Career Center

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.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States Education: Have a doctoral degree in psychology from a graduate program in psychology accredited by the American Psychological Association (APA) - the Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) - or the Canadian Psychological Association (CPA) at the time the program was completed OR (2) Have a doctoral degree in any area of psychology and - in addition - successfully complete a re-specialization program (including documentation of an approved internship completed as part of the re-specialization program) meeting both of the following conditions: (a) the re-specialization program must be completed in an APA or a CPA accredited doctoral program
• and (b) the specialty in which the applicant is retrained must be consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed OR (3) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution - with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature AND (4) Internships (a) Have successfully completed a professional psychology internship training program that was accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed and that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed OR (b) New VHA psychology internship programs that are in the process of applying for APA accreditation are acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement - provided that such programs were sanctioned by the VHA Central Office Program Director for Psychology and the VHA Office of Academic Affiliations at the time that the individual was an intern
• (c) VHA facilities that offered full-time - one-year pre-doctoral internships prior to PL 96-151 (pre-1979) are considered to be acceptable in fulfillment of the internship requirement OR (d) Have completed an internship that was not accredited by APA or CPA at the time the program was completed may be considered eligible for hire only if they are currently board certified by the American Board of Professional Psychology in a specialty area that is consistent with the assignment for which the applicant is to be employed (NOTE: Once board certified - the employee is required to maintain board certification) OR (e) Have a doctoral degree awarded between 1951 and 1978 from a regionally-accredited institution with a dissertation primarily psychological in nature - fulfilling this internship requirement by having the equivalent of a one-year supervised internship experience in a site specifically acceptable to the candidate's doctoral program Licensure: Must hold a full - current - and unrestricted license to practice psychology at the doctoral level in a State - Territory - or Commonwealth of the United States - or the District of Columbia Exception
• Non-licensed applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment as a "graduate psychologist" at the GS-11 or GS-12 grade for a period not to exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such a psychologist provide care only under the supervision of a psychologist who is licensed
• Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment English Language Proficiency: Must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005 - Part II - Chapter 3 - section A - paragraph 3j 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
• Grade Determination GS-11: Experience
• Education and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements
• GS-12: Experience
• At least one year of experience as a professional psychologist equivalent to the next lower grade level GS-11
• Psychologists who are not licensed must practice under the supervision of a licensed psychologist but with less intense supervision than at the GS-11 grade level
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (1) Knowledge of and ability to apply a wide range of professional psychological treatments or assessment methods to a variety of patient populations
• (2) Ability to design and implement effective treatment strategies
• (3) Ability to incorporate new clinical procedures
• (4) Ability to conduct research activities - such as designing and implementing clinical research projects (staff psychologists with specified research job duties)
• (5) Ability to perform basic research tasks of scholarship and research execution within the context of an established research team - including research participant relations - research documentation - data acquisition - maintenance - and collaboration
• GS-13: Experience
• At least two years of experience as a professional psychologist - with at least one year equivalent to the GS-12 grade level
• Demonstrated Knowledge - Skills - and Abilities
• In addition to the experience above - the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: (1) Knowledge of - and ability to apply - professional psychological treatments to the full range of patient populations
• (2) Ability to provide professional advice and consultation in areas related to professional psychology and behavioral health
• (3) Knowledge of clinical research literature
• Licensure: GS-11/12 - Must obtain licensure at the doctoral level within two years of appointment
• GS-13 - Must currently possess a full - current - and unrestricted license at the doctoral level
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Duties

• Diagnoses mental disorders - conducts psychological and/or neuropsychological assessments - treats mental disorders through a variety of modalities - and provides adjunctive interventions for treatment of medical disorders Consults with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues May be involved in program evaluation and/or research activities Neuropsychologist functions in accordance with the policies - principals - professional ethics and techniques of accepted Psychology practice to include the American Psychological Association - professional licensing code - and state law Independently makes use of guides in a creative flexible manner and must use sound judgment in selecting techniques or introducing new practices and methods - adapting these as necessary to fit the needs of the patient population with which he/she serves Performs neuropsychological testing as referred Performs psychological testing as referred Provides inpatient evaluations on medical floors - and inpatient psychiatry Provides individual and group psychotherapy to veterans involved in various programs Participates in treatment planning - case conferences and collaborative efforts Completes timely completion of all clinical charting and documentation required by the Medical Center or healthcare system Assists patients with process for the request for release of records - return telephone calls - linking of services - and appropriate referrals as needed in a timely fashion Assists in the training programs for other professions - and other professions trainees as appropriate Consults with medical center staff on a wide variety of patient care issues to include patient's decision-making capacity regarding health care Complies with national and local performance measures - including timely health care screening and completion of clinical reminders for all patients Assists in preparation of RFP's and grant proposals - as assigned Serves on medical center committees and departmental committees as requested Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm Telework: Ad-Hoc Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance
• Learn more Financial Disclosure Report: Not required