Orthotist/Prosthetist

This position functions primarily in the Orthotic-Prosthetic Laboratory Section within the Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Service of the VA Northern California Health Care System (VANCHCS). The Orthotist/Prosthetist provides the appropriate orthotic and/or prosthetic devices and treatment.

Qualifications:

Basic Requirements:

1. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

2. English Language Proficiency: Individuals appointed under the authority of 38 U.S.C. chapters 73 or 74, to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in Veterans Health Administration (VHA), must be proficient in written and spoken English.

3. Education: The individual must meet at least one of the requirements below:

1. A bachelor's degree or higher in orthotics and prosthetics from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program. OR
2. A bachelor's degree or higher in any major along with a post-graduate orthotics or prosthetics certificate from a CAAHEP accredited program.

Foreign Graduates: Graduates of foreign degree programs must have proof of a minimum of a Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university (or foreign equivalent, as verified through an independent credential evaluation company), with a specialization in orthotics and prosthetics.

4. Board Certification: Candidates must be board certified by the American Board for Certification in Orthotics and Prosthetics (ABC) or the Board for Orthotist/Prosthetist Certification (BOC) as an orthotist, prosthetist, or orthotist/prosthetist. The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education. Certification as a technician, pedorthist, assistant or fitter does not meet this requirement.

Grandfathering Provision: May qualify based on being covered by the Grandfathering Provision as described in the VA Qualification Standard for this occupation (only applicable to current VHA employees who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Orthotists, prosthetists, or orthotist/prosthetists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

1. Orthotists, prosthetists, or orthotist/prosthetists that do not meet the basic requirements for education and certification may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or demoted within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
2. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.
3. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain additional education and/or certification that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
4. If an employee who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations:

GS-11, Orthotist/Prosthetist

• Experience: Completion of 1 year of experience as an orthotist/prosthetist equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to provide orthotic/prosthetic services in a hospital setting.
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs:
  1. Ability to attend clinics and participate as a fully participating member of the treatment team with considerable influence in the development of the treatment plan. This includes advanced knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, kinesiology, physics, and etiology of diseases as well as knowledge of psychology and age related competencies.
  2. Ability to conduct clinical patient analyses such as gait, range of motion, life style, etc., for patients with a wide range of complex medical conditions which include unusual problems or complications, and to design unique or innovative devices to accommodate those conditions.
  3. Ability to recognize physical abnormalities, deviations, and complicating conditions with potentially life threatening implications.

Reference: FORMER VA HANDBOOK REFERENCE: PART II APPENDIX G32 EFFECTIVE DATE: March 21, 2017. 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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-11.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

Responsibilities:

VA Careers - Prosthetics: https://youtube.com/embed/3NUvF5jjErQ

Major Duties include but are not limited to the following:

• Performs a comprehensive assessment of the patient to obtain an understanding of the patients orthotic/prosthetic needs.
• Creates a comprehensive orthotic/prosthetic treatment plan to meet the needs and goals of the patient.
• Performs the necessary procedures to deliver the appropriate orthotic/prosthetic services, which may include fabrication of the orthosis/prosthesis.
• Provides continuing patient care and periodic evaluation to assure/maintain/document optimal fit and function of the orthosis/prosthesis.
• Complies with policies, procedures and regulations regarding human resource management, physical environment management, business/fiscal management and organizational management.
• Participates in personal and professional development through continuing education, training, research and organizational affiliations.

Work Schedule: Full-time; Monday-Friday, 7:30am to 4:00pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Salary : $81,960