Staff Optometrist

Major Duties include but not limited to:

Clinical

• Perform complete and thorough optometric exams and complete all clinical documentation requirements timely (as required).
• Exercises independent professional judgment in diagnosing the full range of complex ophthalmic conditions as well as planning and executing the necessary treatment programs to meet complex and frequent changes in treatment objectives.
• Promotes communication/interactions between Eye Clinic team members patients and their families to facilitate the medical treatment process.
• Refers when indicated patients with multiple health problems to other providers within the facility and the VISN. Consults with physicians and others when requested to augment the care of their 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 as appropriate writing prescriptions for medications or other items on the hospital formulary hospitalize patients within the VISN as appropriate and discharge patients from outpatient care if it is determined that care is no longer required.

• Participates in clinical and administrative committee assignments at the direction of the Chief of Surgery/ Chief of addition the incumbent will attend at least 50% of regularly scheduled Staff meetings.
• Participates in any required Performance Improvement programs.
• Assists in the development and implementation of care programs in Optometry Service.
• Participates in the selection of new staff as assigned the Chief of Surgery/ Chief of Ophthalmology.
• Follows accepted infection control and safety procedures as well as other station policy procedures.

• Participates in surveys within the Ophthalmology Section under the auspices of the Surgery Service Line to ascertain patient satisfaction of care provided.
• Participates where appropriate in research in basic visual science and clinical optometry to address questions pertaining to anomalies of the human visual system including epidemiological studies clinical trials and the evaluation of alternative health care delivery systems to enhance patient care.
• Encourages participation in clinical research among other staff members.

• 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 meeting professional continuing education requirements to maintaining current competence and licensure. Incumbent will attend at least 50% of the regular Medical Staff Meetings.

• All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens.
• 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 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.

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.

Podiatrist 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.. AND
• Licensure/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 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. 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.
• 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 (2) 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.
• 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 38U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d).