Physician; BHIP Psychiatrist Mental Health

Position: Physician (BHIP Psychiatrist) Mental Health
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.

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until April 29, 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applicants will be February 12, 2026, with subsequent cut-off dates every two weeks. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until position is filled.

The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS), located in Tucson, Arizona is a Joint Commission-accredited, level 1b complexity teaching hospital, providing tertiary-level care. The SAVAHCS offers a beautiful 150-acre campus with a full range of medical and mental health services for Veterans, including a 31-bed inpatient psychiatry unit, a 25-bed mental health residential rehabilitation treatment program for substance use disorders (SUD) and PTSD treatment, intensive outpatient programs for SUD and PTSD, homeless programs, and more.

The SAVAHCS operates a 24-hour emergency department and is the host site for various regional referral centers of excellence including the Polytrauma Network Site, the Southwest Blind Rehabilitation Center, and the Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program (MHRRTP). The SAVAHCS is the principal teaching affiliate of the University of Arizona Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy. Annually nearly 1,000 physician and associated health trainees participate in health care training programs at the SAVAHCS.

Tucson is a great place to live for families, people who enjoy outdoor activities (hiking, cycling, running, etc.) and those who enjoy rich culture and an affiliation with a world class University. Tucson truly is a city with a friendly, small-town feel.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards.

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus):
Approved for highly qualified candidate

Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment):
Approved Learn more.

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.

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

As a BHIP Psychiatrist you will provide psychiatric care (diagnosis, treatment, and crisis management) to Veterans with mental health and substance use disorders as part of an integrated team of psychiatric providers, psychologists, social workers, nurses, and clinical pharmacists throughout the SAVAHCS. The BHIP Psychiatrist is responsible for providing psychiatric care for a panel of approximately 500-525 outpatient Veterans with a wide range of mental health disorders using multiple modalities (in-person and virtual).

Full-time BHIP Psychiatrists are expected to provide 30 hours of direct patient care per week. The BHIP Psychiatrist serves as a clinical leader and provides clinical consultation and assistance with patients assigned to the BHIP Team. The BHIP Psychiatrist provides cross-coverage for psychiatric colleagues in outpatient. The psychiatrist may participate in teaching and supervising Psychiatry Residents and Medical Students in the outpatient BHIP clinic and/or inpatient psychiatric unit.

This position requires 3-4 weeks per year of home call (psychiatry resident is first call) and in-house rounding on the weekend. Weekend days are compensated by having weekdays off. The BHIP Psychiatrist must be able to obtain…