Summary

The VA Texas Valley Coastal Bend Health Care System, Harlingen, TX is seeking a Physician Assistant (Traveling Veteran) to meet patient needs, adapt to diverse clincal environments, and deliver evidence-based care through in-person and telehealth modaltities.

Duties

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The Physician Assistant will independently manages patients with acute and chronic conditions, emphasizing health promotion and disease prevention.

Additional duties include:

• Develops and implements individualized care plans to achieve optimal health outcomes and disease management.
• Assesses and adjust the plan of care as needed to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
• Orders and interprets labs, diagnostic studies, and prescribes pharmacologic/non-pharmacologic interventions.
• Initiates referrals and consults to specialty services and coordinates interfacility consults for continuity of care.
• Performs pre-procedure evaluations and surgical clearances for in-house and community procedures.
• Travels to multiple VA sites and provides telehealth services when appropriate.
• Maintains effective communication with primary care teams and facility leadership ensuring updates and coordination in the plan of care.
• Facilitates transitions of care, including Geriatrics and Extended Care consults, and orders DME/prosthetics as needed.
• Demonstrates leadership and works collaboratively with interdisciplinary teams and contributes to performance improvement initiatives.
• Provides education to patients and their families.
• Engages in peer-to-peer consultations and supports evidence-based practice dissemination.
• Exemplifies ICARE vales, Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence.
• Ensures compliance with VA policies, regulatory requirements, and patient safety standards.
• Participates in quality improvement, research, and professional development activities.
• Adjusts to different clinical environments, electronic health record systems, and protocols.
• Provides culturally competent care tailored to age, developmental, and lifestyle needs of Veterans.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday (8:00 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.)

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.

Telework: (Ad-hoc)

Compressed/Flexible: Not authorized

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized

EDRP Authorized: 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 (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/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.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience delivering care across multiple clinical environments including outpatient clinics, inpatient units, community care environments, and transitional care programs. This includes comfort adjusting to different EHR systems, workflows, and facility protocols.
• Experience in telehealth modalities, ability to provide high-quality virtual care, including triage, follow-up visits, and chronic disease management using telehealth platforms, aligning with the role's requirement to support Veterans both in-person and remotely.
• Experience independently managing acute and chronic conditions, background managing complex patients, developing individualized care plans, and adjusting interventions based on Veteran outcomes. Familiarity with ordering and interpreting labs, diagnostic studies, and prescribing both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatments.
• Experience collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, initiating specialty consults, coordinating interfacility care, and facilitating transitions of care (such as Geriatrics and Extended Care).
• Experience contributing to performance improvement, clinical standardization, research, or committee participation at local, VISN, or national levels is highly preferred-reflecting the PA role's expectation for system-level engagement.

Grade Determinations:

Physician Assistant-I (PA-I)

a) Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements

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 https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

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.

Education

Graduate of a training program which is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education of PA (ARC-PA) or one of its predecessor organizations. Verification of accreditation may be made obtained from Accreditation Review Commission on Education of Physician Assistant.

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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. 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: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

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.

Benefits

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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.

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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.