Summary The Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center is currently seeking exceptional candidates for the position of Physician Assistant in the Orthopedic Surgery Department. The MEDVAMC is the most complex level 1A facility within the VA system and has the most complex surgical service offering state of the art surgical technologies. MEDVAMC serves as the acute tertiary care referral center for a large veteran population in East Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Mississippi. Responsibilities The duties of the Physician Assistant (Orthopedic) include but are not limited to: Performs patient evaluation including clinical history, physical examination, and ordering of standard laboratory and radiographic studies. Schedules clinic appointments for patients to be seen in consultation at the request of other services and arranges follow-up treatment as indicated for such patients by entering appropriate orders in the clinical record. Assists managing physician or residents in evaluation and management of outpatient clinic patients. Reviews and triages consults to the Orthopedic Service. Participates in the perioperative, intraoperative, and postoperative management of patients. Manages scheduling of patients for surgery. Serves as the liaison between fellows, residents, and patients, and also between consulting services such as rheumatology, dermatology etc. Performs removal of sutures, applies and removes casts and braces, and provides injections under supervision in the Orthopedic Clinic. Assists in surgical procedures as first or second assistant when needed. Writes progress notes concerning operation in chart and postoperative routine orders to be countersigned that day by the operating surgeon. VA offers a comprehensive Total Rewards Package. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm; subject to change based on facility needs. Telework: Not Available. 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. 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 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. 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- Grade I (PA-I):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-Grade II (PA-II):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 problems. ii. Ability to function autonomously and make independent medical decisions .iii. Skill to incorporate training and experience into the successful practice of patient care including telehealth medical care. iv. Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary environment for improvement of services for patient care. v. Ability to practice with colleagues and peers collaboratively. Physician Assistant-Grade III (PA-III):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. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is Grade III. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of Grade I to Grade III. Preferred Experience: Minimum of three years of Orthopedic experience is preferred. Physical Requirements: Light lifting (under 15 pounds) Light carrying (under 15 pounds) Reaching above shoulder Use of fingers Walking (2 hours) Standing (4 hours) Both legs required Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously Both eyes required Depth perception Ability to distinguish basic colors Ability to distinguish shades of colors Education 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.
