Summary The Podiatrist provides quality patient care in collaboration with other health care professionals. The incumbent will perform specific duties within his/her approved scope of practice and must be able to give authoritative views and opinions on subjects in their field of medicine. Podiatrists treat such common conditions as bunions, corns and calluses, and ingrown toenails. Staff Medical Podiatrists perform office-based procedures and generally work a set 40-hour per week schedule. Responsibilities This is a telehealth position. The work to be performed must be provided by a Podiatrist who is preferably board-certified either the American Board of Podiatric Medicine (ABPM) or the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery (ABFAS). An active license to practice in a state or territory is required. The candidate will examine, diagnose, and medically treat disorders, diseases, deformities, or injuries of the foot and ankle according to evidence-based practice and VHA standards, usual and acceptable methods, and specialty-specific management guidelines. The incumbent will manage outpatients in a telehealth setting to manage patients with general, adult podiatry specific diseases and conditions to include (as appropriate): Provide podiatry telemedicine to patients at increased risk for amputation who are assigned to rural and/or highly rural VA clinics. Work collaboratively with intermediate care technician(s) (ICT) (or equivalent personnel) and/or other departments to ensure comprehensive management of the high-risk patient. Telesupervise basic foot care, including basic wound care, and be committed to limb preservation to rural and/or highly rural high-risk patients Manage outpatient consults in a timely manner Manage podiatry Clinical Video Telehealth (CVT) clinics to include management of clinic modifications and/or clinic closures as necessary Provide appropriate telesupervision of ICTs in all care settings Complete all medical records in accordance with Bylaws, Rules, and Regulations of the medical staff Coordinate transfer of specialty-specific patients from/to other hospitals or clinics if necessary Collaborate with other departments and sections including, but not limited to, specialists, nursing staff, social services, utilization management, and other members of the interdisciplinary care team to coordinate the care Maintain an unrestricted medical license In addition, when appropriate, the physician will also perform the following: Participate in quality improvement and/or research of High-Risk Eye and Limb Preservation Program (HELPP), Office of Rural Health (ORH) activities Adhere to all HELPP ORH data and metrics reporting requirements Attend all scheduled meetings as requested by the station, ORH or HELPP leadership Develop and maintain good working relationships with other hospital departments and administration VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm Telework: Ad hoc for weather related safety leave only Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized Requirements Conditions of Employment 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. 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 (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). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. 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. Podiatrist Basic Requirements United States Citizenship: Must be a US Citizen. Education: Degree as a doctor of podiatric medicine, or its equivalent, from a school of podiatric medicine approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Approved schools are United States schools of podiatric medicine approved by the Council on Podiatry Education of the American Podiatry Association in the year in which the degree was granted. ~AND~ Residency: Completed, or currently completing, residency training, or its equivalent, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. VA Podiatrists involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status. Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the accrediting bodies for graduate medical education, the Council on Podiatric Medical Education, in the list published for the year the residency was completed, or (2) Other residencies and training experiences, or their equivalents, which the local Professional Standards Board determines to have provided an applicant with appropriate professional training. ~AND~ License: Currently hold, or will hold, a full and unrestricted license to practice Podiatry in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia. ~AND~ English Language Proficiency: In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d), no person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Staff Requirements: Staff Podiatrist Medical: None beyond basic requirements. The individual must have completed an accredited residency, and/or possess experience to perform general podiatric duties and some specialized functions and procedures, without supervision. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: Must pass a pre-employment physical examination as required by VA Handbook 5019. This examination is administered by VA Occupational Health. This position requires moderate lifting up to 44 lbs., carrying objects up to 15 lbs., frequent reaching above shoulder, use of fingers, hands and legs, use of cranes and motor vehicles, walking & standing up to 8 hours, bending and climbing and able to hear whisper. The incumbent must be physically, emotionally and mentally stable in order to efficiently perform the essential functions of this position without hazard to themselves or others. 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 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.
