The Physical Therapist Clinical Specialist (PT/CS) in this position provides direct patient care and therapy services on an independent basis across the continuum of care to veterans at the VANTXHCS Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service. He/she is expected to carry out general duty assignments but primarily serves as subject matter expert in the content specialty area of Driver Training. He/she adheres to established policies, standards of care and standards of practice. Basic Requirements: The basic requirements for employment as a VHA physical therapist are prescribed by Public Law 96-151 codified in 38 U.S.C. § 7402. To qualify for appointment, all applicants for the position of physical therapist in VHA must meet the following: 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: Bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy AND five (5) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist. Doctorate degree in physical therapy. NOTE: Prior to 1995 the terminal degree for PT's was either a bachelors or master's degree. In 1995 CAPTE accredited all baccalaureate, master's, and Doctor of Physical Therapy terminal degree programs. Effective 2002, CAPTE changed its scope of accrediting activities of PT education programs to include only those programs that culminate in post-baccalaureate degrees(eliminating the baccalaureate degree). Effective 2015, professional physical therapy education programs have only offered the Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree to all new students. 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. Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign physical therapy programs meet the requirements in subparagraph 3b if they have a full unrestricted and current license to practice physical therapy in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. The Foreign Credentialing Commission on Physical Therapy (FCCPT) is a non-profit organization created to assist the United States (U.S.) Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS) and U.S. state licensing authorities by evaluating the credentials of Foreign Educated Physical Therapists (FEPTs) who wish to immigrate and work in the U.S. Although the licensing of physical therapists in the U.S. is a right and responsibility of each jurisdiction, foreign educated individuals must undergo an educational credentials assessment for substantial equivalency to the first professional degree in the US. The Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (FSBPT) is committed to protect the public and to provide leadership within the field and practice of physical therapy. FSBPT's Foreign Educated Standards Committee has developed standards that represent "best practices" in evaluation services. The Credentials Evaluation Standards were developed with input from the physical therapy credentialing agencies that are licensed to use FSBPT's Coursework Tool. Licensure. Individuals must 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. Non-licensed PTs, who otherwise meet the basic requirements in this standard, may be given a temporary appointment as a graduate PT at the GS-11 grade level under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 (a)(1)(D) for a period not-to-exceed two years from the date of employment on the condition that such PT provide care only under the supervision of a PT who is licensed. Failure to obtain licensure during that period is justification for termination of the temporary appointment. English Language Proficiency. Individuals appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapter 73 or 74, to serve in direct patient-care capacity in VHA must be proficient in written and spoken English. 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: 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 Board Certification in the specialty area recognized by the ABPTS; or Completion of a fellowship program; or An additional advanced degree in a related field. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Advanced knowledge and expert skill in a range of specialized interventions and treatment modalities used in a specialized treatment area of physical therapy. 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. Ability to teach and mentor medical center staff in a specialized content area of physical therapy. Ability to guide the work of a multi-disciplinary team in a specialized content area of physical therapy. Advanced knowledge and expert skill to perform and interpret specialized procedures and tests in evaluating the treatment outcomes in the assigned specialty content area. Preferred Experience: Possess current Certified Driver Rehabilitation Specialist (CDRS) from ADED. 5 years continuous Driver training experience 3 years of CARF and JACHO accreditation knowledge, experience, and participation. Experience in designing specific driving routes, for the on-the-road phase of instruction, to conform to a lesson plan in an effort to ensure the safest and most effective means of teaching a specific driving task. Demonstrates the ability to identify and resolve interpersonal or professional conflicts when dealing with patients and members of the organization. Experience in selecting appropriate vehicle and add-on adaptive equipment best suited to the needs of the individual patient. References: VA Handbook 5005/99, Part II, Appendix G12, dated February 7, 2018 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13. ["The Physical Therapist in this position has responsibility for serving as the subject matter expert in a content specialty area of driver training and as a consultant to physical therapy and other medical center staff in evaluating and treating patients in this specialty area. This individual must demonstrate advance skills/competency and techniques in care of driver training patient population who have varying degrees of highly complex physical, functional and/or mental problems. This includes but is not limited to skills to perform and interpret specialized evaluative/assessment procedures and tests in the areas of driver training, one or more medical (physical and/or mental) impairments, severe spinal cord injury with high lesions, single or multiple amputations, stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), Psychiatric disorders, cognition (Dementia/Alzheimer's), nutrition, comorbidities, psychological status, and social support. Duties include but not limited to: Conducts advanced comprehensive patient examinations to identify rehabilitation problems, establish treatment goals and develop the plan of care. Guided by differential diagnosis (screen for systemic diseases and medical conditions that can mimic neuromuscular and musculoskeletal problems) and movement diagnosis (examine and evaluate the movement system -including diagnosis and prognosis- to provide a customized and integrated plan of care to achieve the Driver Training patient individual's goal-directed outcomes); performs complex and advance examinations and evaluations of Driver Training 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. Assesses the physiological functioning of patients referred by a physician to the Driver Rehabilitation Program by means of personal interview, gross physical and cognitive screening processes (which include procedures in visual acuity, color perception, depth perception, and sign recognition; manual muscle testing, coordination, balance, and endurance; reaction time and measures of cortical involvement) as they relate to a person's ability to safely operate a motor vehicle. Instructs the patient to assume the optimum position for driving. This must be inclusive of transferring to and from the training vehicle, storage of wheelchair or ambulatory aid, body positioning for best balance, and ease of operation and security to the vehicle by means of appropriate restraining devices. Intervenes at various phases of patient's illness and/or rehabilitation and working with the patient and the patient's family in the adjustment process of the disability and the relearning process of operating a motorized vehicle which utilizes any variety of add-on adaptive equipment, depending on the severity and type of disability encountered, including assisting in the clarification of the patient's current training status and needs as well as counseling patient and family, when necessary, in equipment selection, procurement and installation, vehicle registration and licensing procedures, and insurance considerations. Designs and provides primary, secondary, or tertiary prevention programs, such as safety and fall prevention programs, to facilitate patient's optimal engagement in functional movement, activities performance and /or lifestyle. Takes in consideration principles of optimal aging across physiological systems (musculoskeletal, neuromotor, Driver Training and integumentary). Assist to receive and triage patient referrals/consults, patient self-referrals, from appropriate source and schedules patients for evaluation and treatment in a timely fashion. Schedules patients for treatment, considering priority and frequency of care and coordinating schedules with other members of the treatment team. Flexibility of schedule must be maintained to allow for unscheduled patients and for family conferences. Assists with coverage to other PM&R clinics as needed. Participates in interdisciplinary care meetings, ward(s) rounds, T JC /CARF and any other relevant activities. As a member of the treatment team, maintains a working relationship with medical and allied health care providers. The Physical Therapy clinical specialist in Driver Training serves as a mentor and consultant for patients, Physical therapy staff, and Medical Center Healthcare team members in the areas of Physical therapy and Driver Training rehabilitation. Other duties as needed. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00am - 4:30pm, Rotates to cover weekends and holidays as needed for patient care. Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized VA Careers - Physical Therapy: https://youtube.com/embed/Gi2hoFqIoqY"]

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