Summary Position is located in the Physical Therapy Department of the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS) in the Ann Arbor VA Heath System. The Physical Therapist Assistant (PTA)-Pelvic Health Specialist provides treatment that promotes the prevention, remediation, and rehabilitation of acute and chronic physical and psychosocial dysfunction. Responsibilities Major duties of this position include, but are not limited to: Provide treatment that promotes the prevention, remediation, and rehabilitation of acute and chronic physical and psychosocial dysfunction. Administer and monitor therapeutic interventions based on goals formulated by a Physical Therapist. Designated as the Pelvic Health Specialist PTA position for the department, consisting of maintaining advanced APTA course completion and education related to Pelvic Health treatment techniques. Participate in specialty treatment groups for the Pelvic Health diagnoses as assigned Liaison to Womens' Health and Urology Departments in the AAVA Healthcare facility. Provide administrative support to the Pelvic Health Physical Therapist to ensure appropriate scheduling and coverage of all patient appointments and therapy group offerings. Receive and interpret requests or instructions for procedures from the Physical Therapist. Plan and implement basic treatment programs and applies physical therapy procedures to patients under the supervision of a physical therapist. Consult with the licensed Physical Therapist regarding complex or special problem cases. Independently develop therapeutic exercise regimen for physical therapy patients based on the assigning physical therapists evaluation and goals. Modify treatment based on patient response. Complete review of patient data (including medical history). Assist in and render a course of treatment based on the assessed needs of the patient, developing progressive @types of physical therapy treatment programs. Assist therapist in development of a comprehensive specialized treatment plan that includes long and short-term goals. Persuade and motivate veterans and family members to participate in treatment plans and comply with indicated regimens and postdischarge activities. Interact with the patient and family regarding goals for treatment. Utilize the full range of modalities including, but not limited to, heat, cold, sound, electricity, and massage. Administer complex therapeutic exercises. Fits, adjusts and instructs patients in use of orthoses, prostheses, wheel chairs, and other mobility devices. Instruct, motivate and assist patients to learn and improve functional activities. Prepare and maintain appropriate equipment and supplies required for these treatments. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 07:30am - 4:00pm Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 94405A Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. 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. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service. Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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: United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy. Education. Individuals must meet at least one of the requirements below: Associate degree from an accredited community college, junior college, college or university in a physical therapy assistant education program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education; OR Graduate of foreign physical therapy assistant degree programs that meet the educational requirement and have successfully passed the National Physical Therapy Exam (NPTE) for PTAs. OR Graduate of military physical therapy assistant programs that meet the educational requirement and have successfully passed the NPTE for PTAs. Licensure. Current, full, active and unrestricted license as a PTA in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e. Puerto Rico) of the United States, or District of Columbia. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: Physical Therapy Assistant, GS-9 Experience. One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade (GS-08). In addition, the candidate must demonstrate one of the following: A minimum of 2000 hours of clinical practice directly in the specialty area, and completion of 60 contact hours of selected continuing education coursework. This time must be within the past five years; or Advanced Practice Proficiency (APP) in the specialty area recognized by the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA); or An additional academic degree related to the health care mission. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the basic requirements, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Ability to mentor other staff in advanced clinical guidelines and best practices. Ability to serve as a subject matter expert (SME) for healthcare providers in specialty practice areas regarding physical therapy care. Ability to present] advanced knowledge in the therapeutic interventions and clinical practice guidelines with the healthcare team. Ability to interpret and apply clinical practice guidelines Preferred Experience: Pelvic and Women's Health expertise 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-09. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is at the GS-09 grade. Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary. Some walking, standing, bending and carrying of light objects such as paper, books, etc., may be required. Computer work that requires long periods of continued data entry may cause eye strain or muscle strain from long periods of sitting. There may be occasional instances when the duties require pushing a patient in a wheelchair; there is no heavy lifting of patients nor transferring of patients 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 for 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.
