Summary The Wilmington VA Medical Center located in Wilmington, Delaware is seeking a Physician Assistant for its Surgery Service Line- Orthopedic Surgery. The Certified Physician Assistant will utilize their clinical skills to facilitate, coordinate, and deliver comprehensive health care to eligible veterans at the Wilmington VA Medical Center. Responsibilities Duties include but not limited to: Clinical: The incumbent will be responsible for initial evaluation of patients in outpatient clinics. May include history, physical exams, ordering laboratory tests, x-rays, and other routine diagnostic tests. May institute appropriate treatment for less complex problems. Participates in the care of in-hospital nursing home, emergency room, clinic consultations received, may be written or verbal. Development of appropriate care plans for these patients. Conducts pre-operative work-ups and post-operative follow up care for patients. Conduct patient and family teaching/education to provide continuity of care. He/she shall be available for assisting in the operating room as needed. Performs simple laceration suturing; venipuncture; arterio-puncture; urinary catheterization and irrigation; suture removal; administration of IV fluids; administration of intramuscular, subcutaneous and intradermal injections; administers local nerve blocks, administration of local anesthetics and corticosteroids and cleansing and debridement of wounds as needed. Conduct procedures such as: Joint aspiration / injections, cast / splint application and removal, realignment of simple fractures and dislocations, closure of surgical wounds. Participate in rotating on call schedule. Administrative: Prompt screening of consultations and scheduling patients into the appropriate clinic. Assist in responding to patient inquiries and with clinical issues brought forth by a team member, or other personnel within or outside of this VAMC. Direct scheduling of appropriate x-rays and diagnostic tests in advance of clinic dates. Non-Routine/Non-Emergency Duties: The following duties may additionally be performed by the incumbent after direct consultation and the approval of the responsible physician: Wound aspiration. Wound incision and drainage. Wound irrigation. Suture of minor wounds and incisions. Administer IV or IM medications. Possible research involvement Emergency: The following emergency duties are to be carried out for patients in life threatening situations when a physician is not immediately available. The PA is to initiate these activities, but make every effort to summon a physician as soon as possible. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) including electrode fibrillation. Treatment of acute respiratory failure. Treatment of life threatening traumatic injuries. Endotracheal intubation. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. Work Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm 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 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 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 to 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: Experience in orthopedic surgery and current active clinical practice will be given preference. 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. 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: 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, 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: 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, 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: Ability to clinically evaluate facility patient care delivery systems and validate or identify barriers to safe and effective patient care 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) Ability to present clinical findings and recommendations to appropriate management officials Ability to clinically facilitate the delivery of patient care in collaboration with health professionals, health managers, and other health care personnel 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 Ability to participate clinically in the development of the PA patient care audit processes involving in-depth review and analysis of medical records 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: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service. 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.
