Physician Assistant (Primary Care)

<p>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.</p><h3>Major Duties</h3><p>This announcement will remain open until the closing date of July 16th, 2026, or when the applicant count is reached, whichever is earlier. The applicant count is the point at which the first 50 applications are received. All applications submitted that day up until 11:29 p.m. eastern standard time on the date the applicant count is reached will be accepted and considered. The position is located in Branch Health Clinic (BHC) 1007, USS TRANQUILLITY, within the Fleet Medicine Directorate (DFM) located at the Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center (FHCC), North Chicago, IL. The FHCC is larger than just a single facility, but rather a system of facilities throughout Northeastern Illinois which provide medical and dental services to U.S. Military Veterans, Recruits, Active Duty and eligible beneficiaries. The incumbent will serves as a Physician Assistant (PA) within a Primary Care setting. Major Duties: Clinical Responsibilities Performs initial and ongoing medical, physical, and psychosocial assessments. Conducts and dictates histories and physicals. Develops treatment plans and records progress notes. Triages patients, establishes working diagnoses, and administers treatment. Provides case management and follow-up evaluations. Generates referrals to other healthcare professionals and community agencies following established protocols. Practices across multiple disciplines including internal medicine, family practice, surgery, ophthalmology, otolaryngology, dermatology, orthopedics, psychiatry, and gynecology. Determines patient fitness for military or overseas service based on clinical findings and directives. Recommends appropriate patient disposition. Documents services provided in accordance with established procedures, including narrative summaries, medical boards, fitness-for-duty evaluations, competency determinations, and special evaluations for military members. Supervision & Collaboration Works under the immediate supervision of an assigned preceptor. Ultimately supervised by the Senior Medical Officer or Officer in Charge of the Branch Health Clinic. Collaborates and consults with specialists and administrators within the department, clinic, or VA medical facility. Occasionally works at other clinics within DFM to support workload or staffing changes. Provides input on Command and Congressional inquiries and patient Quality Assurance concerns. Teaching & Precepting Serves as a professional preceptor for Hospital Corpsmen, including sick call screeners and Independent Duty Corpsmen. Assists in precepting Physician Assistant students. May be asked to provide medical lectures within the clinic or FHCC. Age-Specific & Culturally Sensitive Care Provides care appropriate to the cognitive, emotional, and developmental level of each patient. Assesses and interprets age-related patient data to determine individualized needs. Considers age-related differences across VA and DoD populations within the FHCC. Demonstrates understanding of aging processes and adapts care accordingly. Maintains sensitivity to cultural and developmental factors. Quality Assurance, Risk Management & Administrative Duties Assists in Quality Assurance and Risk Management activities. Participates in peer review functions. Attends medical staff and assigned committee meetings regularly. Other assigned duties as required. Patient Education Educates patients on disease processes, self-management, medications, side effects, lifestyle recommendations, and required follow-up. Tailors education to patient learning style, developmental ability, and limitations due to disease or comorbidities. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 6:30am to 3:00pm (alternate work schedules may be considered) Telework: Ad-hoc, as determined by agency policy and supervisor discretion. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact vha.elrsprogramsupport@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.</p><h3>Requirements</h3>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.<h3>Education</h3>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/.