Physician Assistant - Cardiothoracic

The Louis Stokes Cleveland VA Medical Center is seeking a motivated and dedicated Physician Assistant (PA) to join the Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) and Advanced Heart Failure program within the Cardiothoracic Surgery Section of Surgical Service.

Major duties

This position offers a unique opportunity to develop expertise in the longitudinal care of Veterans with advanced heart failure and mechanical circulatory support. The PA will work closely with cardiac surgeons, advanced heart failure cardiologists, nursing staff, and other members of the multidisciplinary heart team to provide coordinated care across the inpatient and outpatient settings. The successful candidate should have a strong interest in cardiovascular medicine, advanced heart failure, and evolving medical technology. Previous LVAD experience is desirable but is not required. Candidates with a strong cardiovascular foundation and an interest in developing specialized expertise in mechanical circulatory support are encouraged to apply. LVAD-specific education and training will be provided as appropriate. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. Duties include but are not limited to: Participate in the comprehensive evaluation and longitudinal management of patients with advanced heart failure and LVADs. Perform focused histories and physical examinations and participate in developing diagnostic and treatment plans in collaboration with supervising physicians and the multidisciplinary heart team. Participate in preoperative evaluation and preparation of patients being considered for durable mechanical circulatory support. Participate in postoperative and inpatient management of LVAD patients in collaboration with cardiac surgery, advanced heart failure cardiology, critical care, and nursing teams. Provide longitudinal outpatient follow-up for patients receiving LVAD support. Review and interpret laboratory studies, ECGs, imaging, hemodynamic information, and other relevant clinical data within the PA scope of practice. Develop expertise in LVAD function, parameters, alarms, troubleshooting, and recognition of device-related complications. Assist in identifying and managing complications associated with mechanical circulatory support, including bleeding, infection, thrombosis, arrhythmias, right ventricular dysfunction, and other clinical issues, in collaboration with the treating physicians. Provide pre- and post-implant education to patients and caregivers regarding LVAD therapy, medications, driveline care, device management, and recognition of potential complications. Participate in interdisciplinary rounds, conferences, and treatment planning. Coordinate care and transitions between the inpatient, outpatient, rehabilitation, community, and home settings. Communicate and coordinate, when appropriate, with LVAD manufacturers and technical representatives regarding device-related issues. Assist with development and implementation of LVAD clinical pathways, protocols, quality-improvement initiatives, and programmatic activities. Maintain current knowledge of advances in mechanical circulatory support, advanced heart failure, and cardiovascular medicine. Participate in the continued development and growth of the Cleveland VA LVAD and Advanced Heart Failure program. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

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. Qualifications: Graduate of an accredited Physician Assistant program. Current certification by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA). Current PA licensure meeting applicable VA requirements. BLS certification required. ACLS certification preferred/required as appropriate for VA credentialing and assignment. Strong interest in cardiovascular medicine, advanced heart failure, cardiac surgery, and mechanical circulatory support. Strong clinical assessment, organizational, communication, and patient-education skills. Ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary team. Preferred Qualifications: Clinical training or experience in cardiology, cardiac surgery, cardiovascular critical care, advanced heart failure, or a related field. Previous exposure to LVADs or other forms of mechanical circulatory support. Familiarity with contemporary durable LVAD technology, including the HeartMate platform. Experience with inpatient and outpatient cardiovascular patient management. Experience with patient and caregiver education and transitions of care. Demonstrated interest in emerging cardiovascular technologies, quality improvement, clinical research, or program development. Grade Determinations: The full performance level of this vacancy is PA-III. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of PA-I to PA-III. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Physical qualifications require the ability to stand, walk, bend, and move freely.

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. 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.