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.

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The Surgical Physician Assistant works full time in the Syracuse VA Surgical department. The incumbent functions as a Surgical Physician Assistant under the clinical supervision of a licensed Physician. The incumbent will provide all aspects of care to Veterans at the Syracuse VA Medical Center. The Surgical Physician Assistant works to provide weekend and nighttime coverage for: General, vascular, and Thoracic (GVT). The Surgical Physician Assistant is responsible for care of the GVT inpatient and cover emergencies and consults for general, vascular and thoracic services. The incumbent will perform rounding and inpatient patient care.

1. The incumbent staffs the general vascular thoracic patients with minimal supervision. Screens and responds to new consults and conducts follow up care to include, but not limited to: evaluation, diagnosis, treatment, ordering and interpreting imaging studies, ordering and reviewing laboratory studies and performs minor procedures.
2. The incumbent takes first call for the Surgical service: Responding to Emergency department and inpatient consults, performing weekend rounds, writing progress notes and orders on all patients on and who are being followed by the GVT service. Performing emergency minor surgical procedures, such as: suturing wounds, abscess drainage, etc.
3. Preoperative duties will include performing History and Physical examinations, ordering and reviewing preoperative labs, ECG's and Imaging studies., ordering preoperative consultations for medical clearance and assuring optimization prior to surgery. Writes preoperative and postoperative admission orders.
4. The incumbent performs daily postoperative rounds, might need to write postoperative orders, documents daily progress notes, orders labs, medications and imaging studies. Obtains consults from medical service and subspecialties as needed. Performs daily wound care, dressing changes and drain care on all inpatient postoperative patients. Removes Foley catheters and wound drains when indicated. Consults and collaborates with physical therapy and wound care team when indicted. Consults/communicates with social service, CLC, nursing home, extended care, and community rehab centers to assure proper discharge placement and care. Writes discharge orders and discharge summaries. Writes home health care orders as needed.
5. The incumbent performs daily postoperative rounds, and documents daily progress notes, orders labs, medications and imaging studies on all postoperative patients as indicated. Performs daily rounds on all inpatients that are being followed by the GVT service.
6. The incumbent might need to but are not required to: assists in operating room preparations, assists in the safe transfer of patients to and from the gurney and the operating room table, and facilitates correct patient position on the operating room table. Dresses all surgical wounds. Places post-op bandages and dressings.

SUPERVISORY CONTROLS

The Surgical Physician Assistant is professionally and clinically responsible to the Chief of Surgery Service (clinical and administrative). His/her work is reviewed for technical adequacy and conformance to policies, procedures and practices. The incumbent consults with unit team members and supervising physician regarding complex or unusual situations

QUALIFICATION
Meets the qualification standard for Senior grade Physician Assistant as defined in VA Handbook 5005, Part II Appendix IIG-8, Physician Assistant Qualification Standard Veterans Health Administration. The incumbent must have graduated with at least a Bachelor's Degree from a CAAHP accredited Physician Assistant program and possess current and active National Board Certification. State Licensure is required.

1. Point of contact (POC) for Inpatient transfers of GVT patients to and from Syr VA.
2. Collaborates with Health Systems Specialist (HSS) and Clinical Coordinator to complete GVT Service level Reviews.
3. Plans, organizes, coordinates, controls and evaluates complex problems in the GVT departments, including follow up actions required by internal and external review organizations and/or accrediting bodies.
4. Participates in GVT section meetings and performs a full range of administrative duties and directed by the Chief of surgery.

Work Schedule:
Monday 6 PM to 6 AM (12 hours)
Tuesday: 6 PM to 9:30 AM (15 hours)
Sunday: 6 AM to 6 AM (24 hours)
Compressed/Flexible: N/A
Telework: Not available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

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.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• 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).

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.

Preferred Experience: Surgical
(3) Physician Assistant-III (PA-III)

• (a) Experience and Education: PAs at the PA-III grade are at the full performance level and lead and organize patient care independently, practice within multidisciplinary teams, and coordinate all aspects of patient care across the health care system. They utilize advanced clinical knowledge and judgment in decision-making and evaluating outcomes. They function as experts in clinical practice and/or in areas related to the assigned roles and responsibilities, may serve as mentors for transitioning PAs, and may provide training for health care students. Individuals can demonstrate the KSAs for the full performance level by:
  • i. Three years of successful practice as a PA. OR
  • ii. Successful completion of a PA post-graduate residency program sponsored by VHA Office of Academic Affiliations or other postgraduate residency programs accredited by VA, ARC-PA, U.S. Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency and one year of professional practice as a PA. OR
  • iii. A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and one year of professional practice as a PA.
• (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-III:
  • i. Ability to clinically evaluate facility patient care delivery systems and validate or identify barriers to safe and effective patient care.
  • ii. Skill to consistently demonstrate an elevated level of expertise and autonomy in diagnosing and treating seriously ill, multi-symptomatic patients through facility Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE) and Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE).
  • iii. Ability to present clinical findings and recommendations to appropriate management officials.
  • iv. Ability to clinically facilitate the delivery of patient care in collaboration with health professionals, health managers, and other health care personnel.
  • v. Ability to implement and initiate clinical changes to established treatment protocols based upon new medical literature research findings to enhance patient delivery care for improved patient outcomes.
  • vi. Ability to participate clinically in the development of the PA patient care audit processes involving in-depth review and analysis of medical records

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.The full performance level of this vacancy is VN-03. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of VN-03 to VN-03.

Physical Requirements: In Accordance With VA Directive and Handbook 5019

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.