Summary VA Pittsburgh is looking to fill a cardiology vacancy within specialty care at the University Drive Campus in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania with either a Physician Assistant (PA) or an Advanced Practice Nurse (APN). This is determined by the selecting official. This announcement is for the PA position only. If you are interested in applying as an Advanced Practice Nurse please go to vacancy announcement: https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/851761900 Responsibilities The PA practices in the Cardiology Service to provide a full range of services emphasizing quality, timeliness, and the advancement of the Veterans Affairs (VA) mission. The PA provides advanced clinical practice, consultation, and management. This Cardiology PA will be responsible for managing Cardiology patients in an inpatient and outpatient setting. The PA is responsible for providing new and ongoing care of cardiac patients, acting on behalf of the patients to ensure that necessary clinical services are received and progress is made toward Cardiology team care goals. The primary effort of this Cardiology PA position will be in the Heart Failure subsection of Cardiology, where they will be responsible for managing heart failure patients following the management guidelines provided by the Heart Failure Society of America, the American Heart Association, and the American College of Cardiology. In collaboration with the Cardiology team, they are accountable for adhering to established policies, standards of care, and standards of practice. Management of diseases may include but are not limited to patients with cardiomyopathies, including ischemic disease, valvular disorders, arrhythmia, and angina. The PA is a licensed Practitioner responsible for providing the following duties that are within their scope of practice that include but are not limited to: Primary focus of practice is the independent clinical management of health care for patients in the Cardiology Consult Clinic, a general Cardiology clinic. Initiates referrals to other medical specialty clinics when warranted. Collaborates with other health care resources to ensure continuity of care. Order and interprets labs, diagnostic studies and other specialized cardiology testing. Evaluates patients for cardiology preoperative assessments, expedites the evaluation when indicated, and makes cardiology preoperative recommendations. Assists with triaging cardiology consults as applicable to expedite urgent outpatient cardiology consults, and to serve as a resource person to members of the medical staff and at outside medical centers (VA and non-VA) regarding the patient care and logistics of VA patients with cardiovascular disease. Provides coverage in all cardiology subspecialties as needed for continuity of care. Provides medical education for cardiology to patients and their families. Prescribes pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic interventions for cardiology patients. Assesses and adjusts the plan of care as needed to achieve optimal patient outcomes. Exemplifies the ICARE core values of-Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence. Demonstrates proficiency in management and diagnostic strategies for patients with ischemic and non-ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and advanced heart failure VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. VHA Physician Total Rewards. Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME) Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification) Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting Work Schedule: Monday- Friday 7:30am- 4:00pm. Compressed/Flexible: Not Available 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 U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. 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 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). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. Qualifications To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation. 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. Degree of doctor of medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs for the year in which the course of study was completed. Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Residency Training: Physicians must have completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. (NOTE: VA physicians involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status.) Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), b) OR [(2) Those approved by the American Osteopathic Association (AOA),OR (3) Other residencies (non-US residency training programs followed by a minimum of five years of verified practice in the United States), which the local Medical Staff Executive Committee deems to have provided the applicant with appropriate professional training and believes has exposed the physician to an appropriate range of patient care experiences. Residents currently enrolled in ACGME/AOA accredited residency training programs and who would otherwise meet the basic requirements for appointment are eligible to be appointed as "Physician Resident Providers" (PRPs). PRPs must be fully licensed physicians (i.e., not a training license) and may only be appointed on an intermittent or fee-basis. PRPs are not considered independent practitioners and will not be privileged; rather, they are to have a "scope of practice" that allows them to perform certain restricted duties under supervision. Additionally, surgery residents in gap years may also be appointed as PRPs. Proficiency in spoken and written English. Preferred Experience: Heart Failure experience. Cardiology Experience. 2+ years NP/PA experience. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: In Accordance With VA Directive and Handbook 5019. Heavy lifting up to (35 pounds); heavy carrying up to (35 pounds); straight pulling (2-4 hours); pushing (2-4 hours); reaching above shoulders (1-2 hours); use of fingers; both hands required; walking (4-6 hours); standing (4-6 hours); repeated bending (2-4 hours); both legs required; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and 20/40 in the other; both eyes required; ability to distinguish basic colors and shades of color; hear (aid permitted); mental and emotional stability. Education Degree of Doctor of Medicine or an equivalent degree resulting from a course of education in allopathic medicine or osteopathic medicine. The degree must have been obtained from an institution whose accreditation was in place for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are: Schools of medicine accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) for the year in which the degree was granted, or Schools of osteopathic medicine approved by the Commission on Osteopathic College Accreditation of the American Osteopathic Association for the year in which the degree was granted. For foreign medical graduates not covered in (1) or (2) above, facility officials must verify with the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) that the applicant has met requirements for certification, and must obtain a copy of the ECFMG certificate, if claimed by the applicant. [If the applicant does not claim an ECFMG certificate, facility officials must still confirm that the medical school meets (or met) ECFMG eligibility requirements for the year the candidate graduated.] NOTE: The Under Secretary of Health or designee in the VHA Central Office may approve the appointment under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 of a physician graduate of a school of medicine not covered above if the candidate is to be assigned to a research, academic, or administrative position with no patient care responsibilities. The appointment will be made only in exceptional circumstances where the candidate's credentials clearly demonstrate high professional attainment or expertise in the specialty area. Additional Information This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. 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.
