Physician Assistant - Chief of Psychiatry

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.

Duties

• VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. Duties include but are not limited to: Managing Psychiatry Service, developing goals, and planning resources and programs which are coordinated across the health care system. Assign, plan, and set priorities of Psychiatry Service employees and advise, counsel, and instruct staff on work and administrative matters. Attend to and resolve employee complaints and grievances and recommend disciplinary and adverse actions when indicated. Serve as a member of the Mental Health Executive Leadership team on the Mental Health ICC and other local, VISN, and national committees as assigned. Work closely with the Lead Psychiatrist in the professional practice, mentoring, and professional development of Psychiatrists assigned to Psychiatry Service. The chief also consults with the lead in hiring decisions and performance evaluations for psychiatrists. Participate in Mental Health Chief huddle, Chief of Staff huddle, Facility Leadership Morning report huddle, and huddle on Inpatient Acute Psychiatry. Complete clinical duties as required. Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm - Monday-Friday, subject to change based on needs of the facility Telework: Ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Physician Assistant Basic Requirements Master's degree in any discipline or a bachelor's degree in any discipline with one year of experience as a Physician Assistant ~AND~ Successfully passed the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE) (or are you in the process to taking the exam) ~AND~ Currently hold, or will hold, a full and unrestricted license to practice in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia. Preferred Experience: At least two years experience in psychiatry. At least one year in leadership role. Grade Determinations: Physician Assistant-IV (PA-IV). Positions may include but are not limited to: Facility or Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) Lead PA, Facility PA Education Lead, PA Residency Program Director, or other Clinical and/or Administrative leadership assignments. PA (Facility Lead): Facility Lead PAs have a thorough understanding of various functions involved in the care of patients, and the ability to interact effectively with different medical and surgical specialists. Facility lead PAs have the knowledge and expertise pertaining to PA employment, credentialing, clinical practice, and appropriate utilizations of PAs. A Lead PA can monitor patient care operations, policies, and work performance of fellow PAs. Experience: PA facility leads require five years of experience, which includes progressively responsible leadership assignments, such as serving on any local committees, workgroups, or taskforces. The PA may exhibit knowledge of PA VHA employment and utilization of PAs through demonstrative actions as a facility point of contact (POC) for PA issues, policies, and directives. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-IV: a. Ability to provide clinically and occupationally focused orientation to new PA appointees and mentoring other PA staff members. b. Knowledge of the FPPE and OPPE processes to evaluate and assess patient care services provided by PA staff. c. Knowledge of the educational needs of PAs. d. Ability to provide leadership and clinical oversight of PAs at the facility. e. Ability to exercise independent judgment, perform tasks involving special technical, supervisory, or administrative lines. f. Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse group of professional clinical staff. PA (Facility Education Lead or Residency Program Director): PA Facility Education Leads and PA Residency Program Directors are responsible for the management, structure, and administration of the PA clinical trainee program. They ensure programs comply with VA Office of Academic Affiliations standards and accrediting bodies of sponsoring affiliated institutions while activities are being held at VA facilities. PA Education Leads and PA Residency Program Directors develop, implement, and enhance PA clinical education training programs. Experience: PA Facility Education Leads and PA Residency Program Directors require five years of experience, which include educational assignments, such as proctoring PAs or medical students, setting up continuing medical education for local VHA PAs or participating in community health events; serving as a PA director or assistant in a VHA residency program or stipend program; or serving as a member or staff of an academic PA program. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-IV: a. Ability to develop and update VA PA clinical rotation guidelines within each clinical specialty to ensure students and preceptors understand the responsibilities prior to and upon completion of each clinical rotation. b. Skills to maintain student evaluations and oversee changes that facilitate continuous enhancements and improvements of PA trainee clinical experiences. c. Ability to give quality systematic feedback to the practitioner within a broad range of medical and surgical experiences that meets ARC-PA and affiliated institutional standards. d. Ability to support trainees to allow open and ongoing feedback regarding collaborating practitioner, the training program, and VA site as a method of continuous improvement. e. Skill to properly record and maintain established affiliation agreements and subsequent supporting documents required for VA clinical training programs. f. Skill to maintain close relationships and open and ongoing communication with academic affiliates PA program directors and clinical coordinators participating in the PA trainee program. PA (Clinical Leader/Administrative Leader): PAs at the PA-IV grade level may serve as clinical leader or administrative leader. Clinical PA Leaders may be assigned to positions/studies where limited guidance exists as physician oversight is not required. Administrative PA Leaders are involved with strategic planning and administrative/managerial responsibilities for integrated programs that cross service and/or discipline lines and influence organizational mission and health care. A PA clinical leader/administrative leader may monitor or evaluate services or programs with interaction of senior administration. Experience: PA clinical leaders/administrative leaders require five years of experience which included leadership assignments that involved formulating program objectives and priorities, implementing plans and practices, and interpreting regulatory and organizational guidance to develop and implement policies and/or procedures. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-IV: a. Ability to assess information and make recommendations that may significantly affect the content, interpretation, or development of programs concerning critical matters or key issues within the health care system. b. Ability to schedule and supervise staff, students, or ancillary personnel, to include conducting performance evaluations. c. Skill in planning, organizing, directing, and controlling an integrated program. d. Skill in design, management of budget, and cost benefit analysis to ensure optimal stewardship of resources. e. Ability to analyze complex medical care, organizational processes and/or systems, and develop and implement solutions that improve outcomes at the program or service level. f. Ability to develop and recommend new or revised policies or procedures to justify program goals and motivate assigned personnel. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Requirements

All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens. 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 identification 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

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

How to apply

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 09/10/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/13044101. 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. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date. 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.