Optometrist

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Duties include but are not limited to the following:

Clinical:

• Exercises independent professional judgement in diagnosing the full range of ophthalmic conditions as well as planning and executing the necessary treatments for patients who have illnesses within the scope of optometry.
• The scope of these activities covers all phases of ambulatory care.
• Promotes communication between eye clinic team members patients and their families to facilitate the medical treatment process.
• Consults with ophthalmologists and others when necessary to augment the care of patients as it relates to emergent and traumatic conditions as well as ophthalmic manifestations of systemic conditions.
• Utilizes the general clinical privileges which include ordering diagnostic tests and writing prescriptions for medications or other items on the hospital formulary.
• Demonstrates knowledge of preventive medicine and primary care as related to optometry (e.g. complications of disorders and treatments side effects of medications used).
• Independently exercises creativity in solving problems without direct supervisory guidance to meet the varying needs of patients while under care in the eye clinic and assures that a high degree of quality patient care is always provided.

• Maintains accurate and timely patient medical record entries in Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS).
• Complies with all VHA Privacy Policy (HIPPA) requirements.
• Attends regularly scheduled section surgical service and medical staff meetings.
• Performs administrative duties at the direction of the ophthalmology/optometry section chief.
• Follows accepted infection control and safety procedures as well as other station policy procedures.

• Participates where appropriate in research in basic visual science and clinical optometry including epidemiological studies clinical trials and evaluation of alternative health care delivery systems to enhance patient care.

• Participates fully in educational development through staff and section meetings and assumes responsibility for professional development by attending relevant training and regularly reviewing the literature to improve clinical competencies and meet continuing professional education requirements to maintain current competence and licensure.

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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers 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).
• 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:

• Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.) in accordance with section7402(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. 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 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.
• 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:
  • (1)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.