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Foreign Service Regional Medical Officer/Psychiatrist (RMOP)

Employer
USAJobs
Location
Montevideo, D.C
Closing date
Jan 26, 2021
Duties

Summary

The U.S. Department of State is developing a rank order list of eligible hires for a limited number of Regional Medical Officer Psychiatrist (RMOP) vacancies based on the needs of the Department. To learn more about the Department of State and a career in the Foreign Service, please visit us at https://careers.state.gov .

Joining the Foreign Service is more than just salary . Refer to the Benefits section for more information on total compensation.

Learn more about this agency

Responsibilities

The Bureau of Medical Services (MED) in the Department of State safeguards and promotes the health and well-being of American's diplomatic community, which consists of employees and their accompanying family members who represent United States government agencies abroad. The Department assigns Foreign Service Medical Officers (RMOs), Psychiatrists (RMO/Ps), Medical Providers (MPs), and Medical Laboratory Scientists (RMLS) to selected posts overseas. Many of these posts have significant health risks and local medical care that is inadequate by U.S. standards.

A Regional Medical Officer/Psychiatrist (RMOP) works either independently or as a member of a team of FS Medical Specialists to provide medical support for USG employees and their Eligible Family Members (EFMs).

An RMOP is considered "essential personnel" and is expected to be available on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. RMOP duties include but are not limited to:

Clinical
  • Provides ambulatory and emergency psychiatric care for employees and eligible family members - including children
  • Assesses post morale
  • Responds to emergencies 24-hour/7days a week
  • Performs telephone consultations; assures patient confidentiality
  • Responds to crises at the home post or regional posts
  • Renders clinical consultations on workplace and family violence events (including child and spousal abuse cases)
  • Provides educational and treatment services as feasible for alcohol and drug abuse prevention at post
  • Renders psychiatric consultations for Regional Medical Officer and Medical Provider
  • Helps employees in problems of adjustment to life style
  • Creates and provides educational and therapeutic presentations to officers and families at post
  • Assists with establishing lifestyle programs
  • Evaluates medical clearances

Diplomatic
  • Collaboration with local healthcare officials
  • Liaison with local and international experts
  • Provision of consultative support to mission personnel on host nation and mission-specific health-related issues, if needed
  • Works with non-Department of State agencies
  • Advises the Chief of Mission
  • Assists Consular officers

Administrative
  • Maintains required Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits
  • Trains staff as needed on screening for psychiatric conditions and stress management
  • Maintains accurate medical records including requested workload and clinical care metrics, documents and reports on regional travel, and plans and requests budgets for regional travel
  • Evaluates local mental health resources
  • Evaluates local mental health care providers
  • Arranges medical evacuations
  • Serves on country team
  • Works with mail order pharmacies
  • Sends statistical reports
  • Works with post medical advisor
  • Responds and collaborates with medical department in Washington
  • Liaises with other Department psychiatrists
  • Consults at the American or other international schools


Emergency Preparedness

Provision of medical leadership and psychiatric medical care during crisis

Regional Care Responsibilities
  • Performance of regular regional travel and in response to immediate post needs
  • Collaboration with regional colleagues, including performance of clinical peer review
  • Liaise with Regional Medical Managers (RMMs)
  • Provision of remote patient consultation via telemedicine or other communication means
  • Maintenance of regular communication with MED offices in Washington, D.C., as warranted


Travel Required

76% or greater - An RMOP generally spends the majority of his/her career assigned to our overseas missions and at times, lives away from family and/or in difficult or isolated conditions. Selected applicants will be notified of an Oral Assessment (OA) requirement in Washington D.C. For the selected applicants, all travel and other expenses incurred in connection with the OA are the sole responsibility of the applicant.

Supervisory status
Yes

Promotion Potential
MC

Requirements

Conditions of Employment

  • Be a U.S. citizen and available for worldwide service. *
  • Be able to obtain a Top Secret Security Clearance.
  • Be able to obtain an appropriate Foreign Service Medical Clearance.
  • Be able to obtain a favorable Suitability Review Panel determination.**
  • Be at least 20 years old and at least 21 years old to be appointed.
  • Be appointed prior to age 60 (preference eligible veterans excepted).***


Qualifications

Licensure and Board Certification

Applicants must have a current, valid, and unrestricted license to practice medicine in a State, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States. Applications will not be accepted from psychiatrists who are not licensed. The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) must certify applicants in psychiatry. American Board certification and re-certification, state medical licensure, and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) registration must be maintained for the duration of employment.

Specialized Experience

Applicant must have a current board certification by the ABPN and have a minimum of five years post-residency clinical experience within the past seven years, in adult or child/adolescent psychiatry with at least 50% of the applicant's time involved in direct patient care during the last five years.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Education, work experience and other qualifications are evaluated for evidence of the following knowledge, skills, abilities and other requirements that have been identified as important to successful job performance as a Regional Medical Officer/Psychiatrist based on extensive job analysis research. Not all of these attributes need to be met by a candidate; the attributes will be used as a set to evaluate candidates.

Knowledge of general psychiatry, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, schizophrenia, autism and related disorders, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, other learning disorders, sleep disorders, eating disorders, alcoholism and drug abuse, suicide, post-traumatic stress disorder, mental health problems of adolescence, violence directed at women/children/elderly, clinical psycho-pharmacology, laboratory medicine, medical and mental health aspects of terrorism, and health-related environmental factors.

Specific skills in history taking, physical examination, treatment, triage, medical communication, oral communication, providing constructive criticism, couples therapy, organizing others, stress counseling, written communication, computer use, supervision, dealing with different cultures, and working with limited resources.

General skills in social perceptiveness, active listening, reading comprehension, active learning, learning strategies, coordination, service orientation, instructing, time management, critical thinking, judgment and decision making, monitoring, persuasion, complex problem solving, and negotiation.

Willingness to deploy to high threat environments to provide care and consultation to persons under Chief of Mission Authority. Ability to consult with senior leaders, officers and family members with tact, recognizing the limited role of the physician in a non-medical organizational environment. Ability to work effectively with colleagues from other cultures. Ability to create supportive and effective relationships in overseas environments, due to successful self-management.

Applicants must be able to integrate clinical, administrative and management skills to effectively meet the mental health needs of U.S. Foreign Service employees and their eligible family members assigned overseas. Regional Medical Officer/Psychiatrists must be skilled and experienced clinicians able to gain the confidence of their patients, co-workers and supervisors, and capable of working independently in complex and difficult situations.

Applicant must be a skilled and experienced practitioner with excellent interpersonal skills. Applicant must be able to function well within a complex organization and have experience working in a high stress environment. The individual must be able to recognize and treat a wide range of mental health disorders and manage the special challenges of providing care to a diverse population, scattered over a large geographical area where local medical and mental health resources may be limited or non-existent. Clinical experience in child/adolescent psychiatric, marital/family therapy, cross cultural psychiatry, crisis intervention and substance abuse is desirable.

The applicant must be able to provide expert consultation and guidance to Foreign Service Medical Officers and other medical personnel with varying backgrounds and levels of training.

Applicants with experience in team building, leadership, and management in a multidisciplinary setting are preferred. Applicants must have effective written and oral communication skills and the ability to present findings in a clear and concise manner to both medical and non-medical personnel. Public speaking skills as well as knowledge and hands-on familiarity of computer systems and software are also desirable qualities.

The RMOP's patient population is unique because of background and lifestyle as part of a diplomatic community overseas. This population also differs in terms of clinical and administrative needs and the national security concerns inherent in their employment. Previous experience working in an occupational setting and/or in an overseas setting is advantageous. The successful applicant will have an understanding of the challenges of consulting in a non-medical environment.

Other attributes include empathetic personality, unflappability, discerning self-confidence, adherence to confidentiality, interest in Foreign Service work, loyalty to the United States, tolerance of non-scheduled work hours and travel, and tolerance of living away from family.

Applicants must demonstrate a strong command of the English language to include grammar, spelling and punctuation. FSS must consistently meet a high standard for English, both written (overall structure as well as grammar, spelling and punctuation) and spoken (overall structure as well as delivery, clarity and succinctness).

Essential Physical Requirements

RMOPs may need to perform essential functions effectively with or without reasonable accommodation, in environments that pose physical or other occupational challenges. These duties may include:
  • Provision of direct patient care that may require heavy lifting, pulling, stooping, and twisting in austere environments
  • Travelling independently to regional posts utilizing commercial air carriers, military aircraft, or other transportation modalities that may not offer special access accommodations
  • Provision of emergency care in any location following an accident, natural disaster, or attack and emergency care in potentially hostile or physically challenging environments, such as in buildings without elevators or in areas with irregular spaces that require kneeling, bending, stooping, lifting, and running over uneven terrain.
  • Transportation of self or patients via small aircraft, helicopters, ambulances, or other non-standard modes of transportation with small entrances and high floors, such as high axle armored vehicles.


Education

Education

At the time of application, applicants must possess:

Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) degree from a university in the U.S. or Canada that was approved by a recognized U.S. accrediting body in the year of the applicant's graduation.

MD or DO or equivalent degree from a foreign school that provided educational and medical knowledge substantially equivalent to accredited schools in the U.S. This equivalency may be demonstrated by either permanent certification of the applicant's school by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) or a Fifth Pathway Certificate.
Subsequent to obtaining a MD or DO degree, a candidate must have completed formal residency training. Qualifying graduate training programs include only those residency programs within the U.S or Canada and which are approved by an accrediting body recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA) or American Osteopathic Association (AOA).

Non-U.S. and non-Canadian medical school graduates: You must submit a copy of medical school transcript(s) with your application. Official or unofficial transcripts may be submitted. Transcripts must include your name, the school's name, and the degree and date awarded. A transcript missing any of these elements will not pass the minimum qualifications and the candidacy will be ended. Copies of diplomas may not be submitted in lieu of transcripts for education. Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation and acgme.org, in order to be credited towards qualifications. Education completed in foreign colleges or universities may be used to meet the education requirements if you can show that the foreign education is comparable to that received in an accredited educational institution in the United States. It is your responsibility to provide such evidence when applying. Only accredited organizations recognized as specializing in the interpretation of foreign education credentials that are members of the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services (NACES) or the Association of International Credential Evaluators, Inc. (AICE) are accepted. The U.S. Department of State neither endorses nor recommends any individual evaluation service.

NACES: https://www.naces.org/members

AICE: www.aice-eval.org/members

Additional information

*EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION PROGRAM (E-Verify) - Verification of employment eligibility in the United States is required.

U.S. law requires organizations to employ only individuals who may legally work in the United States - either U.S. citizens, or foreign citizens who have the necessary authorization. This agency utilizes E-Verify to compare information from the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, to data from U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and Social Security Administration (SSA) records to confirm employment eligibility. If the employee's information does not match DHS and/or SSA records, the employee is given an opportunity to resolve the problem. If eligibility cannot be verified, employment will be terminated.

**The Department of State Suitability Review Panel and standards are defined in Chapter 3 of the Foreign Affairs Manual. For more information please visit: https://fam.state.gov/.

***For more information about Veteran's Preference and how it is applied in the FSS Selection Process, please visit: http://careers.state.gov/faqs/faqs-wiki/are-veterans-given-hiring-preference-

No applicant will be considered who has previously been separated from the Foreign Service under sections §607, §608, §610 or §611 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu of separation under these provisions. In addition, no applicant will be considered who has previously been separated for failure to receive a career appointment under section §306 of the Foreign Service Act of 1980, as amended, or who resigned or retired in lieu thereof.

An FSS separated for failure to receive a career appointment under section 306 may not re-apply to be an FSS in the same skill code, but may apply for another skill code (or to be a Foreign Service Generalist).

Executive Branch agencies are barred by 5 US Code 3303 as amended from accepting or considering prohibited political recommendations and are required to return any prohibited political recommendations to sender. In addition, as mandated by 5 US Code 3110, relatives of federal employees cannot be granted preference in competing for these employment opportunities.

It is the policy of the Federal Government to treat all of its employees with dignity and respect and to provide a workplace that is free from discrimination whether discrimination is based on race, color, religion, sex (including gender identity or pregnancy), national origin, disability, political affiliation, marital status, membership in an employee organization, age, sexual orientation, or other non-merit factors.

The Department of State provides reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities. Applicants requiring reasonable accommodations for any part of the application or hiring process should so advise the Department at ReasonableAccommodations@state.gov, within one week of receiving their invitation to the oral assessment. Decisions for granting reasonable accommodations are made on a case-by-case basis.

Continuing Medical Education (CME)
  • Continuing Medical Education credit requirements vary by State licensing. The State Department provides expenses for obtaining CME credit hours.


How You Will Be Evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

Candidates will be evaluated on their total background including experience, education, awards, training, and self-development as it relates to the position. Selection for this position will be made only from among candidates possessing the best qualifications. Part-time work experience will be prorated.

Medical Credentialing and Indemnification

Applicants are subject to a medical credentialing process conducted by the Quality Improvement Staff of the Bureau of Medical Services. The medical credentialing process includes queries of the National Practitioner Data Bank and Physician Data Profile through the American Medical Association (AMA). Once hired, medical personnel are indemnified for official duties only through the U.S. Federal Tort Claims Act.

To preview questions please click here .

Background checks and security clearance

Security clearance
Top Secret

Drug test required
Yes

Required Documents

It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure all required documents are uploaded and the application is fully completed before the closing deadline of this announcement. Any missing required documents or incomplete applications will result in your application not being considered further.
  • USAJobs Résumé Builder is the only résumé format that is accepted for this Vacancy Announcement.
  • Completed online application including the required Accomplishments Questionnaire and Statement of Interest narratives in the online application.
  • Uploaded all required supporting documentation including proof of educational achievements, certifications, professional licenses, or completed forms as required in this Vacancy Announcement to qualify for this position.
  • For applicants who are age 60 to 65, you must provide your Veteran's Preference documentation at the time of your application. If claiming a 5 pt. veteran's preference, you must submit a copy of your DD-214 or Certification of service. If claiming a 10 pt. veteran's preference, you must submit your VA letter and SF-15, in addition to your DD-214 or Certification of service. A Certification must be from the armed forces that certifies the service member is expected to be discharged or released from active duty under honorable conditions within 120 days after the Certification is submitted by the applicant and should include military service dates, date of expected discharge or release, and character of service and disability rating, if applicable.

  • Accomplishments Questionnaire and Statement of Interest

    These required questions provide an opportunity to describe examples and accomplishments from your education, life, and/or work experience that demonstrate your qualifications for becoming a Foreign Service Specialist. Examples can be drawn from any part of your professional or personal experience. The information you give may be used in your oral assessment should you be invited and is an important factor in the competitive evaluation of applicants. Each response is limited to 300 words or fewer (maximum length 2,000 characters) for each item. You should compose your replies carefully, as one of the skills necessary to succeed as a Foreign Service Specialist is the ability to write clearly and concisely. Answers to the all of the items in the Accomplishments Questionnaire and Statement of Interest are required and must be completed in the online application.

    Accomplishments Questionnaire

    Clinical skills: Describe a specific complex clinical case which demonstrates your skills in diagnosing and treating patient mental health problems.

    Organizational Abilities: Describe a specific achievement demonstrating your planning and organizational skills in the setting of a multidisciplinary mental health team or in an organizational consultation role.

    Leadership and Teamwork Abilities: Discuss your abilities to participate as a team member working toward a common goal, as well as examples of your ability to lead a team in the accomplishment of a goal.

    Public Speaking and Teaching Ability: Describe specific examples demonstrating your public speaking and teaching abilities as part of an assignment or work-related task.

    Interpersonal skills: Provide an example of effectively dealing with difficult patients, colleagues, or situation at work utilizing your interpersonal skills.

    Crisis Management Skills: Describe an example in which your skills significantly contributed to the positive outcome of a complex or difficult clinical crisis situation.

    Statement of Interest

    Required narrative Statement of Interest which discusses your:
    • Motivation for joining the Foreign Service,
    • Relevant work experience, including any unique strengths not previously mentioned, such as special skills (e.g., child psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, or addictions medicine), current licenses, certifications, honors, awards, special accomplishments, and/or training (with date completed) relating to this position,
    • Experience living or working in a multicultural environment, overseas or in the United States.


    If you are relying on your education to meet qualification requirements:

    Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education .

    Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

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