Physician Assistant

This is an open continuous announcement, meaning that several vacancies may be filled throughout the announcement period. As applicants apply, a pool of candidates is generated. Once a vacancy occurs, candidates will be reviewed for qualifications and referred to the hiring manager for consideration. The first cutoff date is May 3rd, 2024. Additional cutoffs will occur as vacancies are identified, upon request of management or until position(s) are filled.

Who May Apply: US Citizens

This is a Term position scheduled to last two (2) years. A term position may be extended to a maximum of eight (8) years depending upon the needs of management.

Current Federal Employees who accept a TERM appointment will be separated at the end of the TERM appointment date if the Not-to-Exceed (NTE) date is not extended. There are no return/reemployment rights to the position vacated prior to accepting the TERM appointment.

In order to qualify, you must meet the education and/or experience requirements described below. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Your resume must clearly describe your relevant experience; if qualifying based on education, your transcripts will be required as part of your application. Additional information about transcripts is in this document.

Basic Requirements for Physician Assistant:

Education: Graduation from a physician assistant educational program, accredited by the Accreditation Review Committee on Education for the Physician Assistant (ARC-PA) or its predecessors, at a college, university, or educational institution that is accredited by an accrediting body or organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education at the time the degree was obtained. (Note: You must attach a copy of your certification.)

Certification: Successful completion of the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) examination; must maintain status as a certified physician assistant, including completion of all requirements for Continuing Medical Education (CME) and re-certification. (Note: You must attach a copy of your certification.)

Licensure: Applicants must possess a current, active, full, and unrestricted license or registration as a Physician Assistant from a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States. (Note: You must attach a copy of your licensure.)

Exemption: You are exempt from the license requirements above if you are a current federal employee occupying a position in the 0603 occupational series and have been continuously employed in this occupational series since September 27, 2017 or before. Note: You will be required to provide appropriate documentation to the respective Human Resources Office to validate your status.

In addition to meeting the basic requirements above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below:

Experience: A minimum of one full year of work experience as a certified physician assistant which includes 1) conducting clinical evaluation and/or physical examinations; 2) interpreting medical documentation and/or findings; 3) developing and/or managing treatment plans; and 4) consulting with other professionals regarding healthcare and medical issues. This definition of experience is typical of work performed at the second lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-12).

Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify. For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone--no substitution of education for experience is permitted.