The Physician Assistant (PA) will evaluate, treat, and coordinate the care of patients with surgical conditions, under the supervision of a staff physician. They will provide clinical care in the clinics, inpatient setting (operating room, intensive care units, medical wards, and emergency department), and be available by phone to triage symptoms and to work with the attending physician and the other team members to include Nursing, Social Work, Rehab Services and Dietician to coordinate care

Duties

The surgery PA will be responsible for the primary medical and surgical needs of inpatients and outpatients in their respective surgical section or for the service line overall. Duties will include but are not limited to: Performing a complete surgical evaluation and handle new consults in the outpatient, inpatient and emergency room settings. Following patients referred or admitted with surgical conditions and/or undergoing a surgical procedure in either the ambulatory or inpatient care setting Determining Veterans eligibility for surgical procedures and obtaining informed consent Preparing and scheduling patients for surgery using appropriate diagnostic testing and consultations from other services as appropriate Performing common outpatient diagnostic procedures (e.g., cultures, superficial biopsy, diagnostic endoscopy [e.g., cystoscopy], etc.) Performing common outpatient and inpatient therapeutic procedures (e.g., incision and drainage of superficial abscesses, removal of surgical drains, removal of sutures or skin staples wound dressings changes, etc.) Performing postoperative evaluations and ordering appropriate diagnostic studies on patients following complex surgical procedures Acting as first or second assist to the surgical team for cases performed in the operating room Working the the service line, administration, and regulatory bodies to ensure the quality of the surgical program Appropriately sign out and hand off patient care VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm Compressed/Flexible: Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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 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 (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 (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. 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-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. Physician Assistant-III (PA-IV) Experience and Education. PA-IVs have a thorough understand of the various functions involved in the care of patients and the ability to interact effectively with different medical and surgical specialists, health care team members, and administrative staff. PA-IVs have the knowledge and expertise pertaining to PA employment, credentialing, clinical practice, and appropriate utilizations of PAs. PA-IVs can monitor patient care operations, policies and work performance of fellow PAs. PA-IVs may exhibit knowledge of PA VHA employment and utilization of PAs through demonstrative actions as a facility point of contact (POC) for PA issues, policies and directives. Individuals can demonstrate the KSAs for full performance level by: Five years of successful practice as a PA, including progressive responsibility in leadership assignments, such as serving on local committees, workgroups, or taskforces Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA). 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-IV: Ability to provide clinically and occupationally focused orientation to new PA appointments and mentoring to other PA staff members. Knowledge of the facility's Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE) and Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE). Knowledge of the educational needs of PAs. Ability to provide leadership and clinical oversight of PAs at the facility. Ability to exercise independent judgement, perform tasks involving special technical, supervisory, or administrative lines. Ability to exercise independent judgement, perform tasks involving special technical, supervisory, or administrative lines Preferred Experience: At least3 years of experience in surgical service preferred but all categories welcome to apply Reference: 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. For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is PA IV. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of PA I to PA IV. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Part II, Appendix A.

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/.

Contacts

• Address Atlanta VA Medical Center 1670 Clairmont Road Decatur, GA 30033 US
• Name: Candace Billups
• Phone: 512-217-8592
• Email: [email protected]