Summary The acupuncturist will utilize standard medical evaluation procedures and East Asian Medicine evaluation to formulate a differential diagnosis and 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. Educate patients on healthy lifestyle changes and other matters related to acupuncture care. Responsibilities At the advanced level, an acupuncturist serves as an advisor to leadership on issues pertaining to acupuncture. 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. Duties: Document and code information related to patient care in the VA's electronic health care record on a timely basis following VHA policies. Provide group acupuncture as determined. Communicates with other health care providers as appropriate. Maintain up-to-date VHA and professional trainings and attend required meetings. Review referrals, screen for appropriateness of care, and direct Veterans to other services when necessary. Subject matter expert on acupuncture and East Asian Medicine services and will provide guidance when requested regarding purchased care. Knowledge of complex issues surrounding the delivery of care as it relates to acupuncture services, such as evidence-based and cost-effectiveness. Problem-solve issues in the delivery of acupuncture. Participate in teaching principles of acupuncture to staff, students, and residents, including journal clubs, grand rounds, and in-service trainings. Provides assistance as needed for issues or problems that arise in relation to the acupuncture practice and serves as a preceptor to new staff, or less experienced staff, and students. May participate in clinical research projects. Work Schedule: 8:00 am - 4:30 pm, Monday - Friday. Telework: Not Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 25498-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. 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. 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 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. Education. An 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. 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. English Language Proficiency. Candidates will not be appointed under the 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. Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates: Acupuncturist, GS-12 (Advanced Level) 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. Example of GS-11 Experience: Analyzing medical histories and physical findings to formulate a differential diagnosis based on oriental and western medicine paradigms; communicating with patients about any abnormal or unexpected results or responses to treatment and advises patients regarding lifestyle changes including nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, stress management, mind body techniques and other matters related to acupuncture care; submitting referrals and requests for devices, materials and appliances available and commonly used by the acupuncture profession; documenting information related to patient care including assessment, diagnosis, treatment, response to treatment, plan of care, and patient education as well as identification and documentation of appropriate coding for each patient encounter; providing information regarding the patient consultation to other health care providers; managing clinical workload demands, and serving as a mentor to new staff or less experienced staff and students. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs: Skill and ability to perform safe and effective advanced acupuncture techniques. Knowledge of complex issues surrounding the delivery of care as it relates to acupuncture services, such as evidence-based and cost-effectiveness. Ability to apply and adapt acupuncture to new and changing programs. Knowledge of research strategies, methodologies, and principles. Ability to problem-solve issues surrounding the delivery of acupuncture. 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 (KSAs) 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 for 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 participating in case reviews and treatment plan discussions, demonstrating advanced knowledge of techniques and discussing theory, as well as promoting and maintaining effective 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 participation in teaching principles of acupuncture to staff, students, and residents, including journal clubs, grand rounds, and in-service training. 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, 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: Sitting, standing, light lifting (up to 20 lbs.) 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 OUR MISSION: To fulfill President Lincoln's promise "To care for those who have served in our nation's military and for their families, caregivers, and survivors" - by serving and honoring the men and women who are America's Veterans. How would you like to become a part of a team providing compassionate, whole health care to Veterans? "Whole Health is an approach to health care that empowers and equips people to take charge of their health and well-being and live their life to the fullest. The VA is committed to Whole Health and values Veteran and Employee health and well-being. As a VA employee, you will practice Whole Health in an environment that supports personalized and proactive care." "The VA has adopted Core Values and Characteristics that apply universally across the Department. The five Core Values define "who we are," our culture, and how we care for Veterans, their families, and other beneficiaries. The Values are Integrity, Commitment, Advocacy, Respect, and Excellence ("I CARE"). As a VA professional, your opportunities are endless. With many openings in the multiple functions of VA, you will have a wide range of opportunities and leadership positions at your fingertips. Receiving Service Credit for 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.
