Summary

The Optometry Service provides care primarily in outpatient settings with limited inpatient care. Optometrists assigned to the Optometry Service provide comprehensive eye care for inpatients and outpatients. The Optometry Service is based at the W.G Hefner VA Healthcare System in Salisbury, North Carolina and serves affiliated VA clinics (e.g., Charlotte, Kernersville, or Salisbury).

Duties

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The W.G. (Bill) Hefner VA Medical Center is seeking an Optometrist at the VA Clinic in Kernersville, NC to meet the SBYVAHCS goals and objectives, in particular those benchmarks and performance measures assigned to Optometry Service. The Optometrist provides comprehensive eye and vision care to eligible veterans presenting in clinic during scheduled regular clinic hours. This includes but is not limited to a full exercise of credentials for correction of vision, treatment of eye diseases and disorders that are within the scope of the optometrist's clinical privileges and providing rehabilitative care if applicable.

This position is unique in that up to 15% of job duties includes Basic Low Vision eyecare. Other duties include but are not limited to:

Clinical:

• Provides quality patient care to outpatients and inpatients
• Keeps informed of developments in the management and treatment of diseases and illness through continuing medical education, both formal and informal
• Integrates patient care activities
• Demonstrates expertise in diagnosing and treating seriously ill, multi-symptomatic patients
• 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

Administrative:

• Participates and attends medical center committees as assigned by the Chief of Optometry Service
• Assists in the development and implementation of care programs
• Selects/Recommends new staff based on a performance-based selection process.
• Participates in various facility programs designed to enhance and improve the delivery of patient care services such as Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) teams

Academic:

• Assist in the development and implementation of education and training programs for optometry externs

Research:

• Support the medical center wide research mission
• Assist in conducting studies regarding treatment modalities, outcomes and other aspect of patient care

VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package total rewards package.

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

Work Schedule: Full Time, Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm (Semi-Compressed available)

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 (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). 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/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:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• 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.
• Current, full and unrestricted license to practice medicine or surgery in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
• Residency Training: Optometrists must have successfully completed residency training, approved by the Secretary of VA in an accredited post-graduate training program, or have comparable experience. Approved residencies are:
  
  • (1) 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.

Exceptions: Grandfathering Provision: Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all basic requirements for the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply:

1. Such employees are considered to have met the basic qualification requirements for the purposes of transferring or reassignment to another Optometrist position within VA.
2. Employees 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. Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.
4. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional certification that meet all the basic or assignment-specific qualification requirements of this standard must maintain the required credential as a condition of employment in the assignment.

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

Physical Requirements: The Physical Requirements of this position are concerned with the mental and physical ability of the applicant to satisfactorily perform the duties of the proposed assignment and may include requisite laboratory and other screening as required by Federal regulatory agencies. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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.

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: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/.

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.

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.

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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.

Benefits

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A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee, you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

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Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time, part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.