Physical Therapist - Clinical Specialist

Description:

The Physical Therapist Clinical Specialist (PT/CS) in this position provides direct patient care and therapy services on an independent basis across the continuum of care to veterans at the VANTHCS Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service. Expected to carry out general duty assignments but primarily serves as subject matter expert in TBI/Polytrauma& Amputee at least 25% of the time. Adheres to established policies, standards of care and standards of practice.

Requirements:

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.
Education and experience:

• 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.

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 and one of the following:

• Evidence of a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice directly in the specialty area. This time must be between the past two and five years; or
• Board Certification in the specialty area recognized by the ABPTS; or
• Completion of a fellowship program; or
• An additional advanced degree in a related field. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Advanced knowledge and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions andtreatment modalities used in a specialized treatment area of physical therapy.
• Ability to serve as a consultant and subject matter expert for health care providersregarding the delivery of care within a specialized content area of physical therapy.
• Ability to teach and mentor medical center staff in a specialized content area of physical therapy.
• Ability to guide the work of a multi-disciplinary team in a specialized content area of physical therapy.
• Advanced knowledge and expert skill to perform and interpret specialized procedures and tests in evaluating the treatment outcomes in the assigned specialty content area

Preferred Experience:

• 5 years of physical therapy experience
• 3-5 years experience with Polytrauma and Amputee populations.
• Leadership development experience or Project Development
• Physical Therapy Assistant (PTA) and PT or PTA student supervision.
• Experience performing comprehensive evaluations and assessment involving muscular strength and mobility, neurological and vestibular deficit.
• Possesses certification and/or specialized training in neurorehabilitation, polytrauma, and amputee care, with emphasis on complex neurological impairments and multi-system trauma recovery.

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.

Physical Requirements:

• Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds
• Light lifting, under 15 pounds
• Moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds
• Light carrying, under 15 pounds
• Straight pulling (2 hours)
• Pulling hand over hand (2 hours)
• Pushing (2 hours)
• Reaching above shoulder
• Use of fingers
• Both hands required
• Walking (6 hours)
• Standing (6 hours)
• Crawling (1 hours)
• Kneeling (2 hours)
• Repeated bending (6 hours)
• Climbing, legs only (2 hours)
• Both legs required
• Operation of crane, truck, tractor, or motor vehicle
• Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously
• Near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4
• Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other
• Both eyes required
• Depth perception
• Ability to distinguish basic colors
• Ability to distinguish shades of colors
• Hearing (aid permitted)
• Simple grasping/Pinch (6 hours)
• Fine manipulation - Keyboarding (6 hours)
• Sitting (6 hours)
• Twisting (6 hours)