Clarification from the agency

Open to current, permanent Oklahoma City VA Healthcare System employees only. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

VA Careers - Physical Therapy: https://youtube.com/embed/Gi2hoFqIoqY

• Clinical Specialists are responsible for providing assessment and treatment interventions across the continuum of care. They carry out the full range of treatment where therapeutic objectives are complex, and treatment involved requires the application of highly specialized skills and knowledge, particularly as related to chronic pain patients. Established treatment procedures are not always applicable and, at times, must be substantially adapted and applied with critical concern for patients who are acutely or chronically ill, or who have a combination of severe mental or physical disabilities with secondary complications.
• Uses additional privileges with demonstrated training to include ordering diagnostic imaging, laboratory studies, specific pharmacy, and therapeutic medications approved by the medical facility in accordance with applicable requirements from The Joint Commission as needed to enhance clinical decision making.
• He/she is responsible to modify treatment plans and to identify therapeutic activity interventions based on the changing needs, goals, and performance of patients. The employment of unusual and innovative treatment techniques is often necessary to obtain the best medical/surgical outcome. The incumbent must coordinate and employ multiple treatment approaches simultaneously to accomplish complex treatment objectives.
• Clinical Specialists have advanced training in specialized treatments related to their area of practice and demonstrate expertise in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating treatment programs for geriatric adults and adult patients with chronic conditions. He/she provides feedback and instruction to all associated health care team members and students. If the medical center has a PT residency program, the clinical specialist may be on faculty for the program.
• Completes evaluation and treatment in a timely fashion; chart review will allow the incumbent an opportunity to assess appropriateness of the referral and possible contraindications for treatment.
• Consults are scheduled considering priority and frequency of care, and coordination of schedules with other members of the treatment team. Flexibility of schedule must be maintained to allow for unscheduled patients and for mentoring and consultation.
• Evaluation includes a medical history and results and interpretation of the appropriate tests and measurements performed. Tests are frequently complex and may need to be adapted because of multiple physical and emotional disabilities or present conditions.
• Assesses for appropriate orthotic devices used in joint protection and management. Orders devices; fits and trains on use.
• Utilizes evaluation data to plan and implement comprehensive patient treatment programs, immediately involving the patient in the goal setting and treatment processes as feasible. Incumbent modifies the treatment plan according to evaluative findings on an ongoing basis to meet short and long-term goals.
• Demonstrates a full professional and current understanding of the theories of physical therapy treatment and their proper application, particularly those specialized techniques related to orthopedic management.
• Recognizes even subtle responses or adverse reactions to treatment, initiates effective action immediately, and advises other health care team members as indicated.
• Involves the patient, family, significant others, and pertinent health care staff in the treatment process by ongoing communication through demonstration, instruction, team conferences, and chart documentation as appropriate to each patient's treatment goals.
• Assesses patient's learning needs, and plans and implements appropriate patient education programs, involving the patient, family, and significant others in the instructional process.
• Responsible for a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in a specialized treatment area of physical therapy. He/she will serve as a subject matter expert for health care providers regarding the delivery of care within physical therapy. Responsible to teach and mentor medical center staff in a specialized area of orthopedic management in physical therapy is demonstrated.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 635-51750-A
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

Qualifications

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.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency. Individuals appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA must be proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part
• Education and experience. The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below:
  • (1) Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
  • (2) Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
  • (3) Doctorate degree in physical therapy.
    • NOTE: Prior to 1995 the terminal degree for PT's was either a bachelors or master's degree. In 1995 CAPTE accredited all baccalaureate, master's, and Doctor of Physical Therapy terminal degree programs. Effective 2002, CAPTE changed its scope of accrediting activities of PT education programs to include only those programs that culminate in post baccalaureate degrees(eliminating the baccalaureate degree). Effective 2015, professional physical therapy education programs have only offered the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree to all new students.
    • NOTE: Individuals must be a graduate of a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited college or university. The CAPTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to accredit entry-level physical therapy programs. Verification of accredited programs may be obtained from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) at www.apta.org.
  • Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign physical therapy programs meet the requirements in subparagraph 3b if they have a full unrestricted and current license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. The Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) is a non-profit organization created to assist the United States (U.S.) Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS) and U.S. state licensing authorities by evaluating the credentials of Foreign Educated Physical Therapists (FEPTs) who wish to immigrate and work in the U.S. Although the licensing of physical therapists in the U.S. is a right and responsibility of each jurisdiction, foreign educated individuals must undergo an educational credentials assessment for substantial equivalency to the first professional degree in the US. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) is committed to protect the public and to provide leadership within the field and practice of physical therapy. FSBPT's Foreign Educated Standards Committee has developed standards that represent "best practices" in evaluation services. The Credentials Evaluation Standards were developed with input from the physical therapy credentialing agencies that are licensed to use FSBPT's Coursework Tool.
• Licensure. Individuals hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
  • NOTE. Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetency or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the state for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C 7402(f)). Effective November 30, 1999, this is a requirement for employment. This requirement does not apply to licensed physical therapists on VA rolls as of November 30, 1999, provided the individual maintains a continuous appointment and is not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license, registration or certification.

Grade Determinations:

GS- 13 Physical Therapist (Clinical Specialist)

• Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level and one of the following:
  • 1. Evidence of a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice directly in the specialty area. This time must be between the past two and five years; or
  • 2. Board Certification in the specialty area recognized by the ABPTS; or
  • 3. Completion of a fellowship program; or
  • 4. An additional advanced degree in a related field.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  • 1. Advanced knowledge and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in a specialized treatment area of physical therapy.
  • 2. Ability to serve as a consultant and subject matter expert for health care providers regarding the delivery of care within a specialized content area of physical therapy.
  • 3. Ability to teach and mentor medical center staff in a specialized content area of physical therapy.
  • 4. Ability to guide the work of a multi-disciplinary team in a specialized content area of physical therapy.
  • 5. Advanced knowledge and expert skill to perform and interpret specialized procedures and tests in evaluating the treatment outcomes in the assigned specialty content area.

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: The OKC VA HCS has a no-lift policy. There are lifts available throughout the hospital/CBOC if heavy lifting is required. Frequent lifting up to 35 pounds with frequent bending, stooping, pushing, pulling, overhead reaching and getting up and down from the floor may be required during the performance of this therapy position

How you will be evaluated

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

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.