Qualifications

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
• 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
• 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
• OR 2) Master's degree in Physical Therapy AND two (2) years of progressively independent experience as a physical therapist
• OR 3) Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy
• 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
• Certification: Must have Pelvic Floor Therapy certification
• Grandfathering Provision: 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 DETERMINATION: GS-12 Physical Therapist (Full Performance Level) Education, Experience , KSA's and Licensure: Experience: In addition to the basic requirements for education, candidates must possess one year of experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level, examples of this experience include but are not limited to : provide assessment and treatment intervention
• plan and modify treatment based on a patient's response to intervention and/or change in medical condition
• serve as the sole PT such as in an outpatient clinic
• provide oversight and delegate patient care responsibilities to a Physical Therapist Assistant, and/or delegate non-patient care duties to non-licensed staff
• Licensure: Must hold a valid unrestricted state license
• Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities: Must demonstrate all the KSAs below: 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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
• 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: A minimum of three years Outpatient Clinical Physical Therapy experience or prior VA experience
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Appendix 12 Physical Therapy Qualification Standard 0633 Veterans Health Administration
• Promotion Potential: This vacancy is at the full performance level
• Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019.