This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application. Health Professions Trainee (HPT) upcoming graduates 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. HPT includes interns, residents, fellows, VA advanced fellows, and pre- and post-doctoral fellows who spend all or part of their clinical training experiences at VA facilities. COVERAGE. The following standard lists the requirements for appointment as a Physical Therapist (PT) in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). The requirements will apply to all VHA PTs employed in the GS-0633 series that provide clinical services to address a vast array of problems that impact the health and function of a wide range of diverse patients. BASIC REQUIREMENTS. To qualify for appointment, all applicants for the position of physical therapist in VHA must meet the following: a. Citizenship. Candidates must be a citizen of the United States. b. 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. c. 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. d. Loss of Credential. A PT who fails to maintain the required license must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation, if qualified, and if a placement opportunity exists. e. 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. Grade Determination. In addition to the basic requirements for appointment listed above, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates. GS-12 Physical Therapist (Full Performance Level) (a) Education, Experience and Licensure. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, hold a valid unrestricted state license and demonstrate all the KSAs below: (b) Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities: 1. Ability to make autonomous clinical decisions in a Direct Access environment. This includes ability to independently evaluate and treat patients who seek physical therapy services. 2. Skill in performing examinations and evaluations of individuals who have or may develop impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions related to conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems while considering the effects attributable to unique psychosocial and environmental factors. 3. Ability to interpret findings from examination and evaluation, select appropriate test and measures, and integrate findings into the physical therapy plan of care for the full range of patient populations. 4. Ability to establish a diagnosis within the scope of physical therapy and identify the appropriate rehabilitation intervention, including referral to another provider for further consultation as clinically indicated. 5. Ability to determine physical therapy prognosis by incorporating examination findings with the patient's preferences in order to set clinically appropriate treatment goals, optimize outcomes and maximize functional independence.6. Ability to independently provide clinical oversight of Physical Therapy Assistants as well as students on clinical affiliations who are in Doctoral PT Programs or PTA Programs. (c) Assignment. At the full performance level, PTs are responsible for independently providing assessment and treatment interventions to inpatients and outpatients received through healthcare provider referrals and patient self-referrals. Guided by differential and movement diagnoses, PTs perform examinations and evaluations of individuals who have or may develop impairments, activity limitations, and participation restrictions related to conditions of the musculoskeletal, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, pulmonary, and/or integumentary systems while considering the effects attributable to unique personal and environmental factors. PTs interpret findings from examination, diagnostic studies/medical tests and, during evaluation, select appropriate clinical tests and measures, and then integrate findings into the physical therapy plan of care for the full range of patient populations. PTs establish a diagnosis within the scope of physical therapy and identify the appropriate intervention to treat and/or refer to another provider for further consultation when needed. They determine physical therapy prognosis by incorporating examination findings with the patient's preferences for meaningful level of function in order to set clinically appropriate treatment goals and optimize outcomes. Physical therapists select appropriate equipment needed to substitute for loss of function or to substitute for limited function of individuals they treat. Staff PTs at this level practice autonomously, making recommendations and referrals to other medical specialties/services as clinically indicated during ongoing assessment of patients under their care. The staff PT may also develop and provide individualized clinical training experiences for physical therapy students in facilities with established clinical experience rotations. PTs at this level may be given general assignments in any/all areas where physical therapy services are deemed necessary, and/or may serve as the sole PT at a less complex facility. Individuals may perform ancillary assignments as deemed appropriate given the needs of a facility on an occasional basis, where the amount of work is not substantial (less than 25% of the duty time). Reference: VA Handbook 5005/99, Part II, Appendix G12 dated February 7, 2018 Definitions: (1) Knowledge of Contemporary Professional Physical Therapy Practice. To be creditable, a candidate must have demonstrated possession of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the scope of physical therapy practice. The candidate's experience may be evidenced by one or more of the following: (a) Active professional practice. Active professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional PT as defined by APTA or the appropriate licensing board. Experience gained after graduation but prior to licensure is creditable provided the candidate was utilized as a graduate PT and subsequently passed the licensure examination. (b) Completion of a post-graduate fellowship or a post-graduate residency program may be substituted for creditable experience on a year for year basis. (2) Quality of Experience. Experience is only creditable if it was post degree experience as a professional PT and is directly related to the duties to be performed. Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to or exceeding the professional PT experience at the next lower grade level. ["VA Careers - Physical Therapy: https://youtube.com/embed/Gi2hoFqIoqY The VA Boston Healthcare System is seeking a 0.6 FTE (24 hours per week), part-time Physical Therapist for the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service. This position will primarily be assigned to the Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) population in Brockton with additional duties such as within the community living center (CLC, sub acute rehab) and inpatient mental health units. Patient care coverage at other VA Boston Campuses could be required on an as needed basis. This position reports to the Service Line Manager. The Physical Therapist will be independent with managing a caseload of individuals with various conditions and supervising Physical Therapist Assistant(s). Strong consideration for candidates with experience with spinal cord injury/disorders or similar neurologic conditions, sub acute/long term care, supervision of PTAs, and team based work. The duties include but are not limited to: Perform independent patient evaluations using appropriate standardized tests; independently develop, implement, and modify physical therapy treatment programs; recognize contraindications and appropriateness of treatment prescribed by referring provider; provide timely and accurate written documentation of patient status, progress with therapy, therapy plan, and patient response to treatment in accordance with policy; interact professionally and courteously with all VA staff, patients, and patients' families/caregivers, and managing caseload at a productive standard. Preferred experience: Spinal cord injury/disorders or related neurologic Inpatient sub acute and/or long term care Leadership of support personnel (PTA, rehab aides, students) Team based roles and skills Work Schedule: Sunday, Monday, Thursday; weekend and holiday rotations at West Roxbury inpatient acute care and acute rehab. Telework: Not available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 523-F03273 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized EDRP Authorized: Contact Karen J. Chapman, Human Resources Assistant (Compensation), VISN 1 Compensation Center of Excellence, Veterans Health Administration - New England Healthcare System, Email: Karen.Chapman@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required"]

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