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:
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. Orthotists, prosthetists, or orthotist/prosthetists must be proficient in spoken and written as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).
Education:
- A bachelor's degree or higher in orthotics and prosthetics from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program. -OR-
- A bachelor's degree or higher in any major along with a post-graduate orthotics or prosthetics certificate from a CAAHEP accredited program. -OR-
- A Foreign Education. 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.
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.
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).
Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements above, you must meet the grade determinations below.
GS-13:
Experience: You must have completed one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level as an GS-12 Orthotist/Prosthetist functioning as a full member of the clinical team which includes significant involvement in treatment plan development for the most complex types of condition.
Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSA's:
- Ability to manage and supervise prosthetic and orthotic laboratories, conduct site visits, and review the functional level of each lab.
- Knowledge of ABC, BOC, OSHA, and JCAHO standards and Prosthetic and Sensory Aids Service policies and ability to apply these in the daily operations of orthotic and prosthetic laboratories.
- Ability to provide training in new technologies involving CAD/CAM systems and devices such as computerized foot orthoses, myoelectric prostheses, and energy storing components, neuro and brain machine interface systems.
- Ability to apply knowledge of the theories and principles used in orthotics and prosthetics to teach custom design and fabrication of devices that are innovative, complex, and/or unusual in nature.
- Ability to function as a team member or leader with orthotists, prosthetists, and other professionals on committees to review local and national agenda items and to make recommendations based on the review.
- Ability to develop reports and present at the national level to VHA leadership, Congressional members, and organizations such as AAOP, AOPA, and VSOs.
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-13. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is the GS-13.
Physical Requirements: The work is primarily sedentary, with occasional standing and stooping required to assist patients. The incumbent must be able to lift and handle prosthetic and orthotic devices as needed.