Acupuncturist (Advanced)

This position services as the Advanced Level Acupuncturist in the Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service (PM&RS) at the C.W. Bill Young VA Medical Center, St. Petersburg, FL.

Qualifications:

Applicants pending the completion of educational or certification/licensure requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education. Individual must meet one of the requirements below:
  • (1) Master's degree in acupuncture or oriental medicine from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM) OR,
  • (2) Advanced level degree in acupuncture or oriental medicine from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM).
• Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign acupuncture programs meet the requirements in subparagraph 3b if they have a full unrestricted and current license to practice acupuncture in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Certification. Acupuncturists hired in the VHA must be board certified through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). The board certification must be current and the acupuncturist must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education.
  • Loss of Certification. An acupuncturist who fails to maintain the required certificate must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists.
• Licensure. Current, full, active, and unrestricted license to practice acupuncture in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e. Puerto Rico) of the United States, or District of Columbia.
  • Loss of licensure. An acupuncturist who fails to maintain the required license must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• English Language Proficiency. Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.

May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

• All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series that are performing the duties as described in this qualification standard on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following apply:
  • (1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
  • (2) Acupuncturists who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
  • (3) Acupuncturists who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry as an acupuncturist.

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

Acupuncturist, GS-12 (Advanced Level)

Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, completion of a minimum of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-11 grade level.

Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:

1. Skill and ability to perform safe and effective advanced acupuncture techniques.
2. Knowledge of complex issues surrounding the delivery of care as it relates to acupuncture services, such as evidence based and cost effectiveness.
3. Ability to apply and adapt acupuncture to new and changing programs.
4. Knowledge of research strategies, methodologies and principles.
5. Ability to problem solve issues surrounding delivery of acupuncture.

Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Employees at this level carry out assigned tasks independently in all areas of acupuncture which substantially exceed the full performance level and require advanced knowledge in all areas of acupuncture.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience serving as a member of an interdisciplinary team providing acupuncture treatment as well as further coordination of care for patients referred for acupuncture services.
• Experience with analyzing medical histories and physical findings to formulate a differential diagnosis based on oriental and western medicine paradigms.
• Proficiency in the use of electronic medical record systems including experience with the Veterans Health Administration.
• Timely and accurate documentation in CPRS for every patient encounter is essential.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

Responsibilities:

• The Acupuncturist will provide individualized acupuncture treatment.
• The Acupuncturist will utilize standard medical evaluation procedures and East Asian Medicine evaluation to formulate a differential diagnosis to develop an acupuncture treatment plan.
• The Acupuncturist shall incorporate the various training techniques taught within Eastern Asian Medicine and acupuncture.
• The Acupuncturist shall educate patients on health lifestyle changes including nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, stress management, mind body techniques and other matters related to acupuncture care.
• The Acupuncturist will provide group acupuncture as determined.
• The Acupuncturist will complete clinical notes in electronic health record system. The Acupuncturist will document, and code information related to patient are in VA's electronic health care record on a timely basis following VHA policies.
• The Acupuncturist will participate in teaching principles of acupuncture to staff students and residents including journal clubs, grand rounds and in service training.
• The Acupuncturist may participate in clinical research projects.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 21034F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Authorized

Salary : $89,508