Summary The position is located at the Corporal Michael J. Cresenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA (CMC VAMC). The incumbent functions as a Physician Assistant at the CMCVAMC with a primary responsibility to provide care to patients on the Cardiology Service. Responsibilities VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. The position is located at the Corporal Michael J. Cresenz VA Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA (CMC VAMC). The incumbent functions as a Physician Assistant at the CMCVAMC with a primary responsibility to provide care to patients on the Cardiology Service. The Cardiology Physician Assistant is responsible for supporting the Cardiology section of Medical Service as a mid-level provider. He/she utilizes advanced skills in problem identification and clarification, treatment, planning and implementation of the treatment plan for Veterans with cardiac conditions. The incumbent works in collaboration with other members of the healthcare team to improve the quality of care delivered to the Veteran. Duties include but are not limited to the following: Coordinates care for patients in the Cardiology clinics to ensure that the care is timely, appropriate, of high quality and cost effective. Provide professional assessment, coordination and planning of multiple health care services for both inpatients and outpatients with cardiac diseases. Provides ongoing evaluations of care management services; works closely with the Cardiology attending physicians, fellows, Primary Care and other specialties. Provides clinical support to RNs, LPNs and MSAs in the Cardiology Service. Safely prescribes interventions and treatments which may include the prescriptions of medication. Responsible and accountable for a broad range of health services which include, but are not limited to, promotion of health, prevention of illness and disability, diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic conditions/diseases, and management of health care during the acute and chronic condition phases of illness. Responsible for consultation and collaboration with other health care providers. Performs quality assurance support as assigned. Responsible for the assessment and prescription of intravenous diuretics as an inpatient or outpatient setting. Responsible for assessment and treatment of General Cardiology patients, especially those with arrhythmias, known obstructive heart disease and congestive heart failure. Ability to perform cardiac stress testing. Ability to work on a flexible schedule when needed. Performing initial histories and physical examinations. Obtaining consent and documenting procedures performed for which the PA is responsible. Documenting progress notes and summaries in the patient's medical record, including discharge summaries and patient teaching. Providing education and counseling of patients and families in preventative care, medical conditions and the use of prescribed treatments and drugs. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm Compressed/Flexible: Not authorized Telework: Not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. 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. 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 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 Education: Master's degree in any discipline or a bachelor's degree in any discipline with one year of experience as a Physician Assistant ~AND~ Certification: Successfully passed the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE) (or are you in the process to taking the exam) ~AND~ Licensure: 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. 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: PAs appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) Preferred Experience: Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates. Grade and Step determinations of the selected applicant will be determined by the appropriate Physician Assistant Professional Standards Board and will be based on the selected individuals education and experience Physician Assistant-I (PA-I) Experience and Education: None beyond the basic requirements. This is the entry level for PA's 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: i. Ability to utilize the principles of PA practice in the care of assigned patients to provide appropriate care ii. Ability to perform patient history and physical iii. Ability to formulate a plan and provide treatment to the patient iv. 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, US Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency OR a doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the US Department of Education. 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-II: i. Skills to analyze and solve complex medical problemsii. Ability to function autonomously and make independent medical decisionsiii. Skill to incorporate training and experience into the successful practice of patient care including telehealth medical careiv. Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary environment for improvement of services for patient carev. Ability to practice with colleagues and peers collaborativelyPhysician 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, US Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency AND one year of professional practice as a PA 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-III: i. Ability to clinically evaluate facility patient care delivery systems and validate or identify barriers to safe and effective patient care ii. Skill to consistently demonstrate an elevated level of expertise and autonomy in diagnosing and treating seriously ill, multi-symptomatic patients through facility Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE) and Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE) iii. Ability to present clinical findings and recommendations to appropriate management officials iv. Ability to clinically facilitate the delivery of patient care in collaboration with health professionals, health managers, and other health care personnel v. Ability to implement and initiate clinical changes to established treatment protocols based upon new medical literature research findings to enhance patient delivery care for improved patient outcomes vi. Ability to participate clinically in the development of the PA patient care audit processes involving in-depth review and analysis of medical records PREFERRED EXPERIENCE: Minimum of two years of inpatient and or outpatient cardiology in an acute care setting. Experience with Cardiac Electrophysiology and Cardiac Rhythm Management preferred REFERENCES: VA Handbook 5005/134, Part II, Appendix G8, Physician Assistant Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local VA Human Resources Office 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 01 to 3. Physical Requirements: Physical demands include repetitive body movements including the following: 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 requires the maintenance of an upright position to perform duties associated with patient care. 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 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.
