Job Summary

As a clinical specialist in the care and treatment of those with chronic pain, the incumbent serves as a consultant and subject matter expert in the treatment of those with chronic pain within the department, VA network, PT profession and the community at large.

Job Description

Basic Requirements: United States Citizenship: Candidates must be a citizen of the United States. After a determination is made that it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens, necessary personnel may be appointed on a temporary basis under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 without regard to the citizenship requirements of 38 U.S.C. 7402 or any other law prohibiting the employment of or payment of compensation to a person who is not a citizen of the United States. Candidates must meet all other requirements for the grade and position concerned. 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. NOTE: Individuals must be a graduate of a Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) accredited college or university. The CAPTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education (USDE) and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) to accredit entry-level physical therapy programs. Verification of accredited programs may be obtained from the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) at www.apta.org. 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. 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. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part. May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria). Grade Determinations: GS- 13 Physical Therapist (Clinical Specialist) Experience. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level and one of the following: 1.Evidence of a minimum of 2,000 hours of clinical practice directly in the specialty area. This time must be between the past two and five years; or 2.Board Certification in the specialty area recognized by the ABPTS; or 3.Completion of a fellowship program; or4.An additional advanced degree in a related field. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 1.Advanced knowledge and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in a specialized treatment area of physical therapy. 2.Ability to serve as a consultant and subject matter expert for health care providers regarding the delivery of care within a specialized content area of physical therapy (see paragraph 2i). 3. Ability to teach and mentor medical center staff in a specialized content area of physical therapy. 4. Ability to guide the work of a multi-disciplinary team in a specialized content area of physical therapy. 5. Advanced knowledge and expert skill to perform and interpret specialized procedures and tests in evaluating the treatment outcomes in the assigned specialty content area (see Definitions, paragraph 2. i.). Preferred Experience: VHA Experience or Training Preferred. Chronic Pain Specialist Training/Education Preferred. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.