Spinal Cord - Physician Assistant

Summary

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT and will remain open until September 30, 2026. The initial cut-off date for referral of eligible applications and subsequent cut-off dates are on the 1st of each month. Eligible applications received after that date will be referred at regular intervals or as additional vacancies occur on an as-needed basis until positions are filled

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Duties

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Our hospital provides primary care and specialty health services, including mental health services, physical therapy and rehabilitation, spinal cord injury treatment, and more. Located on the Georgia/South Carolina border, the city of Augusta, GA lies on the Savannah River, which supports its diverse economic endeavors as well as vast recreation options. The city is the center point of the Central Savannah River Area (CSRA), a 13-county region that includes both Georgia and South Carolina. It is located within close proximity to many major southern destinations including Atlanta, Columbia, and Charlotte.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.

Position Summary:

The Physician Assistant (PA) is a licensed healthcare provider within the Spinal Cord Injury (SCI/D) Service. The PA delivers outpatient medical care to Veterans with spinal cord injury and related neurological impairments. Duties include assessment, diagnosis, treatment planning, health promotion, chronic disease management, rehabilitation-focused care, and coordination of services under the supervision of a Staff Physician.

Major Duties/Responsibilities for this position include but are not limited to:

• Manage a designated panel of SCI/D patients in collaboration with supervising physicians, following approved clinical privileges
• Perform comprehensive SCI-focused clinical assessments, including neurological and functional evaluations.
• Order, interpret, and apply results of diagnostic studies within PA scope.
• Prescribe medications and therapies permitted by licensure, facility policy, and credentialing, with physician oversight.
• Develop, update, and implement evidence-based treatment plans tailored to SCI/D patient needs.
• Initiate referrals to internal and external specialty services and coordinate follow-up care.
• Modify treatment plans based on patient response, clinical findings, and interdisciplinary team input.

B. Interdisciplinary Collaboration

• Participate in interdisciplinary SCI team meetings and contribute to care planning discussions.
• Coordinate continuity of care across hub and spoke settings, collaborating with physicians, nurses, therapists, social workers, and others.
• Communicate effectively with team members to support seamless patient transitions and clinical coordination.

C. Patient and Caregiver Education

• Provide education on SCI-related health issues, preventive care practices, long-term condition management, and rehabilitation needs.
• Support patient self-management strategies and address caregiver questions related to SCI/D care.

D. Documentation and Compliance

• Document all patient encounters in accordance with VHA standards, regulatory requirements, and SCI service expectations.
• Meet SCI FPPE/OPPE competency indicators applicable to PA practice.
• Complete required clinical reminders, monitoring protocols, and ensure timely closure of consults.

E. Professional Standards

• Demonstrate professional conduct, ethical practice, and adherence to SCI/D Service and VHA policies.
• Participate in quality improvement initiatives, patient safety activities, and clinical process evaluations.
• Maintain compliance with facility credentialing, privileging, and continuing education requirements.

III. SCI-Specific Clinical Competencies

• Perform functional assessments of Veterans with spinal cord injury.
• Conduct comprehensive neurological examinations, including ISNCSCI/AIS assessments when permitted by credentialing.
• Contribute to development of rehabilitation-focused, interdisciplinary care plans.
• Coordinate specialty-specific care, including medical, surgical, rehabilitation, and ancillary services.
• Conduct safe prescribing, medication reconciliation, and adherence monitoring.
• Complete SCI documentation requirements, reminders, and specialty-specific monitoring activities.

IV. Supervisory Controls

The PA practices under the supervision of a designated Staff Physician and receives general oversight from the SCI/D Service Chief or designee. Clinical performance is continually reviewed through facility FPPE/OPPE processes.

V. Qualifications

• Must meet VA Physician Assistant Qualification Standards.
• Must hold an active PA license and national certification.
• Must maintain continuing education and clinical privileges.
• Experience in SCI, rehabilitation medicine, neurology, or related fields is preferred.

Work Schedule: Monday through Friday; part-time (28 hours per week) schedule to be arranged based on the needs of the agency.

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

• Citizenship. Citizen of the United States [in accordance with section 7402(c) to title 38, United States Code (U.S.C.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified candidates in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• Education. Graduate of a training program which is accredited by the Accreditation Review Commission on Education of Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) or one of its predecessor organizations. Additionally, candidates must meet one of the following:
  1. Master's degree in any discipline; OR
  2. Bachelor's degree in any discipline with one year of experience as a Physician Assistant.
• Certification. Must have successfully passed the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE).
• Licensure. Physician Assistants must possess an active, current, full, and unrestricted license to practice in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Physician Assistants must maintain current registration in the State of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active and current licensure in that State.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

Grade Determinations:

Physician Assistant-I (PA-I)

• Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. This is the entry level for Physician Assistants. AND
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. The following list of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) present the minimum skill set expected of an Entry Level Physician Assistant. This practice may include, but is not limited to:
  1. Ability to utilize the principles of Physician Assistant practice in the care of assigned patients to provide appropriate care.
  2. Ability to perform patient history and physical.
  3. Ability to formulate a plan and provide treatment to the patient.
  4. Ability to provide patient care that is abreast of changing concepts and advancements in the profession.

Physician Assistant-II (PA-II)

• Experience and Education. The Physician Assistant 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:
  • Two years of successful practice as a PA. OR
  • Successful completion of a Physician Assistant 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
  • A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). Physician Assistants 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:
  1. Skills to analyze and solve complex medical problems.
  2. Ability to function autonomously and make independent medical decisions.
  3. Skill to incorporate training and experience into the successful practice of patient care including telehealth medical care.
  4. Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary environment for improvement of services for patient care.
  5. Ability to practice with colleagues and peers collaboratively.

Physician Assistant-III (PA-III)

• Experience and Education. Physician Assistants 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 Physician Assistants, and may provide training for health care students. Individuals can demonstrate the KSAs for the full performance level by:
  • Three years of successful practice as a PA. OR
  • Successful completion of a Physician Assistant 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
  • 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.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. Physician Assistants 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:
  1. Ability to clinically evaluate facility patient care delivery systems and validate or identify barriers to safe and effective patient care.
  2. 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).
  3. Ability to present clinical findings and recommendations to appropriate management officials.
  4. Ability to clinically facilitate the delivery of patient care in collaboration with health professionals, health managers, and other health care personnel.
  5. 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.
  6. Ability to participate clinically in the development of the Physician Assistant patient care audit processes involving in-depth review and analysis of medical records.

Preferred Experience: Certification in the subspecialty of Spinal Cord Injury Medicine is desirable but not required. The incumbent must prove successful completion of an Accreditation Council for Graduates Medical Education or American Osteopathic Association approved post-graduate residency in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Internal Medicine or Family Practice.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is 3. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of 1 to 3.

Physical Requirements: Eligible applicants must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the essential functions of the position, with or without reasonable accommodation, without hazard to themselves or others. Depending on the essential duties of a specific position, usable vision, color vision, hearing or speech may be required. However, in most cases, a specific physical condition or impairment of a specific function may be compensated for by the satisfactory use of a prosthesis or mechanical aid.

Education

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.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

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Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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.