Career Center

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:

• Citizenship: United States Citizenship or Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Degree: 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: Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) - OR Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA) - OR 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
• Language: Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Additional Requirement: Board Certified or Board Eligible in Psychiatry Or Board Certified in Internal/Family Medicine with significant experience with psychiatric disorders and treatment in the primary care setting
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: This position requires visual acuity (correction lenses permitted) - keen hearing (aids permitted) - and manual dexterity with repetitive computer work
• potentially long periods (up to 8 hours) of continued walking - standing - stooping - sitting - bending - pulling - and pushing
• light lifting and carrying(under 15 pounds)
• The incumbent may be exposed to intermittent excessive noise - working both alone as well as closely with others as circumstances prescribe - and protracted or irregular hours of work
• The incumbent may occasionally be exposed to patients who are combative secondary to delirium - dementia - or psychiatric disorders
• The incumbent must be a mature - flexible - sensible individual capable of working effectively in stressful situations - able to shift priorities based on patient needs
• Must be able to perform CPR per BLS protocols.

Duties

• This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until February 2nd - 2027
• The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications will be December 8th - 2025 - with subsequent cut-off dates every 5 days
• 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
• Recruitment/Relocation Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized 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 Pay: Competitive salary - annual performance bonus - regular salary increases Work Schedule: Monday - Friday - 8:00am to 4:30pm
• alternate tours of duty may be considered to include evening hours and weekends upon provider's request and supervisor's discretion
• 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 On-Call: Weeknight and weekend telephone and on-site on-call duties for the Behavioral Health Intensive Care Unit (BHICU) at the Sacramento VA Medical Center
• On-call rotations last one week - can be conducted from home - and are usually Friday-Thursdays - including weekends and holidays
• The rotations may include discussion of potential admissions to the inpatient psychiatric unit - evaluating patients requiring seclusion and restraint - evaluating emergent psychiatric consults on the medical/surgical units - and rounding on the inpatient psychiatric unit during weekends and holidays
• Psychiatrists generally are on-call three to five times per year depending on site
• VA Northern California Health Care System (NCHCS) is currently recruiting for full-time - board eligible/board certified psychiatrists who are value-driven - recovery- and diversity-oriented - and possess energy - compassion - and a pursuit of excellence to join our Primary Care-Mental Health Integration (PCMHI) team at the Sacramento VA Medical Center
• The Primary Care Mental Health (PCMHI) psychiatrist provides outpatient psychiatric services including direct patient care - as well as indirect chart-based e-consultation services in support of the primary care team (PACT)
• Clinical responsibilities include but are not limited to: Serves as an active team member of the PCMHI clinical team
• Independently provides specialized mental health services - with service delivery to diagnostic assessments - medication recommendations - and patient education
• Provides adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders
• Develops person-centered - culturally sensitive treatment plans to address mental health needs of patients
• Providing clinical consultation to Primary Care and PCMHI team members and consultation/ liaison role with other mental health programs to facilitate coordination of care
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions including medication management - individual and group psychotherapy - and psychoeducation
• Complies with national and local performance measures - including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients
• Attends regularly scheduled treatment team meetings to ensure efficiency and continuity of service delivery to specialized patient populations
• Provide psychiatric on call coverage Provides mental health services via tele-health as necessary
• Teach and supervise medical students - PA students - psychiatry (and as needed - residents from other specialties) residents and fellows - and NP students Whether you're interested in academics - research - or a better work/life balance - you'll find the VA has a lot to offer - including the unmatched satisfaction you'll get from caring for those who have served our country.