Core Civic logo
Core Civic
Watonga, Oklahoma

Psychiatrist

PsychiatryFull-Time

Listed compensation

$300K - $350K

The week · per this posting

Ask the employer about the work setting, call expectations, weekend coverage and time off.

Posted 1mo ago

Job Description

Compensation: $300,000 - $350,000/yr

Benefits include medical, dental, vision, PTO, holiday pay, five CME days, DEA reimbursement, and subscription to Up to Date.

At CoreCivic, we do more than manage inmates, we care for people. CoreCivic is currently seeking Psychiatrist who have a passion for providing the highest quality care in an institutional setting.

The Psychiatrist is responsible for providing comprehensive psychiatry services to incarcerated individuals within a correctional facility. This includes assessing, diagnosing, and treating psychiatric disorders and collaborating with a multidisciplinary team to ensure the delivery of quality healthcare services within a medical home model.

The successful applicant should be able to perform ALL of the following functions at a pace and level of performance consistent with the actual job performance requirements.

Psychiatric Assessment and Diagnosis

Conduct thorough psychiatric evaluations and assessments of incarcerated individuals to determine the presence and severity of mental health disorders.

Diagnose and classify mental illnesses according to established diagnostic criteria (e. g., DSM-5).

Assess and evaluate suicide risk, self-harm, and dangerous behaviors among incarcerated individuals.

Collaborate with other healthcare professionals and correctional staff to gather relevant information for accurate diagnoses.

Treatment Planning and Implementation

  • Develop and implement individualized treatment plans for incarcerated individuals with psychiatric disorders.
  • Prescribe appropriate psychiatric medications and monitor their effectiveness and side effects.
  • Provide brief psychotherapy and counseling services to incarcerated individuals, using evidence-based therapeutic modalities.
  • Collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to coordinate care and ensure a holistic approach to treatment.
  • Modify treatment plans as needed based on patients' progress and response to interventions.

Crisis Intervention and Emergency Services

  • Respond to psychiatric emergencies within the correctional facility promptly and efficiently.
  • Conduct crisis assessments, provide stabilization, and implement appropriate intervention strategies.
  • Collaborate with correctional staff and healthcare team members to implement emergency response protocols.
  • Determine the need for a higher level of psychiatric treatment when necessary.

Collaboration and Consultation

Collaborate with other healthcare professionals, including primary care physicians, psychologists, social workers, and nurses, to provide integrated care to incarcerated individuals.

Consult with the interdisciplinary team to develop comprehensive treatment plans for incarcerated individuals with complex psychiatric needs.

Provide expertise and guidance to correctional staff regarding mental health issues, crisis management, and suicide prevention.

Participate in case conferences, treatment team meetings, and quality improvement initiatives.

Documentation and Compliance

Maintain accurate and up-to-date psychiatric records for each incarcerated individual, including assessments, diagnoses, treatment plans, and progress notes.

Ensure compliance with relevant laws, regulations, and ethical guidelines pertaining to correctional healthcare and patient confidentiality.

Adhere to the correctional facility's policies and procedures related to documentation and record-keeping.

Education and Training

Stay updated with the latest advancements in psychiatric medicine, treatment modalities, and relevant research.

Engage in continuous professional development and relevant educational activities.

Provide training and education to correctional staff on mental health topics, crisis management, and de-escalation techniques.

Qualifications

  • Medical degree (MD or DO) from an accredited institution.
  • Current and unrestricted medical license to practice medicine in the state/jurisdiction where the correctional facility is located and DEA.
  • Valid state identification.

Experience in providing psychiatric care, preferably with experience in correctional medicine or working with underserved populations.

Strong diagnostic and assessment skills, with knowledge of psychiatric disorders, treatment options, and psychopharmacology.

  • Excellent communication, interpersonal, and collaboration skills.
  • Ability to work effectively in a challenging and dynamic environment.
  • CoreCivic is a Drug-Free Workplace & EOE including Disability/Veteran.

Key Responsibilities

The psychiatrist is responsible for conducting psychiatric evaluations, diagnosing mental health disorders, and developing individualized treatment plans for incarcerated individuals. They also provide crisis intervention, prescribe medications, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to ensure high-quality healthcare delivery.

Qualifications

Education
Doctoral or professional degree (postgraduate degree)
Experience
2+ years of experience

Certifications

DEA License

Key Skills

Interdisciplinary collaborationSuicide risk assessmentClinical evaluation

Work-Life Balance Analysis

WeekdayDoc's proprietary algorithm rates Psychiatrist at Core Civic a 7.2 out of 10 for work-life balance — classified as very good. This places the position in the Above average in Psychiatry — ranked against 1,760 active Psychiatry listings on WeekdayDoc.

Psychiatry — Physician Career Context

Of the 50 active Psychiatry listings this role was benchmarked against, 64% are remote, 52% have no call, 74% require no weekends.

Psychiatry pay on WeekdayDoc is down 4.1% vs. the prior quarter (through Aug 2026).

The cost-of-living index for Oklahoma is 87.8 (US average = 100; BEA Regional Price Parities (2024)), so the posted ~$325k midpoint carries the purchasing power of roughly $370k in an average-cost state. 60.9% of Oklahoma clinicians report burnout symptoms in WeekdayDoc's Burnout Index (2026-01 data).

Top Psychiatrist Jobs

40 matches · ranked by pay

Salary Distribution40 jobs · 13 employers

7
<$370k
6
$370k-415k
18
$415k-460k
8
$460k-505k
1
$541k

Annual compensation range

Benefits & Perks40 jobs · 13 employers

401k / retirement match
90%
Sign-on bonus
83%
CME allowance
33% this job
Visa sponsorship
10%
Relocation assistance
8%

Share of similar jobs offering each benefit

#1

Child & Adolescent Psychiatrist

Pacific Neuropsychiatric Specialists · Orange, California

$360k-$541k
#2

Clinical Psychiatrist - Child Adolescent or Adult

LifeStance Health · Des Moines, Iowa

$320k-$500k
#3

Outpatient Psychiatrist

$500k
#4

Psychiatrist Full Time

$300k–$500k
+ 38 more · ranked by pay

Work-life snapshot

median 6.5this job 7.2
Better work-life than 60% of Psychiatry listings

Listing-based score, 0–10, across 1,760 comparable listings. Shaded area = the share scoring below this one.

Living in Watonga

Typical 3-bedroom home value
$128k≈ 0.4× annual pay
Median resident rent
$784/mo≈ 3% of gross pay
Residents’ average commute
18 min
State income tax
Up to 4.8%
Sources & methodology

Sources: Zillow home values (Aug 2026), U.S. Census ACS 2024 five-year.

Ratios use this listing’s gross annual pay. Not a cost-of-living guarantee.

Core Civic logo

About Core Civic

Public Safety
Nashville, TN
5,001-10,000 employees

Benefits & Perks

Medical
Dental
Vision
PTO
Holiday pay
Five CME days
DEA reimbursement
Subscription to Up to Date