Clarification from the agency

All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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The PA has advanced clinical knowledge and competency and is able to function in a variety of roles. The PA has a scope of clinical practice in collaboration with a physician. The PA functions as the professional leader of a PACT team or an interdisciplinary health care team with broad-based, clinical expertise in caring for patients with chronic and complex disease. The PA possesses the administrative leadership necessary to promote interdisciplinary cooperation among the various disciplines. The PA demonstrates ability to assess the patient clinically, analyzes needs and coordinates care in an effective and cost-efficient manner to assure total management of the patient's identified needs. The purpose of the work is to provide the full range of assessment of needs, planning for care, teaching, and performance of routine and emergency procedures for primary care patients. The work product directly impacts the successful completion of the clinic's mission by increasing the well-being of substantial numbers of eligible beneficiaries.
Routine duties include:
Performing initial histories and physical examinations on outpatients. The supervising physician will review and countersign all admitting inpatient history and physical exams.

• Providing ongoing outpatient for assigned patients.
• Screening outpatients to determine need for further care.
• Prescribing medications within defined scope of practice.
• Ordering diagnostic studies such as laboratory tests, x-rays, electrocardiograms.

• Provide virtual urgent care/primary care services
• Primary Care of a panel of primary care patients (male and female)
• Provide comprehensive assessment, diagnostic work-up and clinic intervention, including comprehensive patient assessment, health history, physical examination, and patient education to Veterans in the Primary Care team setting; outpatients include both scheduled and unscheduled Veterans. Function as an integral part of a Primary Care multi-disciplinary team to coordinate, facilitate, and provide patient care and services.
• Discriminate between normal and abnormal findings to establish a diagnosis and initiate appropriate response to emergency health problems.
• Initiate appropriate referrals and consultations to other clinical services.
• Order and evaluate diagnostic tests as appropriate, recommend treatment and/or referral.
• Validate the effectiveness of previously implemented medical treatment.
• Initiate, evaluate, and change orders for medications.
• Include patient and family in planning care and establishing realistic measurable goals for health maintenance/improvement.
• Record/document health appraisal information, clinical assessments, treatment decisions, plan of care, ongoing management and therapeutic outcomes, order medications, diagnostic tests and referral consultations where needed for every patient encounter; recording will be accomplished using the electronic comprehensive patient record system (CPRS), and will be completed on the day of the encounter.
• Respond to computerized "alerts" indicating diagnostic test abnormalities and to health line requests from Veterans/family members on the day of receipt (weekends excepted).
• Follow Performance Measure guidelines, including completion of clinical reminders in CPRS. Access and timeliness standards; prescription order entry, National VA formulary requirements, and customer service standards.
• Work effectively with patients, families, members of the multi-disciplinary team, and other staff.
• Demonstrates flexibility in responding to clinic demands, adhere to personal and professional obligations and responsibilities, practice and maintain ethical standards, and sustain a work environment that is harmonious and customer service oriented.
• Providers will act as surrogates for the patients of their colleagues when their colleagues are on leave/travel.

Conditions of employment

• All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
• 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.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 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.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

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.

Physician Assistant Basic Requirements

• Master's degree in any discipline or a bachelor's degree in any discipline with one year of experience as a Physician Assistant ~AND~
• Successfully passed the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE) (or are you in the process to taking the exam) ~AND~
• Currently hold, or will hold, a full and unrestricted license to practice in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia.

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.

NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy.

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.