Physical Therapist (Clinical Specialist)- Orthopedics

Clarification from the agency

Open to all U.S. Citizens. Veterans preference applies. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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

• The Orthopedic Clinical Specialist assigned to Primary Care has responsibility for program development and program continuity in the area of Primary Care serving as a musculoskeletal expert. The physical therapist spends the majority of his/her time working in the Primary Care clinic area performing direct access Orthopedic examinations and treatment in as well as helps guide Veteran care for musculoskeletal complaints requiring communication and coordination to/with several other disciplines in addition to the PACT team.
• This individual demonstrates treatment competency that qualifies him/her to perform patient treatment procedures on Veterans with acute and chronic musculoskeletal complaints prior to being seen by their Primary Care provider or Specialist, i.e. Orthopedist or Neurologist.
• Establish goals, discharge plans, and referrals to other specialties based on evaluation findings and planning with the treatment team, patient, family, and/or significant other.
• Develops and carries out physical therapy treatments as indicated to meet the patients rehabilitation objectives of decreasing pain and rapidly improving function. Conducts treatment interventions one on one with patients in PACT. Appropriately coordinates with PACT provider and triages patients to outpatient rehabilitation or CHOICE for additional rehabilitation visits as needed.
• Assess the need for other services and refers as necessary based on subjective and objective evaluation, medical history and response to treatments if performed.
• Assess the need for and the patient's ability to use adaptive equipment required to increase the patient's function, independence and safety. As necessary, orders the appropriate equipment, issues it to patients, and trains them in the proper use of the device(s) in the PACT environment.
• Independently solves problems and helps determine diagnosis not covered by the manuals, assists with triage to radiology and specialty clinics, adapts and modifies treatment plans, activities and procedures, without supervisory guidance, to meet complex and challenging needs of the patients evaluated in PACT.
• As an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist in musculoskeletal dysfunction, expertise is essential in examination of the orthopedic patient with knowledge required for all aspects of these complex impairments. This includes not only musculoskeletal limitations, but also other associated multisystem dysfunction that may result in referral to non orthopedic specialists. A thorough understanding of psychological changes associated with acute and chronic pain and loss of functional skills and abilities is also required.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm
Telework: Situational (Ad Hoc)
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 623-52356-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 identification 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.
• 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. Non-licensed PTs, who otherwise meet the basic requirements in this standard, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate PT at the GS-11 grade level under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 (a)(1)(D) for a period not-to-exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such PT provide care only under the supervision of a PT who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

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 (see paragraph 2i).
  • 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.

Preferred Experience: Ortho PT Training

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-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-13 .

Physical Requirements: The incumbent must demonstrate the ability to walk, to get to other hospital locations on a daily basis, standing, repeated bending, reaching overhead, and pushing Veterans and objects for up to four hours a regular shift, prolonged sitting, moderate lifting and carrying of 15-44 pounds

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.

Qualified candidates will be referred in an unranked order unless Veterans Preference rules apply. If Veterans preference apply, applicants will be referred in the following order:

1. CPS/CP
2. XP
3. TP
4. SSP
5. All others

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.

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

• License
• Resume
• Transcript

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

Your resume/CV must include the following information for each job listed (a determination may not be able to be made if these items are missing):

• Job title and Duties
• Month & year, start/end dated (e.g. June 2020 to April 2021)
• Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
• Series and Grade, if applicable

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Clinical CV
• PCS Orders
• Performance Appraisal
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

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