Clarification from the agency

U.S. Citizens. If you are a current/permanent VA employee, please apply to announcement CBTD-12760154-25-DM

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The incumbent serves as a Medical Records Technician(Cancer Registrar) for the VA Boston Healthcare System at the Brockton, MA or West Roxbury, MA campus. The work of the position supports the care and treatment given to patients with malignant conditions

The incumbent in this position is responsible for planning, organizing, actuating, and control of all activities in the Oncology Patient Registry Program. In this capacity, the Cancer Program Specialist coordinates all activities associated with the Cancer Program at this VA Healthcare System. Incumbent is responsible for providing advisory and technical service to administrative, medical, and ancillary professional staff as it relates to the integration of the Cancer Committee policy and procedures, the accreditation standards of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer Program, the VA Oncology Program, and the National Cancer Institute's SEER Program. Incumbent has full program authority to administer the Tumor Registry program at this facility. Incumbent makes recommendations for program changes to the Cancer Committee, the Cancer Committee Chairperson, and the Cancer Liaison to the American College of Surgeons and to the Cancer Conference Chairperson. Incumbent is an integral part of the Cancer Program at this Medical Center.

The incumbent utilizes coding references to ensure that complete and accurate data is collected. Codes information contained on several forms and documents that makes up an entire record; codes diseases, stages, surgical procedures, and co-morbid conditions. In addition, uses specific codes required in a cancer registry, stage of disease, morphology and topography using International Classification of Diseases for Oncology, AJCC Staging Manual, the collaborative staging manual, and the FORDS manual. Independently codes a wide variety of medical diagnostic, therapeutic and surgical procedures.

These include:

1. Codes stages of disease using American Joint Commission on Cancers staging requirements. This entails using the AJCC cancer staging book, SEER summary staging book, the extent of disease manual, and the collaborative staging book.
2. Analyzes the consistency of coding of registry data, cancer diagnosis, histology, and treatment, (including surgical procedures, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, hormonal therapy, radiation therapy, other therapies, and experimental therapy).
3. Identifies coding discrepancies.
4. Facilitates resolution of coding discrepancies by discussion with providers.
5. Codes complicated medical records having diagnostic, surgical and therapeutic procedures that are identified as difficult to classify.
6. Reviews records to obtain data.
7. Enters data obtained from the record into the registry software.
8. Analyzes data retrieved and provides the results to health care staff for research, patient care, protocol studies and trends in cancer.

• This is a VISN 1 Virtual position. Salary will be based on duty location.
• This position is in the Excepted Service.
• These positions are both NAGE and AFGE Bargaining Unit positions.
• Incomplete applications will not be considered.
• May be expected to travel to other Boston locations.
• Veterans' preference does not apply for other current permanent Federal agency employees.
• This vacancy is limited to the first 50 applications received and will close at 11:59pm ET on the closing date or 11:59pm ET on the day we receive the 50 applications, whichever comes first.

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• You may be required to serve a trial period.
• 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 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).

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

Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States. Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with:

Experience and Education:

(1) Experience. One year of experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology and general understanding of the health record. Six months of the required one year of experience must have provided the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to perform MRT work.

OR

(2) Education. Two years above high school with a minimum of 12 semester hours directly related to MRT work (e.g., courses in medical terminology, anatomy and physiology, and introduction to health records).

OR

(3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combinations of experience and education are qualifying.

The following educational/training substitutions are appropriate for combining education and experience:

(a) Six months of experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology and general understanding of the health record and one year above high school with a minimum of six semester hours of health information technology courses.
(b) Successful completion of a course for medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or hospital training obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces or the U.S. Maritime Service under close medical and professional supervision. Training may be substituted on a month-for-month basis for up to six months of experience, provided the training program included courses in anatomy, physiology, and medical record techniques and procedures. The position requires six additional months of experience that indicates knowledge of medical terminology and general understanding of the health record.

Grandfathering Provision: All persons employed in VHA as a [MRT (Cancer Registrar)] on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education that is part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

(1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
(2) MRTs [(Cancer Registrar)] 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) MRTs [(Cancer Registrar)] initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
(4) Employees who are retained as a MRT [(Cancer Registrar)] under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation, lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry as a MRT [(Cancer Registrar)].

English Language Proficiency: MRT (Cancer Registrar) candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)..

GRADE REQUIREMENTS:MRT (Cancer Registrar), [GS-7]

Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

Demonstrated [Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities]: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate [all of] the following KSAs:

(a) Knowledge of pathophysiology to understand the spread of the cancer disease process. ]
(b) Ability to analyze the electronic health record and enter appropriate data into the OncoTrax cancer registry software abstract.
(c) Knowledge of ACoS standards regarding tumor boards, including clinical staging, prognostic indicators, clinical guidelines, and clinical trials availability.

MRT (Cancer Registrar), [GS-8]

Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

Demonstrated [Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities]: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate [all of] the following KSAs:

(a) Knowledge of professional registry operations.
(b) Knowledge of medical terminology, staging of cancer, and requirements of internal and external approving organizations.
(c) Knowledge of the cancer committee processes and procedures [ ] to improve patient care and verify compliance with ACoS and/or facility standards.
(d) Ability to serve as a subject matter expert on cancer programs for the medical center.]
(e) Skill in utilizing electronic health records and cancer registry software.

Assignment:

This is the full performance level for this assignment. [MRTs (Cancer Registrar)] at this level perform all tasks and duties autonomously. Searches the medical record to identify and abstract/code all information. Organizes and maintains the cancer registry data system. Reviews lifetime follow-up on patients including cancer status and vital status. Oversees tumor board documentation, ensuring documentation meets the requirements and standards set forth by ACoS and/or facility standards. Ascertains a random sampling of annual analytic case load for physician review to ensure quality registry data.

Highly Preferred Requirement: Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) Certificate

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

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-8. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-8.

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

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

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

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.