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.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy
• Citizenship Candidates must be a citizen of the United States
• 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
• 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
• 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
• NOTE
• Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetency or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the state for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C 7402(f))
• Effective November 30, 1999, this is a requirement for employment
• This requirement does not apply to licensed physical therapists on VA rolls as of November 30, 1999, provided the individual maintains a continuous appointment and is not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license, registration or certification
• Loss of Credential
• Grandfathering Provision
• All licensed PTs employed in VHA on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation
• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply
• Physical Requirements
• Pre-placement and periodic physical examinations are required for hybrid occupations to ensure workers are placed in positions where they can perform the essential functions of their job considering their physical, mental and emotional capacities, without endangering their health or the health of their co-workers
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019
• g
• 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
• GRADE REQUIREMENTS a
• Creditable Experience (1) Knowledge of Contemporary Professional Physical Therapy Practice
• To be creditable, a candidate must have demonstrated possession of the required knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with the scope of physical therapy practice
• The candidate's experience may be evidenced by one or more of the following: (a) Active professional practice
• Active professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional PT as defined by APTA or the appropriate licensing board
• Experience gained after graduation but prior to licensure is creditable provided the candidate was utilized as a graduate PT and subsequently passed the licensure examination
• (b) Completion of a post-graduate fellowship or a post-graduate residency program may be substituted for creditable experience on a year for year basis
• (2) Quality of Experience
• Experience is only creditable if it was post degree experience as a professional PT and is directly related to the duties to be performed
• Qualifying experience must also be at a level comparable to or exceeding the professional PT experience at the next lower grade level
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for appointment in paragraph 2, the following criteria must be used when determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates
• GS-12 Physical Therapist (Full Performance Level) (a) Education, Experience and Licensure
• In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, hold a valid unrestricted state license and demonstrate all the KSAs below: (b) Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities: 1
• Ability to make autonomous clinical decisions in a Direct Access environment
• This includes ability to independently evaluate and treat patients who seek physical therapy services 2
• Skill in performing examinations and evaluations of 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 psychosocial and environmental factors
• 3
• Ability to interpret findings from examination and evaluation, select appropriate test and measures, and integrate findings into the physical therapy plan of care for the full range of patient populations
• 4
• Ability to establish a diagnosis within the scope of physical therapy and identify the appropriate rehabilitation intervention, including referral to another provider for further consultation as clinically indicated 5
• Ability to determine physical therapy prognosis by incorporating examination findings with the patient's preferences in order to set clinically appropriate treatment goals, optimize outcomes and maximize functional independence
• 6
• Ability to independently provide clinical oversight of Physical Therapy Assistants as well as students on clinical affiliations who are in Doctoral PT Programs or PTA Programs
• Preferred Experience: Licensed physical therapist with experience in at least two of the following categories of PT care: acute care, skilled nursing rehab, inpatient rehab, outpatient physical therapy
• Preferred experience with interprofessional or multidisciplinary care teams and discharge planning
• At least one year's experience in two of the above settings
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12
• Physical Requirements: Heavy lifting, 45 pounds and over, Use of fingers, both hands required, Reaching above shoulder, Walking (8 hours), Standing (8 hours), Both legs required (1 prosthetic), Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, Ability to distinguish basic colors, Ability to distinguish shades of colors, Hearing (Aid permitted), and Mental and emotional stability.