Clarification from the agency

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

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Assigned Duties

1. The acupuncturist may use various techniques commonly taught in East Asian Medicine or Acupuncture schools. Acupuncturists will work in interdisciplinary teams and collaborate with other existing services in the health care system, e.g., physical therapy, pain management, neurology, surgery, radiology etc. Acupuncturists will accept feedback from other service providers and will consider the needs and preferences of other clinicians and existing services in the delivery of acupuncture.
2. The acupuncturist will utilize standard medical evaluation procedures and East Asian Medicine evaluation to formulate a differential diagnosis to develop an acupuncture treatment plan. The acupuncturist shall incorporate the various training techniques taught within East Asian Medicine and acupuncture, and may apply safe and effective advanced acupuncture techniques. The acupuncturist shall educate patients on self-management and lifestyle changes including nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, stress management, mind body techniques and other matters related to acupuncture care.
3. The acupuncturist shall document and code information related to patient care in the VA's electronic health care record on a timely basis following VHA policies. iMed consent or equivalent consent shall be completed prior to acupuncture treatment where any needling procedure occurs. The acupuncturist shall maintain up-to-date VHA and professional trainings. Required meetings must be attended. The acupuncturist will participate in teaching principles of acupuncture to staff, students and residents including journal clubs, grand rounds and in-service trainings.
4. The acupuncturist will review referrals, screen for appropriateness of care, and direct Veterans to others services when necessary. The acupuncturist will collaborate with other clinicians in the system in the care of Veterans, when appropriate, for example around safety concerns and to troubleshoot other health services delivery issues or when clinical questions arise. The acupuncturist is the subject matter expert on acupuncture and East Asian Medicine. They will provide guidance on the delivery of acupuncture services within the health care system informed by current evidence and cost considerations. Finally, the acupuncturist will provide guidance when requested regarding purchased care in the community.
5. The advanced level acupuncturist serves as an advisor to leadership on issues pertaining to acupuncture. The acupuncturist may participate in clinical research projects. The acupuncturist will analyze organizational and operational problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations and use data effectively to manage workload, quality, performance and productivity within the service. They will also make recommendations for corrective actions to optimize quality, efficiency, performance, and productivity within the service to maintain alignment with accrediting bodies and policy.
6. The acupuncturist program coordinator incorporates research findings into clinical practice and program development. The incumbent develops, reviews, updates, and implements educational materials to meet the needs of the program. The incumbent assures program compliance with accrediting agencies, regulatory requirements, and quality management programs, taking corrective action where necessary. The incumbent is responsible for developing, analyzing, integrating, monitoring, and managing healthcare delivery systems through communication and use of resources to promote high-quality, cost-effective outcomes across the continuum. The acupuncturist is responsible for assessing, evaluating, and developing programs to ensure proper coordination of care delivered by the program with the overall delivery of healthcare within SFVAHCS or with non-VA providers as appropriate. These duties must be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

Work Schedule: Monday to Friday; 8:00am - 4:30pm
Telework: Yes-Ad Hoc, as determined by the agency policy.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• 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 examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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:

• United States Citizenship: Non-Citizens may only be appointed when it's not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education: Individual must meet one of the requirements below:

(1) Master's degree in acupuncture or oriental medicine from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM)OR(2) Advanced level degree in acupuncture or oriental medicine from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM).

• Certification: Individual must be board certified through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). The board certification must be current and the acupuncturist must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education.
• Licensure: Current, full, active, and unrestricted license to practice acupuncture in a State, Territory or Commonwealth (i.e. Puerto Rico) of the United States, or District of Columbia.

NOTE: Grandfathering Provision: May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series that are performing the duties as described in this qualification standard 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 and certification that are 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 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. Acupuncturists 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. Acupuncturists who are converted to title 38 hybrid status 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 an acupuncturist.

(a) Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, completion of a minimum of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-12 grade level.

(b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
1. Ability to analyze organizational and operational problems to develop and implement solutions that result in efficient operations and use data effectively to manage workload, quality, performance, and productivity within the service.
2. Broad knowledge of how healthcare disciplines and other modalities integrate.
3. Ability to plan, organize, and integrate clinical work flow, set short and/or long term goals for the program, and conduct studies on technical and administrative problems, including personnel shortages, organizational structure, and new technology.
4. Knowledge of quality improvement process.
5. Ability to conceptualize, define, plan and implement new programs.
6. Ability to apply current research findings and standards of care in the health care setting.

(c) Assignments. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity, difficulty, range of variety, and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. The incumbent is responsible for developing, analyzing, integrating, monitoring, and managing healthcare delivery systems through communication and use of resources to promote high-quality, cost-effective outcomes across the continuum. The incumbent provides executive/upper level leadership and exceptional experience in dealing with complex and challenging professional, scientific, and technical acupuncture issues that arise. The program manager is responsible for assessing, evaluating, and developing programs to ensure proper coordination of care delivered by the program with the overall delivery of healthcare within an individual facility or with non-VA providers as appropriate. The incumbent serves as a subject matter expert to resolve problems at a lower level as necessary. The program coordinator provides oversight for clinical workflow, including, but not limited to, tracking outcome data, patient satisfaction data, monitoring work productivity, and ensuring trends are routinely analyzed. The incumbent performs a cost-benefit analysis during the selection of resources, services, and products, requesting the aforementioned as necessary; reviews and prioritizes resource utilization to develop and maintain a budget. The program coordinator presents administrative reports, quality assurance reviews and quarterly reports to reflect strategic goals. The program manager demonstrates leadership in quality improvement activities for program operations and develops new programs as needs arise. The incumbent supports clinical research projects by providing resources as needed. The program coordinator incorporates research findings into clinical practice and program development. The incumbent develops, reviews, updates, and implements educational materials to meet the needs of the veterans, the general public, and other professionals. The incumbent assures program compliance with accrediting 9 agencies, regulatory requirements, and quality management programs, taking corrective action where necessary.

Reference: VA FORMER HANDBOOK REFERENCE: PART II APPENDIX G53, EFFECTIVE DATE: February 7, 2018. For more information on this qualification standard.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-11. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-13

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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.