Clarification from the agency

All qualified candidates encourage to apply. Open to US Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

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Major duties, include but are not limited to:

• Provides individualized acupuncture treatment by utilizing standard medical evaluation procedures and East Asian Medicine evaluation to formulate a differential diagnosis and develop an acupuncture treatment plan.
• Formulates acupuncture treatment plans independently or in collaboration with other health care professionals, incorporating techniques taught within East Asian Medicine and acupuncture training.
• Selects and uses appropriate acupuncture tools and supplies based on individual patient needs.
• Educates patients on healthy lifestyle changes, including nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, stress management, mind-body techniques, and other matters related to acupuncture care.
• Provides group acupuncture services as determined by clinical needs.
• Documents and codes patient care information in the VA electronic health record system in a timely manner, in accordance with VHA policy.
• Communicates with other health care providers regarding patient care, as appropriate.
• Reviews referrals and screens for appropriateness of care, directing Veterans to other services when necessary.
• Serves as the subject matter expert on acupuncture and East Asian Medicine services, providing guidance on purchased care when requested.
• Maintains up-to-date VHA and professional training requirements and attends required meetings.
• Provides leadership on acupuncture best practices and serves as a liaison between patients, staff, and management.
• Educates Veterans on self-care techniques such as acupressure.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Work Schedule: Full-time, Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pmT
Telework: Not Available.Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

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.
• 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 is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates will not be appointed under authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA who are not proficient in written and spoken English. See Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part.
• 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).
     • Foreign Graduates: Graduates of foreign acupuncture programs meet the requirements in subparagraph 3b if they have a full unrestricted and current license to practice acupuncture in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia
• Certification: Acupuncturists hired in the VHA 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.

Grandfathering Provision: 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.

Grade Determinations: Acupuncturist, GS-12 (Advanced Level)
(a) Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, completion of a minimum of one year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the GS-11 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. Skill and ability to perform safe and effective advanced acupuncture techniques.
??????2. Knowledge of complex issues surrounding the delivery of care as it relates to acupuncture services, such as evidence based and cost effectiveness. 3. Ability to apply and adapt acupuncture to new and changing programs.
4. Knowledge of research strategies, methodologies and principles.
5. Ability to problem solve issues surrounding delivery of acupuncture.

(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. Employees at this level carry out assigned tasks independently in all areas of acupuncture which substantially exceed the full performance level and require advanced knowledge in all areas of acupuncture. Regardless of the nature of the specific assignment, the work must be of sufficient scope and complexity to meet the Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA) to perform at this grade level. The advanced level acupuncturist serves as the leader of an interdisciplinary team to provide evaluation, monitoring, planning, and coordination of care of patients for acupuncture services. At this level of employment, the acupuncturist provides advanced acupuncture techniques that may include but are not limited to injections at acupuncture points. Duties include participation in case reviews and treatment plan discussions, demonstrating advanced knowledge of techniques and discussion of theory, as well as promoting and maintaining communication with staff and others. The acupuncturist participates in the creation of new programs or interventions that may include group acupuncture, combining acupuncture with other interventions, and expansion of acupuncture care into new populations or new settings. The incumbent works with others on improvement projects to discover, examine and test knowledge, theories, and innovative Oriental Medicine approaches. The advanced level acupuncturist may participate in clinical research projects that strengthen the scientific basis of acupuncture and related complementary and alternative medical treatments. Duties include the participation in teaching principles of acupuncture to staff, students and residents including journal clubs, grand rounds and inservice trainings. The incumbent provides assistance as needed for issues or problems that arise in relation to the acupuncture practice or service and serves as a preceptor to new staff or less experienced staff and students. The advanced level acupuncturist serves as an advisor to leadership on issues pertaining to acupuncture



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

The full performance level of this vacancy is 12.

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.