Physical Therapist

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

Job summary

The US Department of Veterans Affairs Valdosta VA Clinic seeks a dedicated Physical Therapist to provide coverage in Primary Care, and to develop tailored treatment plans for all referred patients. You will collaborate closely with patients, families, care partners, and the care team, and supervise assigned students and volunteers at the Valdosta VA Clinic.

Applicants pending completion of educational or licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy and five years of progressively independent experience; or Master's degree and two years; or Doctorate in Physical Therapy.
• Graduate of a CAPTE-accredited program; verification via APTA may be requested.
• Foreign education qualifies if licensure is full and current in the U.S. or D.C.
• Full, current, unrestricted physical therapy licensure required; licensure submission on possession.
• Grandfathering provision for licensed PTs employed at VHA on the effective date of the standard.

Responsibilities

• Provide PT coverage in Primary Care and develop tailored treatment plans.
• Collaborate with patients, families, care partners, and the care team.
• Supervise assigned students and volunteers during clinical affiliations.

Skills

Clinical decision making

Autonomous practice

Supervising students

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy

Master's degree in Physical Therapy

Doctorate degree in physical therapy

Job description

The Physical Therapist will provide coverage in Primary Care as needed, developing and implementing tailored treatment plans for all referred patients. The role includes collaborating with patients, families, care partners, and the care team, as well as supervising assigned students and volunteers at the Valdosta VA Clinic.

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

Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a)).

English Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Education and experience. The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below: (Please submit transcript upon possession)

1. Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
2. Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist.
3. Doctorate degree in physical therapy.

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 Education. Graduates of foreign physical therapy programs meet the education requirements stated above 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.

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. (Please submit licensure upon possession)

Grandfathering Provision. All licensed PTs employed in VHA on the effective date (2/7/2018) of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

Grade Determinations

In addition to the basic requirements, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates.

GS-12 Physical Therapist (Full Performance Level)

Education, Experience and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, hold a valid unrestricted state license and demonstrate all the KSAs below:

• 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.

At the full performance level, PTs are responsible for independently providing assessment and treatment interventions to inpatients and outpatients received through healthcare provider referrals and patient self-referrals. Guided by differential and movement diagnoses, PTs perform 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 personal and environmental factors. PTs interpret findings from examination, diagnostic studies/medical tests and, during evaluation, select appropriate clinical tests and measures, and then integrate findings into the physical therapy plan of care for the full range of patient populations. PTs establish a diagnosis within the scope of physical therapy and identify the appropriate intervention to treat and/or refer to another provider for further consultation when needed. They determine physical therapy prognosis by incorporating examination findings with the patient's preferences for meaningful level of function in order to set clinically appropriate treatment goals and optimize outcomes. Physical therapists select appropriate equipment needed to substitute for loss of function or to substitute for limited function of individuals they treat. Staff PTs at this level practice autonomously, making recommendations and referrals to other medical specialties/services as clinically indicated during ongoing assessment of patients under their care. The staff PT may also develop and provide individualized clinical training experiences for physical therapy students in facilities with established clinical experience rotations. PTs at this level may be given general assignments in any/all areas where physical therapy services are deemed necessary, and/or may serve as the sole PT at a less complex facility. Individuals may perform ancillary assignments as deemed appropriate given the needs of a facility on an occasional basis, where the amount of work is not substantial (less than 25% of the duty time).

Preferred Experience

Have at least 3 years of primary care experience or acquire a APTA specialty certification

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 GS-12.

Physical Requirements

Physical Therapy is considered a vocation that requires "medium" work. Medium Work entails: exerting 20-50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical Demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work. (i.e.: more than exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 10 pounds frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects). Performing passive range of motion exercises that require the movement of patients' extremities in all planes of motion. Physical Therapy also requires good manual dexterity to manipulate tools and equipment.