Physical Therapy Assistant

About the Position: This position is located at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.

This is a Direct Hire Solicitation.

A recruitment or relocation incentive may be authorized.

Salary negotiation may be available for those candidates who are new to Federal service.

Non-Federal work experience may be creditable for leave purposes.

Under the direction of the Physical Therapist, plans, coordinates, and administers diverse physical therapy programs for wounded, ill and injured patients, as well as other beneficiaries. | Provides interpretation of Physical Therapist’s findings to initiate care, considering patients’ neurological, surgical, sensory, respiratory, cardiac status, gait ability, posture, age, and general health. | Designs a patient progressive treatment plan, utilized and designed to restore and maintain range of motion, strength, endurance, coordination, relaxation as well as promote healing, pain relief and improvement of functional independence. | Provides updated status in patient progress reports, as well as other administrative reports. | Instructs and reviews all home program precautions and contraindications with patients and family members on use and application of physical modalities for home environment. | Provides instruction to patients, family members and/or other health workers to perform selected treatment procedures and functional training activities. | Tracks procedure’s effects on patients, long-and short-term effects of different types of therapy, and appropriateness of a specific therapy, noting overall trends in efficacy, reporting problems to supervisor. | Shares technical expertise with other therapy assistants, physical therapy students and other interdisciplinary team members.

Who May Apply: US Citizens

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.

Specialized Experience: One year of specialized experience which includes implementing physical therapy treatment plans; instructing on physical therapy programs; and/or providing status reports. This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade/level position in the federal service (GS-06).

OR

Education: One full year of graduate level education in a field directly related to the work of the position, such as Physical Therapy, Kinesiotherapy, Sports Medicine, Exercise Science.

OR

Combination of Education and Experience: A combination of education and experience may be used to qualify for this position as long as the computed percentage of the requirements is at least 100%. To compute the percentage of the requirements, divide your total months of experience by 12. Then divide the total number of completed graduate semester hours (or equivalent) by 18. Add the two percentages.

FOREIGN EDUCATION: If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited U.S. education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a U.S. accredited college or university. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation. | A Personnel Security Investigation is required. | Selectees will be required to sign a statement (Condition of Employment) consenting to seasonal influenza vaccinations or must provide a recognized exemption. | This position is a Testing Designated Position subject to pre-employment screening and random drug testing. Selectees will be required to consent to participation in random drug urinalysis testing. | A pre-placement medical examination is required. | Moderate to heavy lifting up to 40 pounds may be required. | Immunization screening is required. Hepatitis B immunization is required for all positions with direct patient contact. Applicants may be required to show proof of other immunizations depending on the type of position. | Must be able to obtain and maintain current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Red Cross or American Heart Association. Advanced certification (e.g., ALS) does not supersede BLS.