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.
Basic Requirements:
- Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States. (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a)).
- English Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English to be appointed as authorized by 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).
- Education and/or Experience.
- (1) The individual must meet at least one of the following requirements below:
- (a) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) years of experience as an occupational therapist;
- NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy.
- OR
- (b) Bachelor's degree in occupational therapy and two (2) full years of graduate education in a related field;
- NOTE: The baccalaureate degree must be from an approved program prior to the AOTA January 1, 2005 decision that ACOTE would only accredit master or doctoral degree programs in occupational therapy.
- OR
- (c) Master's Degree or higher in occupational therapy.
- (2) Individuals must be a graduate of a degree program in occupational therapy approved by the ACOTE or predecessor organizations. This is inclusive of an internship (supervised fieldwork experience required by the educational institution). ACOTE is the only accreditation agency recognized by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. Degree programs may be verified by contacting the American Occupational Therapy Association website or at their office address: American Occupational Therapy Association, P.O. Box 31220, Bethesda, MD 20824-1220.
Certification. Candidates must possess a current NBCOT certification as an OT.
State Licensure. Candidates must possess] a full, current, and unrestricted state license, to practice occupational therapy in a state, territory or Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or in the District of Columbia. Loss of Credential. An employee in this occupation who fails to maintain the required state or territorial licensure and the NBCOT certification, both current and in good standing, must be removed from the occupation, which may result in termination of employment.
Grandfathering Provision. All [persons] employed in VHA [in this occupational series or in another occupational series that are also performing the duties as described in the qualification standard on the effective date of this] qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade held including positive education and licensure/certification/registration [that are part of the basic requirements of this occupation]. 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) They may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions. (2) If an OT who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee will lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation. (3) OTs initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard, must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation. (4) OTs 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.
Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
Occupational Therapist GS-09: Education, Experience, and Licensure: None beyond basic requirements.
Occupational Therapist GS-11:
(1) Education, Experience, or Licensure.
(a) Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at least the GS-9 grade level and directly related to the position being filled
or
(b) Three years of progressively higher level graduate education leading to a degree in occupational therapy or a directly related field
or
(c) Doctorate in occupational therapy.
(2) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs).
In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
- Knowledge of occupational therapy practice.
- Ability to administer/interpret evaluation findings to develop and coordinate intervention plans, including goals and methods of treatment.
- Ability to implement intervention plans directly or in collaboration with others.
- Skill in monitoring an individual's response to interventions and modify treatment plans and reevaluating as indicated.
- Ability to communicate and or collaborate with patients, family members, caregivers, interdisciplinary professionals and/or other individuals verbally and in writing.
- Knowledge of health and safety regulations to minimize risk in the provision of patient care and the environment of care.
- Knowledge of applicable regulations governing documentation, reimbursement and workload entry in accordance with established professional practice.
Occupational Therapist GS-12:
(1) Education, Experience, and Licensure.
- Completion of one year of experience equivalent to at the GS-11 grade level and directly related to the position being filled.
(2) Demonstrated KSAs.
- In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
- (a) Knowledge of occupational therapy principles and techniques consistent with current clinical standards based on OT theory and evidence based practice. Knowledge is inclusive of physical, occupational, cognitive, and psychosocial functional deficits.
- (b) Ability to collaborate and communicate orally and in writing with all internal and external stakeholders.
- (c) Ability to use critical analysis, clinical reasoning, and creativity to independently solve complex problems related to adapting and modifying assessments, treatment plans, activities and procedures to meet the needs of patients.
- (d) Skill in procuring, fabricating, adjusting, adapting, and modifying orthoses, splints, and adaptive equipment for activities of daily living (inclusive of durable medical equipment).
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-09 to GS-12.
Physical Requirements: Exerts 20 to 50 pounds of force occasionally, and/or 10 to 25 pounds of force frequently, and/or greater than negligible up to 10 pounds of force constantly to move objects. Physical demand requirements are in excess of those for Light Work. The physical demands also require standing, walking, stair climbing, squatting, bending, and sitting, and changing from one position to the other frequently throughout the day. Sufficient manual dexterity to operate a computer is also required.