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 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 Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) 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
• Proficiency in spoken and written English
• Preferred Experience: Demonstrated experience managing a major mental health program in a healthcare setting, with responsibility for both administrative and clinical operations
• Proven ability to select, orient, supervise, and conduct continuing education for a diverse psychiatry staff, including monitoring clinical privileges and performance
• Strong background in quality improvement, including experience with performance evaluation, risk management, and the implementation of quality control programs in mental health services
• Experience implementing advanced clinic access principles, backlog reduction strategies, and balancing supply and demand for psychiatric care
• Experience utilizing data-driven decision making, including monitoring clinical utilization reports and working with VHA reporting tools (e.g., VSSC, MCA DSS reports.) Knowledge of VHA policies, credentialing, privileging, and the ability to recommend staff for appointments and clinical privileges
• DEA waiver and experience in Medication-Assisted Treatment, including prescribing Buprenorphine/Suboxone and Clozapine
• Demonstrated cultural competence in caring for military veterans from diverse backgrounds
• Proficiency with electronic health records (CPRS/VistA) and compliance with federal data privacy and security requirements
• Commitment to customer service principles, conflict management, and patient advocacy aligned with VA core values (ICARE, VA WAY, etc)
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Physical Requirements: VA Handbook 5019/1, Part II, Pre-Placement Physical Examination and Evaluation.