Physician (Regular Ft) - Psychiatrist - Outpatient Medical Director
About This Position
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
Coverage: The following are the overall requirements for appointment as a physician in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Be a Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with [38 U.S.C. § 7407(a)).] 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. Licensure and Registration: Physicians must possess a 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.
The physician must maintain current registration in the state of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active, current licensure. 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) 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.
Board Certification: Physicians are generally not required to be board certified for employment in VA; however, three circumstances in VA require physician board certification: If the position being filled is required to be a supervisor for medical students or physician residents (including fellows), the LCME, ACGME or AOA standards requiring a particular board certification credential will apply. If the position being filled will have faculty status with an affiliated medical school (for example, in joint recruitments with affiliated medical schools), then a medical school requirement for board certification will apply to the jointly recruited position. If the position being filled is required to be board certified by virtue of specific VHA policy (for example, as director of a cardiac catheterization laboratory or Director of Clinical Laboratory Medicine), then VHA policy requiring board certification will apply.
Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the position involve standard office requirements such as using the telephone, retrieving files, writing reports, data entry and maintenance of computer databases, etc. Work is typically performed sitting at a desk and using a computer.
This position may require occasional travel. The position requires periods of walking, standing, sitting and bending. English Language Proficiency: Physicians appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7402(d) and 7407(d).
Preferred Experience: Incumbent will have sufficient clinical knowledge and experience to monitor and assess clinical competencies and practices Sufficient interpersonal skills to deal harmoniously with a diverse population of internal and external customers Sufficient time management skills to prioritize completion of a high volume workload Board certified or eligible in general psychiatry practice. Ability to achieve results in the setting of constrained resources Incumbent must have a demonstrated ability to meet the responsibilities of this position Completion of a Residency in Psychiatry as accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or nationally accredited training program, including the training required for graduation. The Service Chief determines the adequacy of the provider's experience/competence to support the granting of privileges based on both recent and remote experience.
Must be willing to participate in VISN programs and meetings as necessary. Must be willing to participate in Psych on-call Knowledge and skill to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder patients, as well as overall knowledge of the management of an array of mental health and substance abuse disorders, while not necessarily being expert in any one area. Meets the needs of customers while supporting VA missions.
Consistently communicates and treats customers (veterans, their representatives, visitors, and all VA staff) in a courteous, tactful, and respectful manner. Provides the customer with consistent information according to established policies and procedures. Handles conflict and problems in dealing with the customer constructively and appropriately.
Will provide patient care services to a wide range of veterans with ages ranging from teenage to geriatric. The incumbent must have the ability to assess the patient's specific age related need(s). He/she must also have knowledge of the human growth, development, and aging process and understanding the treatment needed by different age groups.
Protects printed and electronic files containing sensitive data in accordance with the provisions of the Privacy Act of 1974 and other applicable laws, Federal regulations, VA statutes and policy and VHA policy. Protects the data from unauthorized release or from loss, alteration, or unauthorized deletion. Follows applicable regulations and instructions regarding access to computerized files, release of access codes, etc., as set out in the computer access agreement that the employee signs.
Annually completes 40 hours of continuing education, including mandatory computer modules Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
Major Duties
VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. 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 Primary Purpose: The psychiatrist will assume clinical, administrative, and educational responsibilities based on negotiations with the Chief of Psychiatry and Mental Health and demonstrate positive team spirit.
Psychiatry and Mental Health Service provides psychiatric care in the outpatient and inpatient setting as well as support to the Homeless Team for clinical matters. Additionally the position serves inpatient/outpatient referrals for the medical and skilled care rehab units. The physician is to be board certified or eligible in general psychiatry practice.
The mission of the Psychiatry and Mental Health Service is to provide Veterans in need of mental health services with high quality clinical treatment, case management, advocacy and coordination of care. He/she will ensure the quality and timeliness of the services provided, customer satisfaction, as well as compliance with standards of accrediting bodies such as the Joint Commission and the Inspector General's Combined Assessment Program. Supervision: The incumbent will be the Outpatient Medical Director and will Supervise Staff in Mental Health Walk-in clinic and will help with float coverage.
They report to the Chief, Mental Health Service. Administrative direction is provided in terms of broadly defined goals and missions. Incumbent exercises a high degree of latitude in the planning, designing, implementation and accomplishment of program responsibilities.
The incumbent works within a framework of VA guidelines, directives, and regulations. Duties and Responsibilities of the Psychiatrist: Staff psychiatrists are ultimately responsible for all aspects of psychiatric care - primarily responsible for timely initial evaluation and management of inpatients and outpatients referred for mental health treatment in all MH Programs. He/she will provide consultation and treatment for inpatients with mental health needs.
Outpatient/inpatient consultation includes evaluation, interpretation, diagnosis, and management of psychiatric illnesses in any care site. This includes ordering diagnostic tests, imaging examinations, or diagnostic procedures. Staff psychiatrists prescribe medications.
Adheres to VA policy and is in accordance with the VA formulary and State regulations. When assigned, he/she will assume responsibility for psychiatric coverage for Code Orange assigned (behavior emergency) (during administrative tours of duty) and psychiatric on-call services (during irregular tours of duty) as assigned. He/she,
in addition to providing direct patient care, also provides patient and family education, staff education, and consults and collaborates with other health care providers. He/she uses professional standards of care and practice to evaluate programs and/or service activities; and adheres to the requirements of this Medical Center and Mental Health Service standards. Staff psychiatrists are appropriately credentialed and privileged.
They participate in various medical center committees, departmental and hospital in-service programs, and educational programs of the department, medical center, and external sources. Involved in continuous quality improvement through peer review process. He/she may participate in the planning and implementation of Performance Improvement/QM programs within the mental health service.
He/she may be involved in formulating and implementation of general policies, procedures, standards and goals and objectives for the mental health service that are consistent with, and supportive of the mission of the Medical Center and VISN10. Staff Psychiatrists will adhere to VA Policy regarding Computerized Patient Records System (CPRS) documentation. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 7:30 am - 400 pm.
This position will entail going to other care sites within the Indy VAMC at times, to include CBOCs and the Domiciliary.
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. Subject to background/security investigation.
Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
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).
You may be required to serve a probationary period.
Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.
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. Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more.
This position is eligible for EDRP, a student loan payment reimbursement program.
You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of your start date. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Contact [email protected] questions/assistance.
How You Will Be Evaluated
Your application, resume, C.V., and/or other supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.
NOTE: You must include qualifying specialized experience employment periods in mm/yyyy to mm/yyyy format on your resume and indicate Full-Time or Part-Time (if Part-time, must include # of hours worked per week). AND, if you have held a Government position, that position's grade level MUST be listed on your resume; Failure to include all requirements in your resume will result in disqualification. Please refer to USAJOBS Help Center - What should I include in my federal resume? for additional information on resume requirements.
NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.
You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. Veterans' Preference
Note: Preference eligible candidates and other Veterans will be given preference when qualification of candidates are approximately equal for Title 38 positions in VHA. When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire.
You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form.
Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.
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.
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.
Whole Health Statement VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran.
This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.
How to Apply
To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account.
Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package. To apply for this position online, complete steps 1 and 2 above by 11:59 PM (ET) on 04/24/2026 to receive consideration. Please note, this announcement may close prior to the closing date indicated if the position is filled through other means.
If you are unable to apply online before the closing date click here and include the CBSR-12927225-26-RBW in the Notes field. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.
Required Documents
To apply for this position, you must submit a C.V. and/or resume. Other documents may be requested later in the process if needed. Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document.
This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field. - Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field. - Most recent SF-50 if you are a current or former Federal Employee.