Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply. Responsibilities This Physician Assistant position is located within the Primary Care Service Line with the VA Togus Healthcare System in Bangor, Maine. This is a full-time position at 40 hours per week. NOTE: This multi-discipline recruitment will result in the hiring of one of the following disciplines: Physician Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, and Physicians. All interested Physicians must apply through announcement: CBTD-12956311-26-CC. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. The PA will be fully qualified and certified to function in a clinical role and in accordance with the guidelines and policies of the VA Togus Healthcare System (VATHCS). This individual is delegated the authority and responsibility in his/her area of expertise to assume major clinical, consultative, educational, research, and administrative duties and assignments related to the examination of claimants filing compensation and pension claims. Duties include, but are not limited to: Obtaining medical histories and performing physical examinations on inpatients and outpatients Admitting and discharging patients in consultation with, and on behalf of, the collaborating physician. Carrying out health promotion, disease prevention, and patient education activities. Dictating discharge summaries. The collaborating physician must countersign the discharge summary. Document operative notes if the PA was present for the procedure. The operative surgeon must review and co-sign the note. Evaluating outpatients to determine the need for further health care. Participation and documentation of Life Sustaining Treatment Goals of Therapy discussions, including DNR/DNAR orders Making daily rounds to observe and record each patient's medical progress, updating and summarizing medical records, changing orders when appropriate and notifying the responsible physician of significant changes in the patient's condition. Obtain and document informed consent for procedures for which the PA is an integral member of the treatment team performing the procedure such as assisting the primary surgeon (note: The PA need not participate in the particular procedure the patient is scheduled to undergo but the PA must be authorized to perform or participate in the procedure by the Scope of Practice and must have sufficient knowledge and training in the treatment procedure, its indications, risk and benefits, complications, and alternative treatment, to effectively counsel the patient). Obtain and document informed consent for treatments and procedures for which the PA is responsible. Ordering ancillary services, such as, pharmacy, social services, physical medicine and rehabilitation therapies, prosthetic services, etc. Ordering diagnostic studies and other special tests, such as Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Computerized Tomography (CT) scans, etc. Ordering or obtaining laboratory specimens. Ordering patient care supplies. Ordering VA specialty service consults and initiating requests for non-VA medical care and consults in accordance with VHA and local facility policy and procedures. Perform Compensation and Pension Evaluations Perform specialty service consults Performing periodic physical examinations on nursing home and domiciliary residents. Provide education and counseling of the patients and families in preventive care, medical conditions, and the use of prescribed treatments and drugs. Providing and coordinating medical care for assigned patients in any care setting, including establishing diagnoses, formulating and implementing care plans, and providing follow-up care Work Schedule: Full-Time, 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday-Friday Telework: Not authorized Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: May be authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Karen Chapman karen.chapman@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized. Requirements Conditions of Employment All qualified candidates are 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. 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. 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 of 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: Minimum of three years of recent, progressively responsible Primary Care experience as a Physician Assistant in an outpatient setting. 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. 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: 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.
