Physician Assistant - Primary Care

Summary

OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate whole health care to Veterans?

Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): APPROVED! Learn more.

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Duties

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The Physician Assistant for primary care functions either as a member of a Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) or a Float Practitioner whose primary areas of responsibility will involve performance of, and documentation of health care delivery for veterans according to VHA and DVAHCS PC standards within the VA Southern Oregon Rehabilitation Center & Clinics (SORCC) catchment area.VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.

Duties include but not limited to:

• Utilizes various encounter methods including face to face visits, telephone visits, and VA video connect visits (VVC).
• May be assigned to either any of the outpatient clinics or serve as a Float Practitioner where they will provide coverage in the area of greatest need, often times filling in for other providers or covering vacant positions within the VA SORCC catchment area.
• Practices general medicine with a focus on community-based outpatient clinical care.
• Independently manages a panel of patients with complex, chronic care issues using the best available evidence and national guidelines to achieve optimal population health and effective disease management.
• Demonstrates leadership and works collaboratively with assigned Primary Care Team and other interdisciplinary teams to identify, analyze, and coordinate internal and external resources to resolve care issues and meet medical and psychosocial needs of assigned panel of patients.
• Appropriately orders diagnostic and therapeutic tests relative to patient's age-specific needs and health condition.
• Appropriately prescribes pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic interventions that support the patient's ability to maintain or regain their health status.
• Monitors and documents the effectiveness of treatment interventions, achievement of institutional quality measures and performance metrics.
• Initiates referrals/consults to the appropriate service when indicated.
• Sets clinical care goals, short and long term, in collaboration with patient provider(s), and family members.
• Provides education to patients and their families regarding the complex medical, social, and behavioral conditions with a focus on self-management, prevention and wellness based on the patient's health goals and needs.
• Exemplifies the ICARE core values of Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence which define our culture and strengthen our dedication to those we serve.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.

Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): 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. Learn more.

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact View email address on click.appcast.io, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm

T elework : Not Available

Virtual : This is not a virtual position.

Recruitment/or Relocation Incentives : Not Authorized

Requirements

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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 ( 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.

Grade Determinations :

Physician Assistant-I (PA-I)

(a) Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. This is the entry level for PAs.

(b) 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)

(a) 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:

i. Two years of successful practice as a PA.

OR

ii. 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

iii. A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). 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-III (PA-III)

(a) 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:

i. Three years of successful practice as a PA.

OR

ii. 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

iii. 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.

(b) 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

Preferred Experience: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Primary Care, or Chronic Disease Management.

Physical Requirements: This position requires light lifting (under 15 pounds); light carrying (under 15 pounds); use of fingers; walking/standing (4 hours); able to see computer screen; and hearing (aid may be permitted).

Environmental Factors: Working closely with others and working alone.

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: 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:

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.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

Review our benefits

Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.