Physical Therapist

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Mexico (MO); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs seeks a licensed Physical Therapist to join our clinical team. This GS-12 position engages in autonomous patient care in a direct-access setting and qualifies for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP).

Applicants must hold a CAPTE-accredited Doctorate in Physical Therapy or equivalent and an unrestricted license, with relevant GS-11 level experience. English proficiency required.

Qualifications

• Must hold full, unrestricted PT license in a U.S. state or DC.
• Education: Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT) or equivalent CAPTE-accredited program.
• One year of GS-11 level experience or higher preferred.

Responsibilities

• Make autonomous clinical decisions in a Direct Access environment.
• Perform examinations and evaluations of musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and integumentary systems.
• Interpret findings and integrate into the physical therapy plan of care.
• Establish a diagnosis and identify rehabilitation interventions as clinically indicated.
• Determine prognosis and set clinically appropriate treatment goals.
• Provide clinical oversight of Physical Therapy Assistants and students.

Skills

Autonomous clinical decisions

Clinical examinations

Evaluation interpretation

Plan of care development

Prognosis and goals setting

Supervision of PTAs

Education

Doctorate in Physical Therapy (DPT)

CAPTE-accredited program

Job description

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. 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.
• English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English.
• Licensure: Individuals hold a full, current, and unrestricted license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Copy of licensure required with application package.
• Education and Experience: The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below (copy of transcripts required with application package):
• Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
• Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
• Doctorate degree in physical therapy.
  • NOTE: Prior to 1995 the terminal degree for PT's was either a bachelors or master's degree. In 1995 CAPTE accredited all baccalaureate, master's, and Doctor of Physical Therapy terminal degree programs. Effective 2002, CAPTE changed its scope of accrediting activities of PT education programs to include only those programs that culminate in post-baccalaureate degrees(eliminating the baccalaureate degree). Effective 2015, professional physical therapy education programs have only offered the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree to all new students.
  • NOTE: Individuals must be a graduate of a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited college or university. The CAPTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to accredit entry-level physical therapy programs. Verification of accredited programs may be obtained from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) at www.apta.org.
  • Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign physical therapy programs meet the requirements in subparagraph 3b if they have a full unrestricted and current license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. The Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) is a non-profit organization created to assist the United States (U.S.) Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS) and U.S. state licensing authorities by evaluating the credentials of Foreign Educated Physical Therapists (FEPTs) who wish to immigrate and work in the U.S. Although the licensing of physical therapists in the U.S. is a right and responsibility of each jurisdiction, foreign educated individuals must undergo an educational credentials assessment for substantial equivalency to the first professional degree in the US. The Credentials Evaluation Standards were developed with input from the physical therapy credentialing agencies that are licensed to use FSBPT's Coursework Tool.

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).

GS-12 Grade Requirements

Applicants must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, hold a valid unrestricted state license and demonstrate all of the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

• Ability to make autonomous clinical decisions in a Direct Access environment. This includes ability to independently evaluate and treat patients who seek physical therapy services.
• Skill in performing examinations and evaluations of individuals who have or may develop impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions related to conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems while considering the effects attributable to unique psychosocial and environmental factors.
• Ability to interpret findings from examination and evaluation, select appropriate test and measures, and integrate findings into the physical therapy plan of care for the full range of patient populations.
• Ability to establish a diagnosis within the scope of physical therapy and identify the appropriate rehabilitation intervention, including referral to another provider for further consultation as clinically indicated.
• Ability to determine physical therapy prognosis by incorporating examination findings with the patient's preferences in order to set clinically appropriate treatment goals, optimize outcomes and maximize functional independence.
• Ability to independently provide clinical oversight of Physical Therapy Assistants as well as students on clinical affiliations who are in Doctoral PT Programs or PTA Programs.

GS-11 Grade Requirements

None beyond the basic requirements.

Desirable Factors

Three years of outpatient PT clinical practice with experience treating chronic pain. Experience working in direct access environment and with Primary Care.

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-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12.