PHYSICAL THERAPIST

Full Job Description

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The primary purpose of this position is to serve as a fully licensed and privileged Physical Therapist responsible for the full range of physical therapy patient care, including comprehensive evaluations of patients using screening and diagnostic testing, and associated administrative duties at the military treatment facility for the local Air Force installation.

In order to qualify, you must meet the SPECIALIZED experience requirements described in the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions, Professional and Scientific Positions +IOR for the GS-0633 Series.

BASIC REQUIREMENT OR INDIVIDUAL OCCUPATIONAL REQUIREMENT: A Master degree (or higher degree) in a major study that included or was supplemented by (1) a physical therapy curriculum approved by a recognized professional accrediting organization (CAAHEP) at the time the curriculum was completed, and (2) the clinical affiliation requirements prescribed by the school.

NOTE: You must submit a copy of transcripts.

AND Licensure: Applicants must possess a current, active, full, and unrestricted license or registration as a Physical Therapist from a State or a territory of the United States and must have passed the National Physical Therapy Examination administered by the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy (external link) (FSBPT).

NOTE: You must submit a copy of your license.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below: SPECIALIZED EXPERIENCE: Applicants must have at least one (1) year of specialized experience at the next lower grade GS-11, or equivalent in other pay systems.

Examples of specialized experience includes; Professional knowledge of, and skill in applying, a wide range of concepts, principles, and methodologies of the therapeutic field sufficient to perform advanced techniques to identify existing or potential problems resulting from trauma, disease or other causes; and deviate from existing treatment methods, procedures, or techniques to resolve difficult or complex problems.

Knowledge of physical therapy practices sufficient to plan and carry out the full range of specialized and complex treatments for patients who are acutely ill or have a combination of severe physical disabilities with secondary complications.

Knowledge of military medical readiness standards, such as fitness for duty testing, deployment requirements, and special duty programs sufficient to participate in physical medicine and human performance/rehabilitation programs.

Knowledge of the full range of organic and functional physical disorders, their causes, and complications, to determine complex risk factors and behaviors contributing to the overall impairment and functional limitation.

FEDERAL TIME-IN-GRADE (TIG) REQUIREMENT FOR GENERAL SCHEDULE (GS) POSITIONS: Merit promotion applicants must meet applicable time-in-grade requirements to be considered eligible.

One year at the GS-11 level is required to meet the time-in-grade requirements for the GS-12 level. TIG applies if you are in a current GS position or held a GS position within the previous 52 weeks.

NOTE: Applicants applying as VEOA candidates who are current GS civil service employees or are prior GS civil service employees within the past 52 weeks must also meet time-in-grade requirements.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs): Your qualifications will be evaluated on the basis of your level of knowledge, skills, abilities and/or competencies in the following areas: Professional knowledge of an extensive range of concepts, principles, and methodologies of the Physical Therapy field to perform advanced techniques to examine, diagnose, and treat neuromuscular and musculoskeletal disease/pathology, impairment, and functional limitations.

Knowledge of the etiology, pathoanatomy, pathophysiology, pathomechanics, and manifestations of the full range of organic and functional physical disorders, their causes, and complicating factors contributing to the overall impairment and functional limitation.

Knowledge of health delivery and support services in order to work as an integral member of patient care teams; work effectively with other health professionals, paraprofessionals, and support staff; consult with other specialists to effectively deliver patient services.

Knowledge of contemporary rehabilitation theories, neurological and orthopedic evaluations, spinal and extremity manipulation/mobilization to apply evidence-based reasoning to develop a comprehensive therapeutic treatment program.

Ability to guide, train, and mentor physical therapy interns/doctoral students, enlisted physical medicine technicians, resident/intern physicians, clinical nurses, and/or other health professionals.

Ability to communicate clearly, both written and oral, with staff, patients, and the multi-disciplinary healthcare team.

PART-TIME OR UNPAID EXPERIENCE: Credit will be given for appropriate unpaid and or part-time work.

You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week.

VOLUNTEER WORK EXPERIENCE: Refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service Programs (i.e., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student and social).

Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge and skills that can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment.

You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Major Duties:

Utilizes a wide range of concepts, principles, and methodologies of the therapeutic field to provide examination, evaluation, diagnosis, prognosis, intervention, and outcome assessment for Department of Defense (DoD) beneficiaries.

Provides guidance, training, and preceptorship to physical therapy students, physical therapist assistants, physical medicine technicians, as well as Primary Care Managers, specialty providers, flight medicine, and other medical staff.

Ensures proper and timely documentation of patient care IAW DoD and professional standards.

Conducts required clinical and non-clinical administrative responsibilities, and maintains patient care records IAW APTA, TJC, AAAHC and local policy standards.

Manages priorities and deadlines to ensure temporal, quantity, and quality demands of workload are met.

Provides current/relevant briefings and/or hands-on lab sessions to professional and technical staff on rehabilitationtechniques and practices.