Primary Care- Physician Assistant

Veterans Health Administration • Albert Lea, MN

2d

About The Position

The Albert Lea Community Based Outpatient Clinic (CBOC), part of the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, is hiring a full-time staff Physician Assistant to provide general medicine and community-based outpatient care to Veterans. The clinic offers a community-based setting, and the role is part of the VA’s Whole Health approach, which emphasizes personalized health plans, healing relationships and environments, and connection to the Veteran’s community.

Approximately 90% of the position is dedicated to direct care of general medicine clinic patients through an interdisciplinary approach. The Physician Assistant manages an independent panel of patients as their primary care provider, with significant responsibility and independence. The role requires strong assessment skills, broad medical knowledge, and effective communication with Fargo VA Health Care System consultants to coordinate referrals and triage. The provider will serve as a designated women’s provider and complete required VHA training. Travel to CBOCs or gap coverage may be required as determined by the supervisor. Providers are expected to meet national primary care work relative value unit (RVU) requirements and cover colleagues’ patients when they are on leave. Additional or collateral duties may include managing a subsection of primary care patients defined by disease or demographic group.

The appointment is described as a 13-month not-to-exceed (NTE) appointment, to be discussed during the interview. The stated work schedule is 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Compensation is described as competitive, with an annual performance bonus and regular salary increases. The position includes federal benefits and liability protection with tail coverage. There is no Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting.

Requirements

• Master’s degree in any discipline, or a bachelor’s degree in any discipline plus one year of experience as a Physician Assistant.
• Successfully passed the PA National Certifying Exam (PANCE), or be in the process of taking it.
• Hold, or be able to obtain, a full and unrestricted license to practice in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Proficiency in written and spoken English.
• Meet the applicable Physician Assistant grade-level qualifications and demonstrate the corresponding knowledge, skills, and abilities.
• Complete a pre-employment physical evaluation or examination.
• Participate in the seasonal influenza vaccination program.
• Complete required background/security investigation and onboarding requirements.
• Register with Selective Service if applicable.

Nice To Haves

• One to two years of experience in primary care.
• For PA-II: two years of successful PA practice, an eligible accredited PA postgraduate residency, or a doctoral degree in a health-related field.
• For PA-III: three years of successful PA practice, or an eligible accredited PA postgraduate residency plus one year of PA practice, or a health-related doctoral degree plus one year of PA practice.

Responsibilities

• Provide general medicine, community-based outpatient clinical care to Veterans.
• Develop and maintain an interdisciplinary approach to direct care of general medicine clinic patients.
• Independently manage a panel of general medicine patients and function as their primary care provider.
• Assess patients and coordinate referrals, including communicating with Fargo VA HCS consultants about patient triage.
• Serve as a designated women’s provider and complete mandatory VHA training.
• Travel to CBOCs or provide gap coverage when determined by the supervisor.
• Meet national work relative value unit (RVU) requirements for primary care providers.
• Provide surrogate coverage for colleagues’ patients when they are on leave.
• Undertake possible collateral duties managing a patient subsection defined by disease or demographic status.

Benefits

• Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, and regular salary increases.
• 50–55 days of paid time off per year, including 26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid federal holidays, and possible five-day paid CME absence.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting.
• Federal 401(k), with VA contributions up to 5%.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.
• Possible $1,000 annual CME reimbursement for full-time, board-certified employees.
• Free liability protection with tail coverage.
• No significant restriction on moonlighting.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level