Physician (MH Primary Care Section Chief)

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:

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 allopathic 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 accrediting bodies for graduate medical education, the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA), in the list published for the year the residency, or fellowship if applicable, was completed; OR
  • (2) One year of post medical school training (internship, first year of residency, or transitional year residency) approved by ACGME or AOA followed by two years of post-training independent practice (performing under a full and unrestricted license) in the United States; OR
  • (3) Non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of three years of verified independent practice in the United States (performing under a full and unrestricted license) performing duties related to the position they are applying for (United States fellowships would be creditable towards this requirement), 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.
  • Exceptions:
    • 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 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.
    • In rare and unusual circumstances, the Facility Director can submit a memo to the VISN Director through the VISN Chief Medical Officer, who may approve requests for reasonable exceptions to the residency training requirement for Physicians whose composite record of experience, accomplishments, performance, and qualifications warrant such action.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.

Preferred Experience: Board Certification in Family Medicine or Internal Medicine. Experience as a physician leader. With a minimum of 7 years providing primary care services to a diverse population of patients with serious mental illness, homelessness, and significant medical comorbidities

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 Examinations and Evaluations.

Responsibilities:

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until August 10, 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applicants will be May 22, 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.

SAVAHCS is the principle teaching affiliate of the University of Arizona Colleges of Medicine, Nursing, and Pharmacy. Medical students, residents, and fellows train at our facility. The selected candidate must be eligible for a faculty appointment with the University of Arizona as duties will include the supervision and education of residents and medical students from the University of Arizona. The SAVAHCS is a tertiary care facility providing a full range of clinical services including cardiac surgery and neurosurgery.

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

Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Approved
Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Learn more.EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact VISN22HREducationReimbursementTeam@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance.
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

The Southern Arizona VA Health Care System (SAVAHCS) professional staff is seeking a full-time supervisory primary care physician to provide quality service and leadership in our progressive, innovative, and highly interdisciplinary health care system for the Veteran outpatient population at our Tucson main VA campus.

• Serves as the Section Chief, clinic director, and primary care physician for our Mental Health Primary Care section.
• Works closely with the MH Primary Care Clinical Nurse Manager.
• Serves as the direct supervisor of 7 interdisciplinary healthcare professionals, provides administrative and clinical oversight of four (4) Patient Aligned Care Teams (PACT) providing primary care to Veterans diagnosed with serious mental illness and/or homelessness (3 SMI-PACT and 1 H-PACT), and provides outpatient primary care for a diverse patient population working as part of a highly skilled interdisciplinary team which is integrated and co-located within Mental Health.
• Provides administrative and clinical supervision of MH Primary Care staff (evaluations, productivity, time and leave, etc.), assessing and treating Veterans, and providing consultation to colleagues in primary care and mental health.
• Demonstrates a strong commitment to Veteran-centered care and treating Veterans with co-morbid mental health and medical needs, a desire to teach, and good interpersonal skills with a desire to lead.

Work Schedule: Full-time, permanent, Monday - Friday, 7:30am-4:00pm

Salary : $1,000