Physician Assistant - Cardiology

The Physician Assistant (PA) - Cardiology assesses plans, implements, collaborates, and evaluates the needs and care of patients with acute and chronic cardiovascular disease, with particular emphasis on patients undergoing or requiring percutaneous coronary interventions.

Major duties

The PA Cardiology promotes self-care and collaborates with patients to establish realistic health goals throughout the peri-procedural continuum. In addition to providing direct patient care, the PA provides patient and family teaching, staff education, and consults and collaborates with other health care providers; participates in cardiovascular research; prescribes medications and adjunctive modalities; and refers patients as needed Major duties include, but are not limited to: Coordinate and supervise the delivery of complex outpatient and inpatient care for interventional and invasive cardiology patients, including pre-procedural evaluation and risk stratification; order, schedule, and/or perform diagnostic and therapeutic procedures such as EKGs, pharmacologic stress tests, and cardioversions; patient scheduling; and telephone triage for cardiac and post-catheterization issues. Serve as a Cardiology provider for a panel of clinic patients, including pre-catheterization and post-catheterization follow-up visits. Conduct comprehensive pre-procedural assessments, including review of coagulation status, renal function, allergies, and vascular access planning for patients scheduled for cardiac catheterization, PCI, or structural interventions. Manage vascular access site care and monitor for peri-procedural and postprocedural complications, including bleeding, hematoma, pseudoaneurysm, retroperitoneal hemorrhage, and contrast-induced nephropathy. Help triage interfacility consults to the cardiology service; integrate research findings and practice changes based on evidence-based guidelines, including AHA, ACC, and SCAI practice statements and other scientific inquiry. Participate in research activities as identified within the Cardiology Section, including registries related to cardiac catheterization and interventional outcomes (e.g., CathPCI Registry). Participate in the implementation of clinical practice guidelines used within the Cardiology section and service line for the hospital, including anticoagulation and antiplatelet management protocols for post-PCI patients. Perform new patient consultations, return visits, and telephone follow-up visits for pre- and post-catheterization patients, and collaborate with Cardiology and Cath Lab staff. Establish a comprehensive plan of care based on clinical findings and current interventional cardiac care guidelines and standards of care. Establish mutual goals with patient/family. Prescribe medications, including antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy, based on patients' status, accepted scientific guidelines, prescriptive authority, and ongoing evaluation of therapies. Order and interpret diagnostic tests, including but not limited to, x-rays, EKGs, laboratory tests, stress tests, echocardiograms, and coronary angiography results. Must be able to interpret EKGs in "real time" and correlate with clinical presentation, anticipating and responding quickly and appropriately in emergency situations, including acute coronary syndrome and post-procedural complications. All other duties as assigned, pertaining to this occupation, to meet the needs of the Agency, Department, Facility, and/or Service. Work Schedule: Full-Time, Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm Telework: Not available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authrozied. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized.

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. Physician Assistant Basic Requirements Master's degree in any discipline or a bachelor's degree in any discipline with one year of experience as a Physician Assistant ~AND~ Successfully passed the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE) (or are you in the process to taking the exam) ~AND~ Currently hold, or will hold, a full and unrestricted license to practice in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia. Grade Determinations: Physician Assistant I: (a) Experience and Education. None beyond the basic requirements. This is the entry level for PAs. (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. The following list of knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA) present the minimum skill set expected of an Entry Level PA. This practice may include, but is not limited to: Ability to utilize the principles of PA practice in the care of assigned patients to provide appropriate care. Ability to perform patient history and physical. Ability to formulate a plan and provide treatment to the patient. Ability to provide patient care that is abreast of changing concepts and advancements in the profession. Physician Assistant II: (a) Experience and Education: Two years of successful practice as a PA., OR Successful completion of a PA post-graduate residency program sponsored by VHA Office of Academic Affiliations or other postgraduate residency programs accredited by VA, ARC-PA, U.S. Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency., OR A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-II: Skills to analyze and solve complex medical problems. Ability to function autonomously and make independent medical decisions. Skill to incorporate training and experience into the successful practice of patient care including telehealth medical care. Ability to work effectively in an interdisciplinary environment for improvement of services for patient care. Ability to practice with colleagues and peers collaboratively. Physician Assistant III: (a) Experience and Education: Three years of successful practice as a PA., OR Successful completion of a PA post-graduate residency program sponsored by VHA Office of Academic Affiliations or other postgraduate residency programs accredited by VA, ARC-PA, U.S. Armed Forces, or another accrediting agency and one year of professional practice as a PA., OR A doctoral degree in a health-related field from an accredited college or university recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and one year of professional practice as a PA. (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. PAs at this level are not required to meet each individual KSA listed below to qualify, but should be able to demonstrate, develop, or acquire those not met upon appointment for PA-III: Ability to clinically evaluate facility patient care delivery systems and validate or identify barriers to safe and effective patient care. Skill to consistently demonstrate an elevated level of expertise and autonomy in diagnosing and treating seriously ill, multi-symptomatic patients through facility Focused Professional Practice Evaluation (FPPE) and Ongoing Professional Practice Evaluation (OPPE). Ability to present clinical findings and recommendations to appropriate management officials. Ability to clinically facilitate the delivery of patient care in collaboration with health professionals, health managers, and other health care personnel. Ability to implement and initiate clinical changes to established treatment protocols based upon new medical literature research findings to enhance patient delivery care for improved patient outcomes. Ability to participate clinically in the development of the PA patient care audit processes involving in-depth review and analysis of medical records. Preferred Experience: Interventional Cardiology Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: This work is mostly sedentary and requires some standing, bending and carrying light items. The incumbent must have the ability to stand and walk for prolonged periods of time to interact with the patients and other services.

Education

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/.

Requirements

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 evaluation. 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.