About the Role

Inpatient Psychiatrist (Locum Tenens)

Somerville, NJ

General Adult Inpatient Unit & C-L Coverage Excellent Work-Life Balance

Are you a Board-Certified or Board-Eligible Psychiatrist seeking a highly structured inpatient role with fantastic daytime hours and minimal weekend commitments? RWJ University Hospital Somerset in Somerville, New Jersey, is seeking a dedicated physician to support their Behavioral Health department. Featuring a robust nocturnist program that eliminates all overnight call, this position offers a highly collaborative team environment and a predictable schedule through the end of the year.

The Opportunity

Step into an established, multi-disciplinary behavioral health department to evaluate, manage, and treat adult patients with complex acute psychiatric conditions.

• Clinical Scope: Primary coverage is focused on 5W, a general adult inpatient psychiatric unit. Responsibilities include executing comprehensive psychiatric evaluations, rounding, managing medication protocols, and handling discharges. You may also occasionally provide coverage for the hospital’s high-volume Consultation-Liaison (C-L) service, which averages 8 to 10 consults per day across the Emergency Department and medical floors.

• Unit Dynamics & Support:

  • 5W Unit: A 27-bed unit where you will split the patient load evenly with another attending physician, maintaining a highly manageable daily caseload of 12 to 14 patients.

  • 1W Unit: A 20-bed unit supported by an APN and a fellow.

  • Supervisory Responsibility: The locum provider will hold standard clinical oversight and responsibility for an Advanced Practice Provider (APP) on the dedicated Eating Disorders unit.

• The Schedule: Full-time weekday coverage, Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM 5:00 PM.

• The Call Structure (No Nights): Due to a dedicated hospital nocturnist program, there are absolutely no overnight or after-hours call responsibilities (5:00 PM 8:00 AM, 7 days a week).

• Weekend Commitment: You will participate in a rotating daytime weekend coverage schedule just one weekend per month (Saturday and Sunday, 8:00 AM 5:00 PM). This includes rounding on the inpatient units and providing crisis unit coverage. On-site physicians note that weekend face-to-face rounding is typically completed by 2:00 PM, after which you can finish the shift taking remote phone calls from home until 5:00 PM.

Location: Somerville, NJ

Somerville is a vibrant, historic borough in Somerset County, widely celebrated for having one of the most active and award-winning downtown areas in Central Jersey.

• Dynamic Downtown: Downtown Somerville features a bustling, walkable Main Street lined with historic architecture, highly rated artisan bakeries, diverse international restaurants, and trendy boutiques.

• Community Events: Known for massive community gatherings, including the famous summer Friday Cruise Nights (classic car shows), outdoor music festivals, and a thriving local arts scene.

• Commuter Convenience: Offers a relaxed, suburban lifestyle with easy access to major transit links, including its own NJ Transit station on the Raritan Valley Line for direct travel across the region.

Compensation & Shift Logistics

• Contract Structure: Fixed hourly compensation with robust built-in daily and weekly overtime protections (overtime rates apply after 12 consecutive hours in a single daily shift).

• Assignment Timeline: 7-month block running from May 31, 2026, through December 31, 2026, with potential to extend.

• Onboarding: Fully supported credentialing pathway managed directly by the medical staff services coordinator.

Candidate Requirements

To align with the high clinical standards of this inpatient service, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Degree: MD or DO from an accredited medical program.

• Board Status: Must be Board Certified in Psychiatry, or truly and actively Board Eligible within their initial board window.

• Licensure: Active, unencumbered New Jersey State Medical License.

• Clinical Leadership: Comfort working seamlessly within an inpatient treatment team and providing clinical supervision to advanced practice nursing staff.

If you are a psychiatrist looking for a premium inpatient role offering a safe volume split and an incredible schedule with zero night call in Central Jersey, we invite you to apply. This role is essential for supporting regional behavioral health access apply today to connect with our recruitment team!

Job Details

• Location: New Jersey, United States
• Salary: – US Dollar . USD Annual