted U.S. medical license, qualifying residency training or an approved alternative, and proficiency in written and spoken English. Applicants must also meet VA employment conditions, including citizenship requirements, background and security checks, pre-employment physical evaluation, and seasonal influenza vaccination requirements.

Requirements

• Doctor of Medicine or equivalent degree in allopathic or osteopathic medicine from an appropriately approved or accredited institution.
• Current, full, and 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 leading to board-certification eligibility, or an approved alternative pathway described in the announcement.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• U.S. citizenship; non-citizens may be appointed only when qualified citizens cannot be recruited in accordance with VA policy.
• Selected applicants must undergo urinalysis drug screening, background/security investigation, online onboarding, and pre-employment physical evaluation, and must meet identification requirements.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is required for VA Health Care Personnel.
• Applicants may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the announcement’s Required Documents section.

Nice To Haves

• Training and experience providing psychiatric care in outpatient and inpatient settings, including weekend call.
• Experience coordinating care with an interdisciplinary treatment team.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate patients’ mental states and behavior; describe clinical phenomena and develop formulations based on presentation and history to determine differential diagnoses.
• Perform psychiatric evaluations and risk assessments, and treat patients with mental illnesses or problems of personality, behavior, or emotional adjustment.
• Test, plan, or recommend appropriate clinical treatment based on professional precedent and standards.
• Develop and implement individualized treatment plans.
• Oversee other professionals and/or serve as a key team member providing comprehensive psychiatric and medical care.
• Promote, supervise, and/or provide psychotherapy to patients.
• Provide consultation and specialty psychiatric expertise to medical-center programs and staff, including homeless-program teams.
• Promote a supportive, therapeutic clinical environment and psychotherapeutic culture within the team and among colleagues.
• Supervise and oversee clinical care provided by trainees, including psychiatry residents and medical students, and instruct them on diagnostic formulation and treatment progression.
• Complete clinical documentation and administrative records accurately and promptly in accordance with VA and medical-center policies.
• Engage in and initiate quality-improvement initiatives.

Benefits

• Potential recruitment incentive for highly qualified applicants.
• Education Debt Reduction Program student-loan repayment, subject to eligibility and approval; award may be up to $200,000 over one to five years.
• 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 VA contributions.
• 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 physicians with board certification.
• Free liability protection with tail coverage.
• No significant restriction on moonlighting.

What This Job Offers

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