Applicants must meet the requirements by the closing date of this announcement 09/16/2025
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.
- English Language Proficiency. Candidates will not be appointed under 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.
- Education: Applicants must meet ONE of the education requirements listed below:
- Master's degree in acupuncture or oriental medicine from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM)..
- OR
- Advanced level degree in acupuncture or oriental medicine from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM).
- MUST SUBMIT DOCUMENTS WITH APPLICATION (transcripts or diploma).
- Foreign Graduates. Graduates of foreign acupuncture programs also meet the requirements above if they have a full unrestricted and current license to practice acupuncture in a State, Territory or Commonwealth of the United States, or in the District of Columbia.
- 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.
- Loss of Certification. An acupuncturist who fails to maintain the required certificate must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists.
- Must submit active, valid certification to application.
- 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.
- Loss of licensure. An acupuncturist who fails to maintain the required license must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment. At the discretion of the appointing official, an employee may be reassigned to another occupation if qualified and if a placement opportunity exists.
- Must submit active, valid licensure to application.
Grandfathering Provision. All persons employed in VHA in this occupational series or in another occupational series that are performing the duties as described in this qualification standard 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 in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following apply:
- Such employees may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journeyman level (GS-11) or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
- Acupuncturists 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.
- Acupuncturists who are converted to title 38 hybrid status under this provision and subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry as an acupuncturist.
Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:
Acupuncturist, GS-9 (Entry Level)
Experience. None beyond the basic requirements.
Assignments. Individuals at this grade level are considered to be entry level and are closely supervised. The employee works under the direction of a journey level or higher acupuncturist or other health care providers licensed to perform acupuncture. The acupuncturist provides professional services in accordance with the established treatment plan. Deviations from regular procedures, unanticipated problems, and unfamiliar situations are referred to more experienced staff for decision or assistance.
Acupuncturist, GS-11 (Full Performance Level)
Experience or Education. Individual must meet at least
ONE of the requirements below:
- Experience. In addition to the basic requirements, must have one year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-9 level, which is directly related to this position OR
- Education. Doctoral degree or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university in an acupuncture or oriental medicine. MUST SUBMIT DOCUMENTS WITH APPLICATION (transcripts or diploma).
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA).
While we no longer require essay-style responses to our Knowledge's Skills, Abilities, and Other Characteristics (KSAOs), you must be able to demonstrate that you possess the (below) competencies which are necessary to perform the work of the position.
Please ensure your resume/CV/application contains sufficient information to support the level of experience/education/training; otherwise, we will not be able to award you credit for the experience/education/training you claim. If selected, you may be required to submit narrative responses then. These are the KSA's for this position and grade level:
- Ability to screen referrals and direct veterans to other services as appropriate.
- Ability to formulate an appropriate differential diagnosis.
- Ability to formulate an acupuncture treatment plan independently or with other health care professionals.
- Ability to educate patients on health lifestyle changes including nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, stress management, mind body techniques and other matters related to acupuncture care. This includes the ability to communicate with individuals of varying backgrounds.
- Skill in the selection and use of the appropriate acupuncture tools and supplies based on needs of the patient.
Preferred Experience:
- Experience serving as a member of an interdisciplinary team providing acupuncture treatment as well as further coordination of care for patients referred for acupuncture services.
- Experience with analyzing medical histories and physical findings to formulate a differential diagnosis based on oriental and western medicine paradigms.
- Previous VA experience preferred.
References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/100, PART II APPENDIX G53, DATED 2/7/2018. 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.
Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work require light lifting (under 20 pounds), light carrying (under 20 pounds), the use of fingers, reaching above shoulder, both hands required, walking (3 hrs.), prolong standing (6-8 hrs.), crawling (.25 hrs.), kneeling (.50 hrs.), repeated bending (2 hrs.), ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously.