Optometrist

Summary

The Optometrist position is located in the Eye Service, Western New York Health Care Systems, in Buffalo and Batavia, NY. This position provides support to the eye clinic, and inpatient services.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentive Approved for this position.

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program.

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Duties

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The Optometrist is charged with delivering the best possible eye care services to our Veteran patients at the Batavia VA Medical Center, Batavia, NY. The Optometrist will perform indicated services for conditions in an out-patient clinical setting, including telemedicine. This care must be delivered in accordance with hospital policy and meet community standards. The Optometrist works within his/her privileges at all times. The Optometrist is expected to maintain current knowledge and skills. She/he must be able to deliver primary eye care throughout the full spectrum of optometry i.e. s/he is expected to maintain good diagnostic and therapeutic acumen. The Optometrist provides both outpatient and inpatient vision services to support the Vision clinic.

The Staff Optometrist at the Vision Clinic at the Batavia VAMC will:

• Provide vision care to all veterans, including those who may be legally blind/visually impaired patients as appropriate. This includes on an out-patient and inpatient basis.
• Prescribing ocular prosthetic devices (spectacles, prisms).
• Manage ocular disease, including: cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye, ocular emergencies, and other acute or urgent ocular conditions.
• Collaborate regularly with Optometry and Ophthalmology at the Buffalo Eye Clinic as needed for veterans needs and service support.
• Provide consultative reports , as well as refer patients as indicated to primary care physicians, staff, and specialists.
• Provide administrative support to service.
• Timely documentation (notes and encounter forms) is necessary in all areas in accordance with facility policy. All administrative work will be completed in a timely fashion.
• All VA requirements must be met on a timely basis including computer security training, customer service training and cultural/diversity training.
• The staff optometrist demonstrates courtesy and professionalism and a positive attitude toward Veterans, co-workers, and the public.
• The staff optometrist identifies Veteran concerns and applies discernment and sensitivity when performing tasks required to resolve issues accurately and timely. She/he facilitates any necessary follow-up to ensure satisfactory resolution of problems.
• The staff optometrist will utilize computerized programs to enter, modify and retrieve sensitive information in the form of electronic medical records. Patient confidentiality will be always maintained per HIPPA requirements.
• The staff optometrist works in a proficient and self-directed manner to accomplish all clinical and administrative duties.

Pay: Competitive salary, annual performance bonus, regular salary increases

Paid Time Off: 50-55 days of paid time off per year (26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year and possible 5 day paid absence for CME)

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA

Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

Licensure: 1 full and unrestricted license from any US State or territory

CME: Possible $1,000 per year reimbursement (must be full-time with board certification)

Malpractice: Free liability protection with tail coverage provided

Contract: No Physician Employment Contract and no significant restriction on moonlighting

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentive Approved for this position.

Work Schedule: 730 AM-4:00pm; alternative scheduling options may be considered

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• U.S. Citizenship; non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• You may be required to serve a probationary period.
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, you must meet the basic requirements as well as any additional requirements (if applicable) listed in the job announcement. Applicants pending the completion of training or license requirements may be referred and tentatively selected but may not be hired until all requirements are met. Currently employed physician(s) in VA who met the requirements for appointment under the previous qualification standard at the time of their initial appointment are deemed to have met the basic requirements of the occupation.

Basic Requirements:

• English Language Proficiency - Optometrists appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. § 7402(d) and 7407(d)
• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education: Degree of Doctor of Optometry resulting from a course of education in optometry. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools or colleges approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are United States and Canadian schools or colleges of optometry listed as accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE), in the list published for the year in which the course of study was completed.
• Licensure/Registration: Optometrists must possess a current, full and unrestricted license to practice optometry, and maintain a current registration in a state, territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia that requires successful passage of all parts of National Board of Examiners in Optometry intended for basic licensure. The Optometrist must maintain current registration in the state of licensure if this is a requirement for continuing active, current licensure.
• Residency Training or Comparable Experience: Optometrists must have successfully completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of VA in an accredited post-graduate training program, or have comparable experience, as described below:

Approved residencies are those with accredited or within pre-accredited status by the ACOE, in the list published for the year the residency was completed.

OR Two years of licensed clinical optometric practice in the United States consisting of active involvement in the management of medically complex patients.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit:

Additional information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status.

VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority.

If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement.

Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.

Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government, passionate about the ideals of our American republic, and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

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