Lead, Inspire, and Make a Difference—Chief of Psychiatry Needed in Prescott, Arizona!

Join the Northern Arizona VA Health Care System (NAVAHCS) and help empower Veterans’ health and well-being. Step into a leadership role at a premier healthcare facility that has earned a 5-star CMS rating for excellence—located in the breathtaking high-country of Prescott, Arizona.

Why NAVAHCS?

• Serve Over 34,000 Veterans  in a region spanning 65,000 square miles.
• Modern Facilities:  85-bed community living center, 15-bed acute care unit, and a 120-bed Mental Health Residential Rehabilitation Treatment center.
• Grow Your Career:  Become the face of mental health care for America’s bravest.

Exceptional Benefits & Compensation

• Competitive Salary + Bonuses:  Annual performance bonus and regular salary increases.
• Generous Sign-On Incentive:  Up to 25% recruitment bonus for qualified candidates.
• Unmatched PTO:  Enjoy 50–55 days paid time off—including annual leave, sick leave, federal holidays, and CME days.
• Robust Retirement Plan:  Traditional federal pension (5-year vesting) + up to 5% federal contributions to 401K.
• Comprehensive Insurance:  Health, vision, dental, term life—with many programs carried into retirement.
• CME Support:  Up to $2,500 per year and paid CME absence for board-certified physicians.
• Student Loan Repayment:  Up to $200,000 through the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP).
• No Physician Employment Contract:  Enjoy flexibility and freedom to moonlight.
• Malpractice Coverage:  Free liability protection with tail coverage.

Eligibility for CME days and EDRP is subject to requirements—please inquire for details.

Requirements

• MD or DO degree
• One full and unrestricted U.S. license (any state or territory)
• U.S. Citizenship

Prescott, Arizona—Your New Home  Discover the perfect mountain town! Prescott offers stunning natural beauty, vibrant culture, and a strong sense of community.

• 4-Season Climate:  Cooler than Phoenix, warmer than Flagstaff—perfect year-round weather at 5,200 feet elevation.
• Outdoor Paradise:  Five scenic lakes, the Granite Dells, Thumb Butte, Prescott National Forest—hiking, horseback riding, camping, fishing, mountain biking, and more!
• Charming Downtown:  Western heritage, local festivals, friendly people, unique boutiques, galleries, and diverse dining options.

Ready for a rewarding career and an incredible lifestyle?  Reach out today!
E-mail your CV to Timothy A. Bernau ( Show Email timothy.bernau@va.gov "> Show Email timothy.bernau@va.gov ) or call 623-920-1304 for details and to apply.

The Northern Arizona VA Healthcare System (NAVAHCS) is a Joint Commission-accredited, complexity level three facility serving over 27,000 Veterans across Northern Arizona.  NAVAHCS provides a continuum of primary and secondary level medical, rehabilitative and long-term care to Veterans residing in northern and central Arizona. Acute medical care consists of primary and secondary inpatient medicine and ambulatory care, which includes general medicine, ambulatory procedures, and selected specialized medical clinics. The Emergency Department is open 24 hours/7 days a week. The VA Medical Center is located in Prescott, Arizona and Community Based Outpatient Clinics are located in Anthem, Flagstaff, Cottonwood, Kingman and Lake Havasu City, AZ.  NAVAHCS has five VA Outreach Clinics; Holbrook, Page, Tuba City, Polacca and Kayenta, AZ, along with a Primary Care Outreach Clinic in the Indian Health Service Health Care Center located in Chinle, AZ. NAVAHCS catchment area covers over 65,000 square miles. 

Paid Time Off:

• 26 Days paid annual (vacation/personal) leave
• 13 Days paid sick leave each year with no limit on accumulation
• 11 Federal holidays  with pay annually
• 5 Days paid absence to attend approved CME courses

Insurance:

• Health Insurance : VA employees have an outstanding number of health insurance plans from which to choose (premiums are partially paid by VA) Lifetime Healthcare Insurance options available
• Dental & Vision : Our insurance options also include exceptional vision and dental plans (premiums are partially paid by VA)
• VA employees have the option to use Flexible Spending Accounts , which allow you to use tax-free dollars to pay for medical, dental, and vision care expenses that are not reimbursed by your health insurance plan
• Term life insurance , family, and additional coverage options are available with the cost shared by the Federal Government
• Long-term care insurance is available as an option

Federal Retirement Plan:

• VA employees are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). FERS is a three-tiered retirement plan composed of 1) Social Security benefits, 2) FERS-RAE basic benefits (pension), and 3) Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) which is a 401K-type plan
• How is the pension funded? VA employees automatically contribute 4.4% of their salary each pay period and the VA contributes 12.2% of the employee’s salary each pay period for a total annual contribution percentage equal to 16.6% of the employee’s salary
• Similar to the 401(k) savings plans widely available in the private sector, the TSP allows employees to tax defer a portion of their income each year, subject to the requirements of the Internal Revenue Service. For calendar year 2025, employees under the age of 50 may contribute up to $23,500, while those over age 50 are eligible to make catch-up contributions that allow them to defer up to $31,000.
• The Federal Government also provides an automatic basic contribution (1% of salary) and up to 4% of salary in matching contributions , depending on the amount of the employee contribution
• For retired military personnel, these benefits are in addition to full monthly retirement pay or pension
• In addition to FERS, VA provides health care insurance coverage for retired personnel
• Disability Retirement
• Employees are vested in a federal pension after only 5 years service

Visit Prescott, Arizona!  Nestled at an elevation of 5,200? feet above sea level amongst the largest stand of ponderosa pine forests in the U.S., Prescott’s perfect weather provides an average temperature of 70 degrees, with four beautiful and distinct seasons, and breathtaking landscapes complete with granite mountains, lakes, streams, and rolling meadows filled with wildlife.

Here you’ll find many things to do including horseback riding, golfing, kayaking, fishing, hiking, camping, mountain biking, local breweries, restaurants, shopping, and a hometown feel that keep our visitors, young and old, coming back year after year.

Once the territorial capital of the state, Prescott is rich with history embodied in its world-famous Whiskey Row and abundant historical landmarks. Whether you’re seeking to relax in a natural environment filled with beauty and wildlife, or the history of Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday, and cowboy forays in the most famous saloons of the Old West, check out the True West and Real Adventure.  Visit Prescott, AZ

Have you ever been to one of those unicorn places you can’t believe has managed to stay under the radar as long as it has? And then you’re conflicted because you want to shout its praises from the rooftops, yet simultaneously keep its wonders all for yourself, too? That’s Prescott, Arizona.

Home to a charming downtown and stunning outdoor spaces, it’s an idyllic mountain escape less than two hour from Phoenix when the high desert heat starts to wear on you. Home to the largest free bluegrass festival in the U.S., the world’s oldest rodeo, and Arizona’s official Christmas city , Prescott is teeming with festivities year-round. Here are just a few of the highlights that make it so magical.