Summary The Acupuncturist may treat a wide range of conditions and acupuncture may be used alone or as an adjunct to traditional medical care. The acupuncturist includes the stimulation of specific points along the skin of the body using thin needles with or without the addition of electric stimulation. The acupuncturist may use various techniques commonly taught in East Asian Medicine or Acupuncture schools. Responsibilities Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The primary duties of the Acupuncturist may include but are not limited to: 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. The acupuncturist shall educate patients on health lifestyle changes including nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, stress management, mind body techniques and other matters related to acupuncture care. The acupuncturist will provide group acupuncture as determined. 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 shall be completed prior to acupuncture treatment where any needling procedure occurs. Oral informed consent is valid for auricular acupuncture only. The acupuncturist communicates with other health care providers as appropriate. The acupuncturist shall maintain up to date VHA and professional trainings. Required meetings must be attended. The acupuncturist will review referrals, screen for appropriateness of care, and direct Veterans to other services when necessary. The acupuncturist is the subject matter expert on acupuncture and East Asian Medicine services and will provide guidance when requested regarding purchased care. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:00 am. - 4:30 pm. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 561-00690-F Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. Requirements 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. You may be required to serve a probationary 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). Must be able to independently operate Government Vehicle. Must provide clean driving record report from the DMV during the pre-employment process. 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. a. Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. After a determination is made that it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens, necessary personnel may be appointed on a temporary basis under authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405 without regard to the citizenship requirements of 38 U.S.C. 7402 or any other law prohibiting the employment of or payment of compensation to a person who is not a citizen of the United States. Candidates must meet all other requirements for the grade and position concerned. b. 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). c. 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. d. 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. e. Loss of Certification. An acupuncturist who fails to maintain the required certificate must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists. f. 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. g. Loss of licensure. An acupuncturist who fails to maintain the required license must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Acupuncturist, GS-11 (Full Performance Level) Experience or Education: Individual must meet at least one of the requirements below: Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level, which is directly related to the position to be filled. Examples of creditable experience include but not limited to providing professional services in accordance with the established treatment plan. Resume must include hours per week for work experience credit. OR, Education. Doctoral degree or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university in an acupuncture or oriental medicine. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: 1. Ability to screen referrals and direct veterans to other services as appropriate. 2. Ability to formulate an appropriate differential diagnosis. 3. Ability to formulate an acupuncture treatment plan independently or with other health care professionals. 4. Ability to educate patients on health lifestyle changes including nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, stress management, mind body techniques and other matters related to acupuncture care. This includes the ability to communicate with individuals of varying backgrounds. 5. Skill in the selection and use of the appropriate acupuncture tools and supplies based on needs of the patient. Preferred Experience: Experience in Whole Health Systems of Care, specialized training in Traditional Chinese Medicine, and Licensed Acupuncturist (L.Ac.) eligible, Licensed Acupuncture Physician (AP) preferred. 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-11. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. Education IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education. Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.
