Optometrist - Chief of Optometry Service

Summary

The Hershel "Woody" Williams VAMC Optometry Service provides full-scope eye care in an outpatient setting. Optometrists within this service provide comprehensive eye care including the management of eye disease, consultations, and emergency and on-call services. They also perform related administrative duties as well as academic and research functions in support of eye care services.

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Duties

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The Chief of Optometry Service is the primary supervisor for the service and is responsible for a multitude of administrative duties including but not limited to performance evaluations, certification of timecards, labor mapping and participation in various committees/councils for the facility and/or VISN.

Duties include by are not limited to the following:

Clinical

• Provides quality patient care to outpatients as assigned
• Keeps informed of developments in the management and treatment of eye and systemic diseases through continuing medical education, both formal and informal
• Successfully integrates patient care activities in Optometry Service and other patient care programs of the clinic and in the community
• Consistently demonstrates expertise in diagnosing and treating seriously ill, multisymptomatic patients
• Revises work schedules and assignments on short notice to meet frequent, abrupt, and unpredictable changes in prescribed workloads and deadlines to meet performance targets
• Participates in multidisciplinary activities involving treatment plan and discharge of patients
• Participates as a peer reviewer when requested
• Provides other clinical services as assigned consistent with clinical privileges as assigned by the Chief of Staff

Administrative

• Participates in various committees/councils including but not limited to the following: Medical Staff Council, Medical Staff Council Credentialing Committee, Access Committee, Clinical Service Chief Committee, Quality and Patient Safety Council, VISN ICC Optometry, local Rehab ICC, local surgical ICC, etc.
• Responsible for labor mapping and monitoring productivity and performance within the service
• Conducts performance evaluations for all direct reports and facilitates performance improvement, if required
• Directs and oversees all budgetary and equipment purchases for the service to include pre-planning as well as submitting necessary documentation for future acquisitions
• Performs other duties as assigned by the Chief of Staff, Deputy Chief of Staff, or Medical Center Director

Academic

• Provides guidance and supervision for optometry residents and optometry externs
• Participates in the formal education of residents, optometry externs, and other trainees by presenting teaching rounds, lectures, conferences, etc.
• Assists in the development and implementation of education and training programs for optometry externs and residents rotating through Optometry Service

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday-Friday, 8:00am-4:30pm

Telework : Available. Ad Hoc as determined by Agency policy.

Virtual : This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized

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.

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

Requirements

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Conditions of employment

• All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
• 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 identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• 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 Optometrist(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:

• Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.) in accordance with section 7402(c) to title 38, United States Code (U.S.C). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).
• 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 and 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:
  1. 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
  2. Two years of licensed clinical optometric practice in the United States consisting of active involvement in the management of medically complex patients.
• 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).

Leadership/Manager Positions:

Organizational and functional titles do not replace but complement official position titles. Optometry leadership and management positions may include but are not limited to: Supervisory Optometrists, Section Chiefs, Assistant/Deputy Chiefs, Service Chiefs, Facility/VISN Lead Optometrists, Service Line Managers, and Central Office Program Positions. An Optometrist in a leadership position must demonstrate the following:

(1) Outstanding professional ability in the practice of optometry and healthcare administration;

(2) The ability to guide the development and implementation of programs within their respective domain, to include but not limited to, optometry practice, professional standards, personnel issues, quality and performance improvement;

(3) Effectiveness in coordinating and managing interdisciplinary collaboration with both internal and external stakeholders to optimize the care of patients under their purview

Preferred Experience:

• Residency training, preferably in ocular disease.

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

Physical Requirements: This position requires a pre-employment physical. Requires light lifting up to 25 pounds; pushing; bending; reaching above the shoulder; use of fingers and both hands; walking and standing up to 8 hours. Must meet visual requirements to perform assigned duties.

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.

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.

Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest. The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and wellbeing. As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care.

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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