Physician Assistant, Ortho Access, Sports Med and North Liberty Campus

UIOWA•Iowa City, IA

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

The University of Iowa Health Care North Liberty Campus, which opened in Spring 2025, is a 469,000 square foot facility housing UI Health Care’s nationally recognized Orthopedics service line. This campus offers comprehensive, coordinated, and accessible care across outpatient, inpatient, and surgical venues, along with a full-service community imaging center, laboratory services, physical therapy, retail pharmacy, and emergency department. The facility is designed to enhance patient and staff experience, support excellence in patient care, teaching, and research, and ensure convenient access to services and community partnerships. UI Health Care is seeking a welcoming, highly-skilled, and collaborative workforce to join the opening team for this new campus and contribute to their mission of 'Changing Medicine. Changing Lives.' The Orthopedic Access Advanced Practice Provider (APP) will independently evaluate and manage patients with a wide range of musculoskeletal conditions, with collaborative support from subspecialty orthopedic teams. The primary goal of this clinic is to improve timely access to orthopedic care. While the clinic will serve patients with various musculoskeletal concerns, those with acute injuries will typically be directed to the Orthopedic Walk-In Clinic. For non-surgical cases, the APP will manage patient care independently at the Prairie Meadow Drive location. If surgical intervention is needed, the APP will coordinate referrals to the appropriate surgical team. The role may also involve performing in-office procedures like joint injections, depending on the APP's experience and clinical assessment. Some cross-coverage in the Orthopedic Injury Walk-In Clinic (North Liberty Campus) may also be required, where the APP would see musculoskeletal injuries and pain that occurred within the last 7 days, occasionally requiring splinting and casting (training is provided). This role requires an organized, motivated, and efficient individual.

Requirements

Must comply with registration and licensure requirements as specified by the Iowa Board of Physician Assistant Examiners, which include graduation from an accredited PA educational program and/or certification by the NCCPA.
2+ years of patient care experience is required and can be obtained through clinical rotations or in clinical practice.
2+ years of demonstrated experience and/or knowledge of orthopedic patient care is required.
Experience working effectively in a welcoming and respectful workplace environment.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills are required.
Timeliness and promptness of documentation.

Nice To Haves

A Master’s degree is highly desired.
Experience working in orthopedic outpatient clinic is highly desired.
Relevant orthopedic experience in ED or Urgent Care considered.

Responsibilities

Perform evaluation and management for a variety of orthopedic conditions.
Order medical diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and prescribe, dispense, or deliver medications under a collaborative practice agreement.
Follow up with patients on diagnostics and labs.
Follow up with patients and manage their care longitudinally if surgical or subspecialty consultation is not needed or desired.
Consult and collaborate with other care team members.
Use judgment to apply or adapt information within the total clinical picture to address health issues.
Influence others to adopt best practices.
Complete patient medical records, reports, and forms to document treatment for record-keeping and billing purposes.
Improve quality of care by performing chart reviews and participating in performance improvement committees.
Collaborate with subspecialty teams in Orthopedics as needed to facilitate care.
Escalate care appropriately for surgical conditions.
Triaging, evaluation, and management of orthopedic injuries such as acute back pain, sprains and strains, tendon and ligament injuries, suspected fractures, and joint pain.
Ordering appropriate imaging such as plain X-ray, CT, or MRI when indicated.
Providing initial management which could include using a variety of durable medical equipment, such as wrist splints, slings, and boots, in addition to splinting or casting.
Educating patients on their injury.
Facilitating follow-up care, as needed, with subspecialty surgeons and providers in the Department of Orthopedics.
Working with MCNL Emergency Room staff to transfer patients to them when a patient would be more appropriately managed in that setting.