Summary

This physician provides Substance Use Disorder care including medication assisted therapy for opioid use disorders and evidence based pharmacological treatment of other addictive disorders using FDA approved therapies in an outpatient setting. Please note: This is not a virtual or remote position. You will report onsite at Battle Creek VA Medical Center.

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 allopathic 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 accrediting bodies for graduate medical education - the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA) - in the list published for the year the residency - or fellowship if applicable - was completed
• OR (2) One year of post medical school training (internship - first year of residency - or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States
• OR (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement) - 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
• Exceptions: 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 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
• In rare and unusual circumstances - the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer - who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience - accomplishments - performance - and qualifications warrant such action
• Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Preferred Experience: Experience providing Substance Use Disorder care including medication assisted therapy for opioid use disorders (initiation and maintenance of buprenorphine) and evidence based pharmacological treatment of other addictive disorders using FDA approved therapies
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: For more information on the physical requirements of this position - please reference VHA Handbook 5019.

Duties

• The following are required duties of the position - but are not limited to: Provides a full range of psycho-diagnostic services including assessment and the most appropriate pharmacological interventions in providing quality care
• Performs psychiatric evaluations for a diverse population of patients of males - females - geriatric - and post deployment combat veterans who have mental health and substance use treatment needs and have psychosocial issues that may include homelessness - unemployment - and poor family support network
• Provides a full range of therapeutic interventions to units/programs in the Medical Center to which the psychiatrist is assigned and has clinical privileges to practice including diagnostic assessment - medication evaluation and management - suicide risk assessments - crisis intervention - and overall care of patients with psychiatric disorders - including depression - anxiety - psychosis - PTSD - substance abuse - and other psychiatric disorders in various clinical settings including the outpatient - inpatient - emergency department - primary care/mental health integrated programs - and hospital ward settings
• The Psychiatrist may serve as a mental health team leader with responsibilities for coordinating consults and triage of specialty clinic referrals
• Participates effectively in team meetings and treatment planning conferences and collaborates with multidisciplinary team members which enhances coordination of comprehensive patient care
• Orders diagnostic tests and consultations and discriminates between normal and abnormal findings and makes appropriate treatment decisions
• Ensures that the practice of psychiatric medicine is consistent with Joint Commission - CARF - VA policies and procedures - clinical practice psychiatric guidelines - VISN standards - national statutes and regulations - medical record documentation - mandatory continuing education - and HIPPA policies
• Participates in supervision and teaching in support of the psychiatric residency program - and performs other directly related duties as assigned
• Involved in performance improvement and quality assurance initiatives
• Provides leadership guidance and consultation to staff
• Involved in the supervision and teaching of psychiatry residents and other trainees assigned to unit as appropriate
• Serves as a consultant to other medical center staff and trainees and assist in implementation of treatment plan as appropriate regarding their patients
• Is responsible for timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system - as appropriate
• Plans and oversees the completion of personal research programs - designed to provide information regarding program planning and relevant treatment approaches
• Other duties as assigned VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package
• VHA Physician Total Rewards
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Authorized for highly qualified applicants
• Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): 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
• Learn more
• Contact Margaret.Bordner@va.gov - the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance 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 Work Schedule: Monday-Friday - 8:00am-4:30pm
• Psychiatrists at BCVA are required to be part of the on-call rotation to provide coverage to urgent care
• The on-call shift is 0700-1900 and shifts are assigned on a monthly basis.