Summary The Physical Therapist serves patients in any Out-Patient Clinic, Acute Care unit, Geriatric clinics or CLC as patient care requirements dictate at the Northport Health Care System. This position will have a primary assignment to support the Out-patient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Program. They provide clinical services to address a vast array of problems, & embrace evidenced based practice standards in diagnosis, examination, management, intervention, treatment & outcome measurement. Responsibilities About the position: The Physical Therapist (PT) serves those patients in any Out-Patient Clinic, Acute Care unit, Geriatric clinics or CLC as patient care requirements dictate at the Northport Health Care System. This position will have a primary assignment to support the Out-patient Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) Program. Physical Therapists provide clinical services to address a vast array of problems that impact the health and function of a wide range of diverse patients. As independent practitioners, licensed physical therapists embrace evidenced based practice standards in diagnosis, examination, management, intervention, treatment and outcome measurement. Licensed physical therapists collaborate across the continuum of care. They ensure that services are coordinated, including ordering studies of value and being consumer-centered by referring, co-managing, engaging consultants, and independently supervising care. Duties include but are not limited to: The Physical Therapist is responsible for maintaining communication with the referring providers as well as any team members contributing to the care of their patients. The Physical Therapist makes autonomous clinical decisions in a Direct Access environment. This includes ability to independently evaluate and treat patients who seek physical therapy services. The Physical Therapist is expected to provide appropriate communication with the veteran and family members as appropriate, communicating with referring providers when needed as well as making appropriate referrals to other providers as situations dictate. The Physical Therapist will be expected to carry out assignments in an acceptable standard of productivity within national guidelines with the exception of home care assignments, where usual standards of productivity are not applicable due to road travel time requirements. The Physical Therapist interprets findings from examination, diagnostic studies/medical tests and, during evaluation, select appropriate clinical tests and measures, and then integrate findings into the physical therapy plan of care for the full range of patient populations. The Physical Therapist will establish a diagnosis within the scope of physical therapy and identify the appropriate intervention to treat and/or refer to another provider for further consultation when needed. The Physical Therapist will possess skill in performing examinations and evaluations of individuals who have or may develop impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions related to conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems while considering the effects attributable to unique psychosocial and environmental factors. The Physical Therapist will interpret findings from examination and evaluation, select appropriate test and measures, and integrate findings into the physical therapy plan of care for the full range of patient populations. The Physical Therapist will establish a diagnosis within the scope of physical therapy and identify the appropriate rehabilitation intervention, including referral to another provider for further consultation as clinically indicated. The Physical Therapist will determine physical therapy prognosis by incorporating examination findings with the patient's preferences in order to set clinically appropriate treatment goals, optimize outcomes and maximize functional independence. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 7:30 - 4:00PM Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 21Z33-A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Requirements 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. You may be required to serve a trial 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. 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. Basic Requirements: Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education: Transcripts (official or unofficial) must be included with all application packets. Individuals must have successfully completed a bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. OR; A master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. OR; A doctorate degree in physical therapy. Note: A degree program in physical therapy is required to be from an approved college or university approved by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE). License: All applicants must be licensed to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. (1) Exception based on Grandfathering Provision: All licensed Physical Therapists employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (a) Employees grandfathered into the GS-0633 occupational series as Physical Therapists may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation. (b) Physical Therapists who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of this qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of this standard. (c) Physical Therapists initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration, meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard and must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (d) If Physical Therapists who are grandfathered under this provision leave the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. (2) Loss of Certification. A Physical Therapist who fails to maintain the required license must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation, if qualified, and if a placement opportunity exists. Grade Determination: Physical Therapist, GS-0633-12 Experience: Candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level in the Physical Therapy field. Qualifying GS-11 grade level experience includes, but is not limited to: providing assessment and treatment intervention, planning and modifying treatment based on a patient's response to intervention and/or change in medical condition, general assignments in any physical therapy program area where advanced specialized knowledge is not required, serving as the sole Physical Therapist such as in an outpatient clinic, providing oversight and delegating patient care responsibilities to a Physical Therapist Assistant, and/or delegating non-patient care duties to non-licensed staff AND; Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: (a) Ability to make autonomous clinical decisions in a Direct Access environment. This includes ability to independently evaluate and treat patients who seek physical therapy services. (b) Skill in performing examinations and evaluations of individuals who have or may develop impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions related to conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems while considering the effects attributable to unique psychosocial and environmental factors. (c) Ability to interpret findings from examination and evaluation, select appropriate test and measures, and integrate findings into the physical therapy plan of care for the full range of patient populations. (d) Ability to establish a diagnosis within the scope of physical therapy and identify the appropriate rehabilitation intervention, including referral to another provider for further consultation as clinically indicated. (e) Ability to determine physical therapy prognosis by incorporating examination findings with the patient's preferences in order to set clinically appropriate treatment goals, optimize outcomes and maximize functional independence. (f) Ability to independently provide clinical oversight of Physical Therapy Assistants as 7 well as students on clinical affiliations who are in Doctoral PT Programs or PTA Programs Preferred Experience: APTA (American Physical Therapy Association) Board Certified Orthopaedics Specialist preferred. 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 GS-12. Physical Requirements: Work requires typical physical requirements of working within a Hospital Facility, Out-Patient Clinic, office, gymnasium or pool in the performance of job responsibilities. Physical exertion such as long periods of standing, or recurring and considerable crouching, bending, standing, stooping, stretching, or walking. Employees frequently carry light items such as books, office supplies, instruments, rehabilitation supplies and other similar materials. Work also includes frequent lifting of moderately heavy items weighing less than 23 kilograms (i.e., under 50 pounds) such as record boxes, equipment needed to perform your job, or assisting in patient and self-care transfer activities. 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 Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. 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.
