This position can be located at the Danville, Bloomington, Decatur, Mattoon, Peoria, or Springfield location.

Duties

The Optometrist- Chief, Optometry Section, works as a member of a multi-disciplinary heal care team collaborating with other members of the team to provide medical care to Veterans. Major duties and responsibilities include but are not limited to: Supervise and coordinate operations of the optometry section. These operations are carried out with assistance from technician staff members. Help develop policies, procedures, and guidelines to ensure adequate and comprehensive services and communicate these to the medical staff and other services as appropriate. Coordinate use of resources, including space, supplies, and to some degree, staffing, in both direct patient care and support of health care delivery. Serve as a member of the Medical Staff, attending meetings and helping assure adherence of providers and staff members to the bylaws, rules and regulations. Ensure delivery of high quality of care for patients by working with appropriate VISN 12 and national committees. In addition, coordinate and promote service level Quality Improvement and Utilization Review and ensure that the primary focus is the provision of the highest quality of health care to the Veteran. Ensure adequate medical record documentation, for staff organize in-service programs and encourage continuing medical education to staff. Ensure adequate patient safety and care by reviewing incident report summaries and other performance improvement programs by helping and tracking needed changes. Serve as Residency Site Director for the Optometry Residency Program. This includes full management of the residency program. Manage clinic access, usage of CVT/VVC, ensure consult/encounter completion. Will serve as chairperson for Optometry Section Staff meetings. Work Schedule: Monday - Friday; 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM Financial Discloser Report: Not required

Requirements

Qualifications

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 09/18/2023. 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. 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 for the year in which the course of study was completed. Approved schools are:(1) United States and Canadian schools or colleges of optometry listed as accredited by the Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association, in the list published for the year in which the course of study was completed.(2) Schools (including foreign schools) accepted by the licensing body of a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia as qualifying for full or unrestricted licensure. Licensure. Current, full and unrestricted license to practice optometry in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. English Language Proficiency. Optometrists appointed to direct patient-care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements stated above, the following qualifications criteria must be met in determining the appropriate grade assignment of candidates. Grade Determinations: a. Associate Grade. None beyond the basic requirements. b. Full Grade. Two years of optometric practice or its equivalent. One year of approved residency training or its creditable equivalent acceptable to the Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association is acceptable in lieu of the 2 years of practice. Candidate must have demonstrated the professional competence and performance necessary to provide independently the full range of clinical optometric diagnosis and treatment for all the most prevalent types of vision dysfunctions and the detection and referral of patients with ocular disease or ocular manifestations of systemic disease. c. Intermediate Grade. Meets the requirements in paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) below:(1) Four years of optometric practice or its equivalent. One year of approved residency training or its creditable equivalent acceptable to the Council on Optometric Education of the American Optometric Association is acceptable in lieu of 2 years of practice.(2) The optometrist at this level has successfully passed the examinations of the National Board of Examiners in Optometry and has attained either of the following:(a) The stature that would warrant appointment at the clinical instructor or higher level at a school or college of optometry.(b) The professional ability and personal attributes which have merited significant recognition by a recognized professional organization, such as election to a Fellowship in the American Academy of Optometry.(3) Has achieved a high level of professional attainment as illustrated by one or more of the following examples:(a) Is a recognized expert in the diagnosis and treatment of unusual and complicated visual dysfunctions. Typically, in this capacity serves as a consultant to optometrist and other professionals in other health facilities or provides expert clinical services in such areas as the partially sighted or contact lenses for aphasics.(b) Has assumed responsibility for a multi-faceted optometric program including clinical research and/or training requiring a high degree of competence and skill in developing innovative and new and instrumentation and treatment techniques. Typically, the program is in an educationally affiliated health care facility having an optometric training program of moderate scope involving liaison with other medical services and affiliated schools.(c) Has played a significant part in the conduct of vision research in a problem area of considerable scope and complexity which required novel approaches and which resulted in answers to important questions or important changes in existing methods and techniques. Publications authored by the optometrist are of considerable value to others in the individual's field. Typically, overall contributions are recognized by serving on important committees or other bodies in the profession.(d) Has had full responsibility for carrying out an optometric training program of significant size in which the optometrist has been responsible for maintaining liaison with the affiliated school and other educational institutions and professional or scientific organizations. Innovative approaches in development of curriculum and course content and in expanding and improving the educational program have been displayed by the individual. Senior Grade. Meets the requirements for Intermediate grade and the requirements in paragraphs (1) and (2) below:(1) The optometrist at this level possesses such academic stature as would warrant a faculty appointment of a professional level in an approved school or college of optometry.(2) Has demonstrated recognized superior professional attainment as evidenced by one or more of the following examples: (a) Has served as a team leader in attacking major optometric problems affecting the continued provision of quality care health services at a VISN, statewide, or national level. There is such confidence in the optometrist at this level that there is unusual support of the individual's recommendations and conclusions.(b) Has had responsibility for carrying out a major optometric program segment on a national level.(c) Has conducted high level studies in a difficult area of vision research which has contributed to a substantial advance in the health field, with important professional publications. Chief Grade. Meets the requirements for Senior grade and must demonstrate a sustained very high level of professional performance with evidence of exceptional professional and/or administrative development by the following:(1) Has assumed substantial professional and/or administrative responsibilities in which the individual is expected to fully advise and make professional clinical and educational recommendations as to courses of action on problems and considerations of national scope in all areas of optometry. Typically, the optometrist at this level has had responsibility for a major optometric program segment on a nationwide basis and has been consistently called upon to represent the organization in an authoritative manner in matters dealing with development of new and/or revised concepts and programs having a major impact upon the academic, medical, and optometric communities.(2) Outstanding professional attainment. Examples of such attainment are:(a) Achievement of outstanding results in research which are regarded as having a major impact on advancing the field.(b) Significant number of noteworthy publications in professional journals. References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G-5 Optometrist Qualification Standard dated April 15, 2002. Physical Requirements: Light lifting (under 15 lbs.), light carrying (under 15 lbs.), use of fingers, walking 4-8 hours, standing 4-8 hours, near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 in the other, hearing (aid permitted), working closely with others, working alone, emotional and mental stability.

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: http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ous/international/usnei/us/edlite-visitus-forrecog.html.

Contacts

• Address Danville VA Medical Center 1900 East Main Street Danville, IL 61832 US
• Name: Rebecca Allsopp
• Phone: 217-213-7933
• Email: [email protected]