Optometrist (Internal Employees of VA North Texas Only)

Summary

This is an OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENT for current, permanent North Texas Health Care System employees for consideration when vacancies occur.

Applicants will remain active for 3 months after their initial application is received and/or updated. After that time, you must update your application through your USA Jobs account if you would like to be made active again for possible consideration during the open period.

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Duties

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The position is located at VA North Texas Health Care System (VANTHCS). The staff optometrist at the VANTHCS is credentialed and privileged through the chief of staff in accordance with the medical staff bylaws. Optometry is organizationally part of the surgical care line and individual performance evaluations will be done by the chief of the ophthalmology section. The staff optometrist is a licensed independent practitioner responsible for patient care activities in the ophthalmology clinic. Planning, coordinating and exercising professional judgement in initiating and implementing clinical and administrative decisions are integral components of the position. Other duties as assigned. Additional duties and responsibilities for each vacancy is identified through current functional statements determined by individual services. Duties will be discussed with the hiring manager.

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package.

Work Schedule: Typically, normal operating hours (Monday - Friday, 8:00a.m. - 4:30p.m.), may change based off of needs of the facility. Candidates may be required to work alternate shifts, be on call, work weekends and/or holidays as patient care and needs of the service require. Varies per Service Line/Department/Unit

Compressed/Flexible : Varies per Service Line/Department/Unit

Telework : Not Available

Virtual : This is not a virtual position.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives : Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (PCS) : Not Authorized

Bargaining Unit Status : This position is part of the bargaining unit.

Financial Discloser Report: Not required

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 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

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 :

To qualify for appointment to this position, all applicants must possess the following:

Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.) in accordance with section7402(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 38U.S.C. § 7402(d) and 7407(d).

OPTOMETRIST STAFF REQUIREMENTS

a. Staff Optometrist. None beyond the basic requirements. The individual must possess the experience to perform general optometry duties, including clinical oversight of trainees as needed, and some specialized functions and procedures without supervision.

b. Attending Optometrist. An Attending Optometrist teaches and supervises students, residents, and, or fellows in the delivery of optometric care to Veterans. The Attending Optometrist accepts full responsibility for adherence to the current care standards of directly assigned patients and for those assigned under the care of the supervised trainee(s). An Attending Optometrist may also serve as a Student Coordinator overseeing the clinical care, and facilitating the coordination of scheduling, periodic reviews, and didactic component for the students. In addition to meeting the basic requirements, and possessing privileges to perform all procedures being supervised, Attending Optometrists must demonstrate the following:(1)Board Certification: Attending Optometrists must be board certified by The American Board of Certification in Medical Optometry (ABCMO) or The American Board of Optometry (ABO); and(2)Meets one of the following criteria:(a)Faculty appointment(s) at a school or college of optometry, medicine, or other health care profession; or(b)Fellowship in the American Academy of Optometry (AAO).

c. Residency Coordinator. An Optometrist who serves as the Residency Coordinator provides effective educational and administrative oversight to the residency program. A residency coordinator must meet the requirements of an attending optometrist and meet the ACOE accreditation standards for a residency coordinator.

d. Distinguished Optometrist. A Distinguished Optometrist is recognized for scientific, academic, and administrative expertise and would typically been trusted with a variety of key responsibilities beyond those of other Optometrist assignments. These duties could involve leadership, mentorship, research,

clinical consultation, and, or influence the advancement of the profession. The Distinguished Optometrist may play a key role in shaping policy, including the development of standards of practice, clinical guidelines, or ethical regulations. This Optometrist is capable of providing expert advice and recommendations on clinical practices, procedures, and protocols. The Distinguished Optometrist will provide continuing education and promote high standards of knowledge and practice in optometry. In addition to meeting the basic requirements of an Attending Optometrist, the individual must meet at least two of the following: (1) Led or contributed to the advancement of the field through publications or clinical studies; (2) Published or presented at national or international optometric conferences;

(3) Worked with government agencies, professional organizations, or

regulatory bodies to advocate for the profession, addressing issues such

as scope of practice or public health initiatives;

(4) Served in a VA leadership/manager position with responsibility for the

planning, coordination, and operation of a multi-faceted program that may

have included clinical research, training, and, or other speciality service;

(5) Possess post-residency fellowship training, advanced professional

degree(s), or exceptional professional distinction(s);

(6) Administrative or leadership experience at the state, regional, or national

levels.

e. 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.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit VA Regulations, specifically VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G5 Optometrist Qualification Standard. This can be found in the local Human Resources Office.

Physical Requirements: This position may require potentially long periods of continued moderate lifting of 15-44 pounds, Moderate carrying of 15-44 pounds, Pushing for 2 hours, Reaching above shoulder, Use of fingers, Both hands required, Walking for 3-5 hours, Standing for 3-5 hours, Kneeling for 2-3 hours, Far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, Both eyes required, Depth perception, Ability to distinguish basic colors, Ability to distinguish shades of colors, Hearing (aid permitted).

Education

Degree of Doctor of Optometry resulting from a course of educationin optometry. The degree must have been obtained from one of the schools orcolleges approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs (VA) for the year in whichthe course of study was completed. Approved schools are United States andCanadian schools or colleges of optometry listed as accredited by theAccreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE), in the list published forthe year in which the course of study was completed.

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.

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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