Qualifications

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this occupational series. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Basic Requirements:

• (a) Citizenship
• Citizen of the United States
• (b) 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: 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
• (c) 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
• Grade Determinations: GS-13 Physical Therapist (Program Coordinator) (a) Experience
• In addition to meeting the basic requirements, one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level
• In addition, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs
• (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities 1
• Ability to apply advanced knowledge of contemporary physical therapy within specialty area to provide clinical guidance, training or education for internal and external stakeholders
• 2
• Ability to serve as a consultant within the assigned program area for intra-agency and interagency planning and to provide service coordination to optimize program continuity, efficiency and effectiveness
• 3
• Knowledge of and skill in management, administration and/or education methodologies
• This includes the ability to monitor and track data, utilize available resources effectively, evaluate program quality, and generate reports for local, and/or VISN and/or VACO leadership
• 4
• Ability to develop and coordinate treatment and/or educational programs within a concentrated field or specialty area, such as, but not limited to, amputee, spinal cord injury, chronic pain, student clinical education/residency programming, polytrauma/traumatic brain injury
• 5
• Ability to establish and maintain collaborative relationships within department and with other departments or affiliated programs
• 6
• Ability to guide the work of a multi-disciplinary team (c) Assignment
• For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty), and variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• PTs at this level have experience that demonstrates advanced practice skills and judgment across one or more areas of physical therapy
• The individual may be assigned broad administrative responsibility
• The individual is assigned a major content specialty area to include assessing, planning, evaluating and delivering care within a special clinical program or component of a Rehabilitation Service, which usually involves multiple disciplines
• See the definition for specialty areas in paragraph 2
• i, that includes Polytrauma/Traumatic Brain Injury, Chronic Pain, Amputation, Spinal Cord Injury and clinical education programs
• PTs provide administrative direction and decisions related to the program
• The Physical Therapy Program Coordinator is responsible for the coordination of multiple professionals from a variety of disciplines for optimal clinical care and educational programming
• He/she implements programs, policies, and procedures to meet program goals, policy and external accreditation requirements
• He/she monitors outcomes, participates in strategic planning and implements strategies for program improvement particularly in assigned content specialty area
• The Program Coordinator supports the rehabilitation service and serves as a point of contact providing guidance to facility leadership on matters related to specialty content area
• He/she collaborates with Clinical Specialists and with Rehabilitation Service leaders to assist with administrative processes to obtain resources and equipment for operations of content specialty area
• He/she assists with developing local policy for new or emerging practices and technologies
• Preferred Experience: Two years outpatient physical therapy experience
• 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.