Physician Assistant - Geriatrics (West Haven)

Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Duties

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This Physician Assistant (Geriatrics) position is located at the West Haven, CT VAMC. This position is full time at 40 hours per week, Monday thru Friday, 08:00-4:30.



NOTE: This multi-discipline recruitment will result in the hiring of one of the following disciplines: Physician Assistant, Nurse Practitioner, and Physicians. All interested Nurse Practitioners must apply through announcement: CBTD-12770839-25-NB. All interested Physicians must apply through announcement: CBTD-12776004-25-DF

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.

The Blind Rehabilitation Physician Assistant provides comprehensive care for Veterans admitted to the Blind Rehabilitation Program at VA Connecticut Healthcare. The Physician Assistant is part of a comprehensive multidisciplinary blind rehabilitation team. This team cares for a panel of 10-20 patients.

Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Effectively treats Veterans with Blindness and Visual impairments that may have a co-morbidity relative to vision loss requiring a basic degree of clinical skill and competency.
• Admission of veterans to the Blind Center which includes a thorough history and physical assessment, medication reconciliation and management, and recommendations for additional care that the patients may require in conjunction with their blind rehabilitation training.
• Discharge planning to home station of care for any necessary transitional medical services.
• Evaluates applications for admission to the Blind Center from 46 referring facilities and determines medical stability and ability to safely benefit from the Blind Rehab Program. Documents recommendation in the medical record and participates in weekly admissions meetings.
• Assessments of new medical issues that may arise during the blind veteran inpatient stay.
• Arrangement for CGM assessments and CGM with other stations.
• Consultation with the medical service for patients who may decompensate.
• Care planning with the EBRC Team.
• Review of prior care and consulting specialty services at VACHS as needed
  
  

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 08:00 am - 4:30 pm; Full Time.

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact vhaedrpprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized

PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): 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.
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• 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 dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
  
  

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.
  
  

Grade Determinations:

Physician Assistant-I (PA-I)

• Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. This is the entry level for PAs.
• 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:
• Ability to utilize the principles of PA practice in the care of assigned patients to provide appropriate care.
• Ability to perform patient history and physical.
• Ability to formulate a plan and provide treatment to the patient.
• 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 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:
• Two years of successful practice as a PA. OR
• 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
• 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. 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:

• Skills to analyze and solve complex medical problems.
• Ability to function autonomously and make independent medical decisions.
• Skill to incorporate training and experience into the successful practice of patient care including telehealth medical care.
• Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary environment for improvement of services for patient care.
• Ability to practice with colleagues and peers collaboratively.
  
  

Physician Assistant-III (PA-III)

• 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:
• Three years of successful practice as a PA OR
• 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
• 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.
  
  

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

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



Physical Requirements: This work is mostly sedentary and requires some standing, bending and carrying light items. The incumbent must have the ability to stand and walk for prolonged periods of time to interact with the patients and other services.

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.

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.

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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.