Summary This Physician Assistant (Lung Transplant Specialty Service) position are located in the Specialty Care Service at the West Roxbury campus location. This is a full-time, 40 hour position. This position may also be filled by a Nurse Practitioner (NP). All interested NPs must apply through announcement: CBTD-12779040-25-HF. Responsibilities This Physician Assistant (Lung Transplant Specialty Service) position are located in the Specialty Care Service at the West Roxbury campus location. This is a full-time, 40 hour position. This position may also be filled by a Nurse Practitioner (NP). All interested NPs must apply through announcement: CBTD-12779040-25-HF. The Physician Assistant will manage the daily patient care-related operations of the collaborative BWH/VA lung transplant program. The care provided includes participation in the lung transplant referral and evaluation process, work-up and follow-up of patients undergoing evaluation for lung transplant, maintenance of the lung transplant database, and assistance with the outpatient follow-up of patients after lung transplantation. The Physician Assistant provides and oversees the lung transplant services under the supervision of the Pulmonary faculty. Duties include, but are not limited to: Assists with review and care plan implementation for patient referrals. Coordinates the testing, consultations, and other assessments required as part of the transplant evaluation process. Reviews results with transplant physicians and surgeons and communicates next steps in care plan with patient as appropriate. Communicates with patients, referring providers, and other involved parties as appropriate to relay results of evaluation and plan of care. Participates in patient education activities, support groups, and group education sessions as appropriate. Acts as liaison between members of inpatient care team, including physicians, trainees, physician assistants, inpatient care coordination team, inpatient nurse coordinator, and outpatient coordinators. Facilitates access to and efficiency of outpatient care by direct patient management in clinic setting in conjunction with attending physicians, documentation in outpatient medical record, and integration of inpatient and outpatient services. Participates in monitoring patient progress by facilitating transfer of communication with patient/family, other team members, providers, and agencies. Facilitates interactions of multi-disciplinary care team, including physicians, physician assistants, clinical and administrative care coordinators, social work, pharmacist, nutrition support, and outside consultants. Assumes primary responsibility for continued coordination of patient and family education in the outpatient setting with physicians, nutrition, social work, and pharmacist. Participates in and coordinates patient/family education programs. Participates in development and implementation of patient teaching materials. Meets regularly with Program/Surgical/Medical Directors and Social Work to improve upon existing and to introduce new patient education/support initiatives. Meets regularly with Program/Surgical/Medical Directors to facilitate quality and process improvement initiatives. Implements and assesses agreed-upon initiatives and summarizes results/feasibility for team. Meets regularly with Program/Surgical/Medical Directors to initiate and develop community outreach programs. Meets regularly with Program/Surgical/Medical Directors to identify potential transplant patients. Initiates and maintains communications with referring physicians to determine patient status and provide clinical updates. Attends Lung Transplant clinic and sees patients independently in the outpatient setting, formulates a plan of care, and reviews and discusses with supervising MD. Helps in outpatient procedures such as bronchoscopies as needed. Helps coordinate outpatient medical therapy with consulting services. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 08:00 am - 4:30 pm Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Requirements 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: 1 year experience in Pulmonary Critical Care. Grade Determinations: Physician Assistant-I (PA-I) Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. This is the entry level for PAs. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. The following list of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) present the minimum skill set expected of an Entry Level PA. This practice may include, but is not limited to: Ability to utilize the principles of PA practice in the care of assigned patients to provide appropriate care. Ability to perform patient history and physical. Ability to formulate a plan and provide treatment to the patient. Ability to provide patient care that is abreast of changing concepts and advancements in the profession. Physician Assistant-II (PA-II) Experience and Education. The PA at this grade is at the intermediate grade level and has had progressively increasing responsibility and experiences as indicated in the KSAs listed below. Individuals will have demonstrated the ability to analyze and solve more complex medical problems than at the entry level grade and can utilize their training in the successful practice of patient care and participate in team problem solving. Individuals demonstrate the KSAs of PA-II intermediate level by: Two years of successful practice as a PA. OR 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. OR A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). 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-II: Skills to analyze and solve complex medical problems. Ability to function autonomously and make independent medical decisions. Skill to incorporate training and experience into the successful practice of patient care including telehealth medical care. Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary environment for improvement of services for patient care. Ability to practice with colleagues and peers collaboratively. Physician Assistant-III (PA-III) Experience and Education. PAs at the PA-III grade are at the full performance level and lead and organize patient care independently, practice within multi-disciplinary 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: Three years of successful practice as a PA OR 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 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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is PA III. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of PA I to PA III. Physical Requirements: This work is mostly sedentary and requires some standing, bending and carrying light items. The incumbent must have the ability to stand and walk for prolonged periods of time to interact with the patients and other services. Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
