Podiatrist (Program Manager) - Outpatient Mental Health Section

As Section Director for the Outpatient Mental Health (OMH) program at the American Lake division of VA Puget Sound Health Care System (VAPSHCS), Tacoma, the podiatrist serves as the Director OMH for the Mental Health Service Line. The podiatrist has supervisory responsibility for subordinates. Responsibilities include the supervision of staff, professional management, and administrative responsibilities that are complex in scope.

Duties are, but not limited to:

• Provides broad program management responsibilities of a clinical care team, including leadership in the development, implementation, evaluation, and oversight of a complex program responsible for comprehensive clinical care of Veterans.
• Responsible for the development, implementation, and oversight of operational policies and procedures for the programs, with the approval of the affiliated Service Line leader.
• Organizes and leads leadership team meetings to facilitate case disposition, care management, effective delivery of clinical interventions, and the adherence to administrative demands.
• Plans work to be accomplished by team leaders, including establishing priorities, timelines for completion, and necessary adjustments therein.
• Provides clinical supervision, as appropriate, to assigned team leaders and members regarding adherence to VA Puget Sound Health Care System medico-legal stands and policies, documentation of medical record procedures, and the clinical management of difficult, complex, and dangerous patients.
• Other administrative responsibilities as assigned.

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

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm.
Remote/Virtual: Not approved
Financial Disclosure: Not Required
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
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

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.

Podiatrist Basic Requirements

• Degree as a doctor of podiatric medicine, or its equivalent, from a school of podiatric medicine approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Approved schools are United States schools of podiatric medicine approved by the Council on Podiatry Education of the American Podiatry Association in the year in which the degree was granted. ~AND~
• Completed, or currently completing, residency training, or its equivalent, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. VA Podiatrists involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status. Approved residencies are:
  • Those approved by the accrediting bodies for graduate medical education, the Council on Podiatric Medical Education, in the list published for the year the residency was completed, or
  • Other residencies and training experiences, or their equivalents, which the local Professional Standards Board determines to have provided an applicant with appropriate professional training. ~AND~
• Currently hold, or will hold, a full and unrestricted license to practice Podiatry in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia.
• Current board certification in Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
• English Language Proficiency. Podiatrists appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7402(d), 7407(d).

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: There are no physical requirements for this occupation per OCHCO Communications email to VA Handbook 5019, updated on 4/17/2026.

Degree of Doctor of podiatric medicine degree, or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in podiatric medicine and surgery. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are:

1. United States schools of podiatric medicine and surgery, approved by the Council on Podiatric Medical Education of the American Podiatry Medical Association in the year in which the degree was granted.

NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area.