Supervisory Physical Therapist

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Lubbock (TX); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The Supervisory Physical Therapist position is located at the Lubbock VA Clinic under the Community Based Clinics Service. The incumbent oversees the physical therapy program, provides supervision of staff, and manages administrative aspects of the PT department.

Requirements include citizenship, English proficiency, and appropriate PT education/licensure. Advanced education or CAPTE accreditation is noted, with opportunities for grandfathering for current VA employees.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy with five years of progressive PT experience, or
• Master's degree in Physical Therapy with two years of progressive PT experience, or
• Doctorate in Physical Therapy with required licensure and credentials.

Responsibilities

• Supervise, administer and direct the physical therapy program.
• Provide supervision of clinical and training programs and oversee staff.
• Manage human resources functions and ensure quality and compliance.

Skills

Staff supervision

Clinical guidance

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy

Master's degree in Physical Therapy

Doctorate in Physical Therapy

Job description

The Supervisory Physical Therapist is assigned under the Community Based Clinics Service and is located at the Lubbock VA Clinic. Supervisory PTs are responsible for the supervision, administrative management, and direction of the physical therapy program. The incumbent provides supervision of key clinical and training programs, including the overall technical oversight of the staff that He/she administratively supervises. 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. Individuals appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA must be proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
• Education and experience. The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below:
  • (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.
    • 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.
• 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. Non-licensed PTs, who otherwise meet the basic requirements in this standard, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate PT at the GS-11 grade level under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 (a)(1)(D) for a period not-to-exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such PT provide care only under the supervision of a PT who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment.

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).

Grade Determinations

• GS-13
  • Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs.
    • Knowledge of contemporary physical therapy across multiple areas of practice, and the demonstrated ability to apply this knowledge to provide clinical guidance to Staff PTs within the department.
    • Knowledge of human resources administration, including such functions as the ability to interview and select qualified applicants, monitor and evaluate performance, and maintain effective labor management relations within scope of responsibility.
    • Ability to effectively supervise, direct, and manage a physical therapy staff.
    • Skill in forging positive interpersonal relationships and conflict resolution.
    • Ability to analyze clinically appropriate data effectively to optimize quality, performance, and productivity within the section.
    • Ability to set priorities, delegate tasks, and solve problems in order to meet multiple deadlines and identify/address organizational problems.
    • Ability to manage advocacy roles and planning activities within the VA and the greater rehabilitation community.

Preferred Experience

• 1 + year of supervisory experience in an outpatient setting.
• 1 + year of VHA experience working as a Physical Therapist
• Previous management experience within a VHA Healthcare System-Physical Therapy department.
• Previous or current experience with assessment and treatment in an outpatient setting.
• Ability to assess and treat patients with chronic pain using a biopsychosocial approach.
• Familiarity with providing Physical therapy assessment and follow up using virtual care options including telephone or video platforms.

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-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13

Physical Requirements: The work is sedentary. Some work may require movement between offices, hospitals, warehouses, and similar areas for meetings and to conduct work. Work may also require walking/standing, in conjunctions with travel to and attendance at meetings and/or conferences away from the work site. Incumbent may carry and lift light items weighing less than 15 pounds.