physicianambassador

https://www.research.va.gov/about/WOCemployment.cfm

That's really interesting, honest...if you'd ever be able to chat more about it, I'd love to hear more, whenever you might have time...apparently, I'd gathered that, when the PAP was set up, from what I'd been told, research had been expressly barred from it, as VA R&D had that whole without compensation (WOC) employment thing that I'd also sent in, I'm repeating the site here for you to look at, so it's readily visible, without having to hunt for it...I only mention that, as, if you were actually allowed to do such research under PAP, I'm only saying that could possibly be a really big help to me, as, trust me, I'm encountering a good deal of the same sort of wary mindset you'd apparently found, which was why we were trying to have me do it through unpaid volunteer/goodwill VA voc rehab, as I'd also sent a site in about, I can explain more about that, if you'd be able to chat more, for which my wife and I would obv be most enormously indebted, honest, I'd be most eager for your further thoughts, so far as possible, many thanks, for real...trust me, I'e dug into that whole PAP and WOC R&D thing really heavily, honest...can you give me any idea how long ago it was, possibly, just to give me at least some general idea at all, aside from anything else you might be able to relate at all? Please understand, I realize you might not be able to go into everything, I completely get that, however, I've been wanting to be of use at the VA hospital by us for a solid decade now since my total perm disability, and virtually any crumb you could feed us would be of inordinate help to us in our efforts for me, for real, many thanks once again....

I'd just thought to add...a research faculty member at the attached med school doing spinal-cord rehab research gave me a note, saying he'd be willing to try to use me somehow, no promises, IF I could find a way to be allowed for him to try to make use of me...he went to the one above him, similar to the level you'd gone to, with essentially, as I'd said, the same wary mindset, which is why we're appealing the whole thing, obv...as I'd said, there were clearly no promises, I'd also gone to HR, I'd raised it with numerous other offices, we're waiting, however, any other stuff you can relate would be a gynormous help, possibly, honest, very much appreciated, certainly....

Your candor about what you actually encountered trying to do it, most esp, was extremely illuminating, honest....

Normwlly, I typically don't ask this...however, could we possibly link on here to chat further, whenever we might be convenient? I'd be most eager to be able to chat about what you'd explained, if at all humanly possible, no rush, whenever might be convenient, of course, many thanks....

I'm grateful for your answering, honest...pls understand, I'm not seeking to do my own, I'm seeking to help research already there, for sure in place, at the VA hospital by us...I've actually chatted with one researcher who have me a note on his spinal cord studies, that IF I can find a way to get an exception to be used by him, that he's try, he spoke with one of the senior attending there who runs research at the hospital, that one is insisting it go through the usual without compensation (WOC) employment mechanjsm, which completely ignores reasonable accommodation under the Disability Act, or any semblance of veterans preference...that's why we've also petitioned for a legal.exception to policy, and are seeking to use unpaid volunteer/goodwill VA Vic-rehab to have it be allowed...I'm well aware of what you describe, my object is to be allowed to assist with such projects, being an allied health doctor, however unusual that is...there can't be many VA disabled vets who are really also.allied health doctors, I am one, weird as that sounds...I completely realize the PAP was set up for clinical stuff only, I already got one answer from another on here that he's tried to be allowed to use it for research...my point is, but he can try to be so allowed, and he's apparently not VA disabled, I ought to have at least as much right, in our view, to try to be similarly allowed...plus, he's had his own research in mind, all I'm asking to do is join an existing project...I've looked at and asked about numerous existing areas, surgical outcome, genomic research, as well as the spinal cord stuff is mentioned...I hold a double bach and triple masters in engrg, physics and math, aside from my allied health clinical.doctorate...I'm also a legitimate VA residency grad, with a recommend from yrs ago from my VA director that I be seriously considered for such research usage, though, as I'd said, he's written it a long time ago, and is long retired...I've waited 44 yrs to be allowed to try to do such research, from the day I went Army ROTC, and USAF OTS...I was never allowed, it all.got totally collided up...just once, I ask to be allowed to do it...those hospitals are supposed to be there to help us as disabled.vets, right? Well, that's how I seek to be helped...if I sought money, fine, that'd obv be forbidden, however, I'm not asking to be paid, in fact, I CAN'T be paid...however, the law, and I checked, believe me, expressly lets.me volunteer in only certain very narrowly defined specific ways, and VA is one of those...in all.candor, so I ask so much to be so allowed? If you'd waited 44 yrs to be so allowed, wouldn't you try every conceivable possibly legitimate possible venue available yourself? That's why I'm asking to be allowed to do either the PAP or VA without compensation (WOC) employment, for which if need be, I'll file a claim with VA, and petition both the VA Regional Ofc (CAN DO near us, as well.as the Board of Veterans Affairs (BVA) directly, as well as submit a petition to the Federal courts to ask their intercession...I admit my request is unusual, however, that it silent fit as a round org the std VA square hole concept of such programs is, to me, irrelevant...I'm qualified, even if my license is shut off...I've done online institutional review board (IRB) training recently on human experimentation, used by the same med school attached to that VA hospital, for a lab that spinal cord researcher is also involved with...if I weren't properly trained to be so allowed to ask to help, if I didn't have a note from him saying he's try to find a way to use me if I could find a way to be so allowed, trust me, I wouldn't be going to all this effort, I assure you, he made.me no promises, I get that, however, everybody needs to do their Don Quixote thing, tilting at a windmill, once in awhile...this is my latest such effort...we've also directly petitioned for a VA legal.exception to policy as well, aside from trying VA Vic rehab soon...I've sat in the house for a decade now, rotting,.I'm trying only to be of some relevant use, at a level suitable to my background and prior training, at zero cost to Uncle Sam, after Uncle Sam explicitly trained me, at basically zero pay to me for an entire year, other than lunch money, expressly to be allowed to try for such research assisting...now, after all that effort, in all honesty, wouldn't you try if you were me, ya know?

Capt Daniel Goodman I understand the pain of sitting at home when you want to continue contributing.
If I understand your comment, you are seeking to be permitted to assist with any ongoing medical research being conducted at the VA, and are seeking an avenue that permits you to do so as a volunteer.
Also, you don't seek to assist with research outside of VA.
To save some time, the VA Regional Offices are part of the Veterans Benefits Administration, and have no influence or authority with regard to what is permitted at VAMCs, which fall under the Veterans Health Administration (VHA).
The Board of Veterans Appeals (BVA) reviews decisions made by VBA. I don't believe BVA has the authority to issue any decision regarding anything to do with your goal.
The PAP isn't meant to provide volunteer opportunities for Veterans specifically, so referencing that in your attempt won't likely help your cause, rather, it will likely confuse VA officials.
Similarly, reasonable accommodation is not related, and raising it with VA officials will likely result in them believing they would be committing not only to allowing you to volunteer, but also to resourcing necessary reasonable accommodations.
The VA exists to help Veterans, but it doesn't exist to provide volunteer opportunities for Veterans.
You may want to consider researching whether any educational institutions have a relationship with any of the clinicians conducting research, and see if that may be an avenue to volunteer for VA related research without being a direct VA volunteer.
With regard to filing a claim in Federal court, what federal law or regulations would you use to support a claim, and what precedence exists? I ask because I doubt any federal court would claim jurisdiction over the VA not providing you an exception to volunteer for a nonexistent program, or volunteer contrary to an existing program.
I'm not knocking your goal. Rather, I'm trying to help save you from focusing on fights that are more likely than not unwinnable.
You may want to consider finding alternative routes to achieving your goal.

I follow...I anticipated a good deal of what you'd mentioned...I completely realize the whole BVA thing might not work, obv...it was just a thought, as was the appeal thing above that to the CAVC, and the higher courts...first, there's vet preference...second, that I'm not asking for any money, obv...second, I'd raise reasonable accommodation under ADA just to see how much mileage it'd bring to the whole thing...and, fourth, there is apparently a mechanism for appealing to institute a rule change in a Federal entity, I've been told that, as well, I'd want to explore that, also...I'm not disputing how horrendous such a thing would be to contest...I'm merely saying that I've got nothing else to do with my day, and if my circumstances could possibly lead to others having less aggravation seeking to do anything similar to what I'm seeking, I'd honestly consider the effort well worth it, for real...that being said, I've tilted at just about every bureaucratic and/or admin windmill on the planet at this point, I assure you, I have zero illusions as to the difficulties involved...lemme look up the rule change petitioning aspect...we've had me ask others in VA Central Ofc (VACO) as well to try to find out whether such a legal exception to policy might be possible to appeal for, I assure you...believe me, I've been all over this, up, down, left, right, upside down, inside out, and sideways, promise...there are only a very limited number of schools doing clinical research at the level I've sought, and the one attached to the VA hospital by us is the biggest, honest...I entirely follow your reasoning, I'll try to tell you what happens when we'd have me go over to the VA voc-rehab counselor this week...do we know if it'd do any good? No...are we still gonna try? Yeah, for whatever possible good it'd be worth, as I'd said, OK? Many thanks for answering, in any event, seriously, mucho appreciated, honest....