This position is located in the Tomah VA facility, to be supervised by the Whole Health Clinical Director. The acupuncturist is responsible for being self-directed in the delivery of patient care. The acupuncturist may treat a wide range of conditions and acupuncture may be used alone or as an adjunct to traditional medical care. 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). 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. 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. 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. Grade Determinations: Acupuncturist, GS-12 (Advanced Level) (a) 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. (b) 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. Preferred Experience: Preferred experience 3-5 years 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. Physical Requirements: Sitting, standing, light lifting (up to 20 lbs.). ["Major duties include but not limited to: 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 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 shall document and code information related to patient care in the VA's electronic health care record on a timely basis The acupuncturist communicates with other health care providers as appropriate. The acupuncturist is the subject matter expert on acupuncture and East Asian Medicine services and will provide guidance when requested regarding purchased care. The acupuncturist will participate in teaching principles of acupuncture to staff, students and residents including journal clubs, grand rounds and in-service trainings. The advanced level acupuncturist serves as an advisor to leadership on issues pertaining to acupuncture. 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 #: 02006F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized"]
The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, providing care at 1,321 health care facilities, including 172 VA Medical Centers and 1,138 outpatient sites of care of varying complexity (VHA outpatient clinics) to over 9 million Veterans enrolled in the VA health care program. VHA Medical Centers provide a wide range of services including traditional hospital-based services such as surgery, critical care, mental health, orthopedics, pharmacy, radiology and physical therapy. In addition, most of our medical centers offer additional medical and surgical specialty services including audiology & speech pathology, dermatology, dental, geriatrics, neurology, oncology, podiatry, prosthetics, urology, and vision care. Some medical centers also offer advanced services such as organ transplants and plastic surgery.
