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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. Responsibilities VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. This position reports directly to the Medical Director, Behavioral Health at Erie VA Medical Center in Erie, PA. Physician Assistant specific practice and standards. Incumbent works independently under the scope of his/her licensure. The incumbent is responsible for self­ directed performance of the approved clinical privileges. Duties and responsibilities included but are not limited to: Provide medical care and evaluation for psychiatry outpatients in the mental health outpatient clinics. Utilizes advanced practice skills and knowledge in an independent manner in areas outpatient care, education, research and consultation with physician collaboration as needed. Provides healthcare to individuals, families, and groups across the adult life span. This process includes assessment, diagnosis, treatment plan and evaluation. Manages and provides wellness and illness care to assigned group of patients. This includes assessment, diagnosis, ordering and interpreting diagnostic studies, prescribing medications and treatment plan when applicable and evaluating treatment outcomes. Collaborates with patient and other care providers to evaluate and update changes in the therapeutic plan of care and patient management. Practices in a nonjudgmental, nondiscriminatory manner and is sensitive to diversity. Appropriately documents assessments and interventions. Counsels patients in health promotion/disease prevention strategies. Conduct psychiatric evaluations, including assessment interviews, history and physical exams; lab, imaging, medication and psychotherapy consultation orders, aftercare plans and follow up visits. Provide appropriate follow up care including reassessments of diagnoses and conditions, medication adjustments, and any further tests or consults indicated. Provide mental health education /counseling and brief therapy of patients and their families. Primary responsibility for care of patients when the clinic medical director is absent. Perform examinations and screening scales (such as AIMS, MoCA, HAM-D) and similar non-invasive examinations specific to the ongoing care of psychiatric patients Ordering appropriate laboratory tests, imaging studies, EKGs (electrocardiograms),and similar noninvasive tests. Answering consults for inpatients on the medical floor when called upon and holding scheduled appointments for outpatients to observe and record patients' medical progress. Evaluates outside consultations presenting to the mental health clinic and determines the appropriate disposition, routing and urgency of those consults. Facilitates access to the mental health clinic medical director and other staff for other Health Care Providers. Participation in regional and national meetings for the advancement of psychiatry and continuing medical education requirements. Pay: Competitive salary, regular salary increases, potential for performance awards. *Salary range shown is based on full-time hours. Actual salary will be pro-rated* Paid Time Off: Paid annual leave and sick leave are accrued based on hours worked. Paid federal holidays dependent on work schedule Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory Work Schedule: Part Time, the days of the week/hours are negotiable as long as they are within Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm Recruitment/Relocation Incentives: Authorized EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact [email protected], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance Telework: Available - ad-hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements 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. 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 identification 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). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. 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: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualification criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates. Grade and Step determinations of the selected applicant will be determined based on the selected individuals education and experience. Physician Assistant-I (PA-I) - Entry Level Experience and Education: None beyond the basic requirements. This is the entry level for PA's Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 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) - Intermediate Level Experience and Education: 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, US Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency OR a doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the US Department of Education. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 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) - Full Performance Level Experience and Education: 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, US Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency AND one year of professional practice as a PA Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 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 Preferred Experience: Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder treatment 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: See VA Handbook 5019 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.