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:
a. Senior PA (Grade 3) in good standing
b. Proven record of leadership with evidence of strong advocacy for the PA profession
c. Solid understanding of pertinent VHA Policies and Directives to include VA Handbook 5005/134 PA Qualification Standards, VHA Directive 1063: PA Practice Authority, PA Occupational Codes HR Smart 2024, Above Minimum Entry Grade Worksheet and PA Pay setting, awards, and promotion tools, ePerformance, and PA functional statements.
d. Willingness to spend off time working on PA advocacy and support activities (i.e., meeting with interested PA candidates for hire, orientating new hires, meeting the VACO and VISN leadership, etc.)
e. Prepared to attend biweekly MEC assemblies, meet with HR for PA pay setting, serve as SME for Director, COS, Department and Service Chiefs on topics specific to PAs, and attend monthly national Chief PA meeting via TEAMS
Grade Determinations:
Physician Assistant-IV (PA-IV) Positions may include but are not limited to: Facility or Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) Lead PA, Facility PA Education Lead, PA Residency Program Director, or other Clinical and/or Administrative leadership assignments.
(a) PA (Facility Lead). Facility lead PAs have a thorough understanding of the various functions involved in the care of patients, and the ability to interact effectively with different medical and surgical specialists, health care team members, and administrative staff. Facility lead PAs have the knowledge and expertise pertaining to PA employment, credentialing, clinical practice, and appropriate utilizations of PAs. A lead PA can monitor patient care operations, polices, and work performance of fellow PAs.
i. Experience. PA facility leads require five years of experience, which includes progressively responsible leadership assignments, such as serving on any local committees, workgroups, or taskforces. The PA may exhibit knowledge of PA VHA employment and utilization of PAs through demonstrative actions as a facility point of contact (POC) for PA issues, policies, and directives.
ii. 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-IV:
a. Ability to provide clinically and occupationally focused orientation to new PA appointees and mentoring other PA staff members.
b. Knowledge of the FPPE and OPPE processes to evaluate and assess patient care services provided by PA staff.
c. Knowledge of the educational needs of PAs.
d. Ability to provide leadership and clinical oversight of PAs at the facility.
e. Ability to exercise independent judgment, perform tasks involving special technical, supervisory, or administrative lines.
f. Ability to communicate effectively with a diverse group of professional clinical staff.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this vacancy is Grade 3. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of Grade 1 to Grade 4.
Physical Requirements: Include repetitive body movements including: frequent reaching, standing, walking, and lifting of equipment and/or patients to provide patient care. This position requires extension of the hand(s) and arm(s) in any direction including above or below shoulder level, during the provision of patient care, including retrieval of needed equipment, supplies and to make contact with the patient. This position is typically non-sedentary, and frequently involves being in the standing position. This position requires moving about accomplish tasks, such as assisting with patient ambulation and moving one patient area to the next. This position requires the raising of objects from a lower position to a higher position or the movement of objects horizontally position to position. Lifting may be done to move a patient from one location to the next, i.e.- from the exam table to the chair, and in the movement of equipment or supplies.