The Physician Assistant (Dermatology) will be based at the Albuquerque campus of the Raymond G. Murphy Medical Center. The PA will coordinate and deliver dermatology care for veterans at CBOC and inpatient/outpatient consultations at NMVAHCS as needed. PAs will be instrumental in improving patient access to Dermatology and provide VA care close to the Veterans residence. Incumbents will assist with periodic progress monitoring of metrics including the timely access to dermatology services.

Duties

Duties include, but are not limited to the following: Become comfortable and proficient with skin, nails, and hair examination. In consultation with staff dermatologist in clinic, incumbent will be reading store-and-forward tele-dermatology consults. Identify benign skin lesions such as: Seborrheic Keratosis Skin tags (aka acrocordons) Neurofibromas Hemangiomas (aka cherry angiomas) Nevi (aka moles of skin) Identify and treat actinic keratosis Identify, initiate, and monitor treatment for psoriasis Differentiate urticaria vs Angioedema vs Steven Johnson/Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Within the context of Asymmetry, Border, Color, Diameter, Evolution (ABCDE of moles) of nevi and dermoscopy, PA would identify suspicious lesions for dysplasia vs melanoma Identify clinical manifestations of: Dry skin (aka xerosis) Seborrheic Dermatitis Nummular Eczema Contact Irritant and Allergic Dermatitis Identify and initiate management of skin, nail, and hair infectious processes Communicate effectively with primary care provider when implementing and/or suggesting management of skin condition. Appropriate implementation of treatment managements including: Cryotherapy Topical Chemotherapy (topical Efudex, Dovonex) Intralesional corticosteroids Topical corticosteroid Proficiency in scraping for: Fungal element on skin, nails, and hair Viral elements such as HSV and VZV Proficiency in simple excision and simple closure of benign lesions such as: Epidermal cyst Seborrheic keratosis (symptomatic/inflamed) Other small (

Requirements

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 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. 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. 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: 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. 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: 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 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: 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. 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: 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. (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: Ability to clinically evaluate facility patient care delivery systems and validate or identify barriers to safe and effective patient care. 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). Ability to present clinical findings and recommendations to appropriate management officials. Ability to clinically facilitate the delivery of patient care in collaboration with health professionals, health managers, and other health care personnel. 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. Ability to participate clinically in the development of the PA patient care audit processes involving in-depth review and analysis of medical records. References: VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-8 Physician Assistant Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office. Preferred Experience: Desired candidate would have experience (not required) in the identification and management of skin, nails, and hair conditions affecting mature patients. Experience in skin scrapping, cryotherapy for actinic keratosis, and acquisition of tissue (skin biopsy) samples for histopathology evaluation is a plus. Candidate should be able to professionally and respectfully interact with colleagues, nurse staff, other personnel, but most importantly with our veterans. 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: Heavy lifting (45 lbs and over); Heavy carrying (45 lbs and over): Straight pulling and pushing; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers; both hands required; walking and standing up to 8 hours; repeated bending; Ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; hearing aid permitted.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Raymond G Murphy Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center 1501 San Pedro Drive, Southeast Albuquerque, NM 87108 US
• Name: John Starks
• Phone: (505) 256-2760
• Email: [email protected]