The Pathology Specialist serves in Surgical Pathology, Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service, at the James A. Haley Veterans Hospital, Veterans Health Administration, VISN 8, Department of Veterans Affairs, Tampa, FL.

Duties

***THIS IS NOT A VIRTUAL POSITION, YOU MUST LIVE WITHIN OR BE WILLING TO RELOCATE WITHIN A COMMUTABLE DISTANCE OF THE DUTY LOCATION*** Duties include but are not limited to: Surgical Pathology: Prioritizes and assigns equitably all surgical cases for distribution among scheduled pathologists. Performs accurate gross examination, sectioning, and dictation of all specimens to include biopsies, skin excisions and surgical tissue, both simple and complex in nature Reviews clinical data when necessary to properly process specimens. Utilizes Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) and Veterans Health Information Systems & Technology Architecture (VISTA) for accessioning and information concerning surgical pathology consults and possible troubleshooting of problems with specimens. Recognizes and initiates requests and proper specimen preparation for specialized tests such as but not limited to histochemical, immunohistochemical, and flow cytometry. Maintains surgical grossing and autopsy reporting data including workload recording and turn-a-round (TAT) statistics as directed by the Chief of Surgical Pathology and Chief of Autopsy. Administration/Teaching: Reviews the resident orientation manual with the incoming residents and documents review. Provides training for new residents and medical students in surgical pathology and autopsy suite including but not limited to grossing techniques for biopsies, surgical and special procedures. Also, if requested, provides training in autopsy performance and dissection. Training in the use of dictation equipment including specific templates for tissue types. Checks schedules and provides residents with necessary instruction needed for after­hours and weekend on-call duties. Provides training regarding the use of tissue processors (loading cassettes and troubleshooting), grossing instruments, and saws used for calcified specimens. Collects and maintains digital files of interesting cases and examples of grossing techniques for specific anatomical specimens for residents at resident conferences. Autopsy Suite: Supervises activities related to the Autopsy Suite including inventory of supplies. Ensures the Authorization for Autopsy is correctly completed. Prepares and plans to assign (according to schedules) and initiate the beginning of an autopsy when appropriate authorization and Memo to Pathologists has been received and reviewed for accuracy. Confers and reviews medical record and other pertinent data with attending pathologist and notifies any change to all involved personnel of special procedures that may be required. Assists in the performance of or performs postmortem examinations which may include but is not limited to: patient identification, external examination, in situ inspection, evisceration, dissection, and dictation of gross and microscopic findings within appropriate tum-a-round times, completion of Preliminary Anatomic Diagnoses. **Note: Preferred Experience/Certification: Certification as a Pathologists' Assistant (PA) from American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) is highly desired.** Work Schedule: Monday-Friday; 8:00am-4:30pm Recruitment & Relocation Incentives: Yes, authorized Financial Disclosure Report: Not Required

Requirements

Qualifications

This position includes a Selective Placement Factor (skill, knowledge, ability or other worker characteristic basic to - and essential for - satisfactory performance of the job). Selective Placement Factors are a prerequisite to appointment and represent minimum requirements for a position. Applicants who do not meet it are ineligible for further consideration. The Selective Placement Factor for this position is: "Having familiarity with gross examination". and BASIC EDUCATION REQUIREMENT: must have successful completion of a full four (4) year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree that included a major field of study or specific course requirements related to the medical field, health sciences or allied sciences appropriate to the work of this position. (The number of semester hours required to constitute a major field of study is the amount specified by the college or university attended. If this number cannot be obtained, twenty-four (24) semester hours will be considered as equivalent to a major field of study). (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED) and English Language Proficiency In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. You must be proficient in basic written and spoken English in order to meet the requirements of this position. and In addition to meeting the selective placement factor, basic education requirement, language proficiency, you must also possess specialized experience and/or additional directly related education to qualify for this position as described below. Specialized Experience GS.12: havingone (1) full year of specialized experience equipped with the knowledge, skill, and ability to successfully perform the duties of the position. To be creditable this specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the GS-11 grade level in the Federal service. Examples of specialized experience include Specialized experience includes Knowledgeable about gross anatomy and gross pathology; recognizing reliably pathologic abnormalities in a wide variety of gross specimens; familiarity with microscopic pathology, gross examination, and sectioning procedures, adapting procedures to best illustrate and document that pathologic processes and their extent in the microscopic slides; familiar with permanent and frozen section techniques and standard histochemical and immunohistochemical stains; and proficient in Quality Assurance (QA) procedures, laboratory accreditation requirements and troubleshooting. You will be rated on the following Competencies as part of the assessment questionnaire for this position: Attention to DetailDiagnostic Medical TestingPathologyPathophysiologyQuality AssuranceTechnical Competence IMPORTANT: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. All experience listed on your resume must include the month and year start/end dates. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religious; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. Physical Requirements: The work requires long periods of standing or sitting while performing gross examinations and occasional lifting or pulling of heavy items (bodies, extremities) and above average dexterity in dissection of specimens and cutting frozen sections. For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the United States Office of Personnel Management's website at https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/classification-qualifications/general-schedule-qualification-standards/.

Education

IMPORTANT: A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on education.

There is no educational substitution at this grade level.

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 James A Haley Veterans Hospital 13000 Bruce B. Downs Boulevard Tampa, FL 33612 US
• Name: VHA National Recruitment Center
• Phone: (844)456-5208
• Email: [email protected]