Psychiatry – Updated March 5

Job Description

VA Healthcare system is seeking an experienced board-certified Psychiatrist. This is an amazing opportunity to make a real impact on the lives of our veterans.

Facility:

The VA HEALTHCARE CENTER in Togus, Maine provides outstanding health care, trains America’s future health care providers, and conducts important medical research. We provide health care services at 10 locations serving Maine. Facilities include our Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta, seven community-based outpatient clinics in Bangor, Calais, Lewiston, Lincoln, Portland, Presque Isle, Rumford, and two Access Clinics in Fort Kent and Houlton. The VA Maine Healthcare System is one of the leading health care systems serving Veterans in the VA New England Healthcare System. We’re an innovative care center within the VA New England Healthcare System (VISN 1), which includes medical centers and clinics in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Rhode Island.

At the Togus VA Medical Center, we conduct research to discover knowledge, develop VA scientists and health care leaders, and create innovations that advance health care for Veterans and the nation. We offer Veterans the opportunity to participate in and benefit from our work. Our goal is to use research to promote better health and health care for all. Major research areas include Moral Injury, Health Care System Resilience, Million Veterans Program, Post operative Opiate Use, Neuropsychological Function Testing, Whole Health Involvement and Medication Compliance.

Togus VA Medical Center is a general medicine and teaching hospital that provides a full range of health services for Veterans, with state-of-the-art technology as well as education and research. We offer specialized training programs in advanced general dentistry, clinical psychology, and neuropsychology. We maintain affiliations with 25 Colleges and Universities, including: University of New England College of Medicine, University of Maine School of Nursing, University of Southern Maine, New England College of Optometry, University of Connecticut School of Pharmacy, Husson University School of Pharmacy, Boston College, Boston University, Creighton University, Maine Dartmouth Family Medicine, Maine Medical Center, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, Northern Lights Medical System, Nova Southeastern University, Pepperdine University, Southern and Central Maine Community Colleges, St. John’s University, Tufts University, University of Albany, University of Florida, University of Mississippi, University of Nebraska, University of New Hampshire, University of North Carolina, University of Rhode Island

VA Maine Healthcare System’s Togus VA Medical Center (VAMC) is a Joint Commission accredited, complexity Level 1c facility in Augusta, Maine that serves over 42, 500 Veterans. Full-time community-based outpatient clinics (CBOCs) are in Bangor, Calais, Lewiston, Lincoln, Portland, Presque Isle and Rumford. Part-time access clinics are in Fort Kent and Houlton.

Togus VAMC is a 67-operating bed facility with general medical, surgical, intermediate and mental health beds, as well as 100 beds including hospice, dementia, long-stay, and skilled. The oldest veterans’ facility in the country, having opened in the fall of 1866, Togus is located five miles east of Augusta, the state capital. Togus campus encompasses 500+ acres of buildings and natural woodlands serving as natural habitats for Maine’s wildlife. Additionally, the National Cemetery is located on the Togus campus.

The Togus VA Medical Center property was originally used as a summer resort called Togus Springs. Togus Springs was established in 1859 by Horace Beals, a wealthy granite merchant from Rockland, Maine. The name “Togus” comes from the Native American word Worromontogus, which means “mineral water.” Togus Springs resort closed during the Civil War in 1863. The site was converted into a Veteran residential facility. The first Veteran was admitted on Nov. 10, 1866.

Position Highlights:

Work Schedule: Monday – Friday 8:00 am – 4:30 pm

Essential Job Functions:

Performing initial clinical diagnostic examinations and formulating initial treatment plans for patients.

Providing medication management services. Provision of psychotherapy services is restricted to clinicians who are trained, certified and credentialed in the provision of VA evidence-based therapy practices.

Facilitating admissions to inpatient MH unit. Coordinating care with inpatient Psychiatric, or Medical-Surgical, physicians.

Serving on Medical Staff Committees or representing the MHSL on special Medical Center projects or initiatives as directed by MHSL management.

Minimum Qualifications:

MD or DO Degree

​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.

Board Certified or Board Eligible

Benefits:

In addition to the honor of serving America’s Heroes, a career at VHA provides a robust total reward$ package (see full brochure here) and offers many benefits including:

Flexible work schedules and shifts

Low patient-provider ratios

Robust insurance coverage

The ability to work anywhere in the country with one active license.

Stable employment with competitive salary and regular pay increases

50 days annual paid time off (26 days paid annual leave, 13 days paid annual sick leave, 11 paid federal holidays) in addition to other leave options including paid parental leave.

Generous education support programs, including loan repayment and reimbursement.

Unprecedented federal retirement benefits including a traditional pension (5 years’ vesting) and a federal 401K (TSP) with up to 5% in employer contributions.

City:

Located in central Maine, approximately 55 miles north of Portland, is Maine’s capital city, Augusta. Augusta was chartered as a city in 1849.Augusta is just over 58 Square miles, and borders the towns of Manchester, Sidney, Vassalboro, Windsor and Chelsea. The capital city is also the easternmost state capital in the United States. As of 2022, there were roughly 19,066 people and 8,565 households in Augusta. Although the city is the third-least populous state capital in the United States (after Montpelier, Vermont and Pierre, South Dakota, there are lots of exciting things to explore throughout Augusta.