Optometrist

Summary

The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is recruiting for a Optometrist at the Akron VA Clinic. The Optometrist will function within Surgical Service.

Duties

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Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized

Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized

Education Debt Reduction Program (Student Loan Repayment): Not Authorized Learn more.

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

The VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System is currently seeking a full time Optometrist for the the Akron VA Clinic with coverage to neighboring clinics as directed. The Akron Optometry Clinic is manned with full-time Optometric Technician support and equipped with state-of-the art technology, including a Humphry Field Analyzer, Zeiss Cirrus OCT and Zeiss Clarus widefield retinal imaging. The primary responsibilities of the Optometrist include:

• Clinical care of veterans including primary eye care, diabetic and macular degeneration monitoring, medical management of glaucoma, and comprehensive ocular health assessment related to systemic diseases.
• High-level understanding of optical coherence tomography interpretation for monitoring retinal disease and glaucoma.
• Ordering diagnostic imaging and laboratory studies; preparing referrals for diagnosis, treatment, and management of systemic and ocular conditions revealed through optometric examination; patient and family health education.
• Emergency care (triaging, evaluating, and managing urgent eye conditions)
• Participating in quality assurance and improvement activities and assumes additional duties and responsibilities as assigned by the Chief of Optometry Section.

Work Schedule: 8:00AM - 4:30PM Monday - Friday (Variable at supervisor discretion)

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.
• 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. 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 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. a7 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/Registration.
  
  • 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.
  • Waiver of Licensure. Licensure requirements may be waived by the Under Secretary for Health or designee in the VHA Central Office for individuals in research, academic, or administrative assignments involving no direct patient care responsibilities in accordance with current regulations. In addition, the facility director may waive this licensure requirement if the Optometrist is to serve in a country other than the United States, and the Optometrist has licensure in that country. (See VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section B, paragraph 14, on waiver of licensure provisions.) NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetence or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the state for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored. See 38 U.S.C. a7 7402(f)). This requirement does not apply to licensed Optometrists on VA rolls as of November 30, 1999, provided they maintain continuous appointment and are not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of state license, registration, or certification.
  • Loss of Credential. Management officials, in collaboration with HR office staff must immediately relieve employees who fail to maintain the required licensure, of the duties and responsibilities associated with this occupation which may also result in separation from employment.
  • HR office staff must appoint Optometrists according to the provisions in VA Handbook, Part II, Chapter 3, Section B, paragraph 14, who have, or have ever had, their licensure revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited or issued/placed in a probationary status.
• 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. NOTE: The Approving Official may approve, under unusual circumstances, a waiver of residency or comparable experience.
• 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:
  
  • Such employees are considered to have met the basic qualification requirements for the purposes of transferring or reassignment to another Optometrist position within VA.
  • 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.
  • 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 re[1]entry to the occupation.
  • 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. NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/placements.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for 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. a7 7402(d) and 7407(d).

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

Preferred Experience: Optometric Residency training or 5 years in practice if no training

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.

Education

Education requirements: 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.

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.

VA Healthcare System Serving Ohio, Indiana and Michigan (VISN 10) advocates for a Whole Health System of care in each of the Medical Centers. This is an approach to healthcare that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their lives to the fullest. As an employee operating in a Whole Health System of care, you will operate in a model with three core elements, seeking to create a personalized health plan for each Veteran. This is done in the context of healing relationships and healing environments and a connection back to the Veteran's community. This aligns with the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Mission Statement to Honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being.

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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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.