Qualifications

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
• 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
• Foreign Graduates: 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
• Board 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
• The board certificate must be current and the applicant must abide by the certifying body's requirements for continuing education
• Certification as a technician, pedorthist, assistant or fitter does not meet this requirement
• 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: Experience: Completion of 1 year of experience as an orthotist/prosthetist equivalent to the next lower grade level that demonstrates possession of the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to provide orthotic/prosthetic services in a hospital setting
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSA and demonstrate the potential to acquire the assignment- specific KSAs designated by an asterisk (*): Ability to attend clinics and participate as a fully participating member of the treatment team with considerable influence in the development of the treatment plan
• This includes advanced knowledge of medical terminology, anatomy, physiology, biomechanics, kinesiology, physics, and etiology of diseases as well as knowledge of psychology and age related competencies
• Ability to conduct clinical patient analyses such as gait, range of motion, life style, etc., for patients with a wide range of complex medical conditions which include unusual problems or complications, and to design unique or innovative devices to accommodate those conditions
• Ability to recognize physical abnormalities, deviations, and complicating conditions with potentially life threatening implications
• Assignments
• This is considered to be the full performance level
• The orthotist/prosthetist 7 communicates and interacts with physicians, allied health professionals, patients, and caregivers in various interdisciplinary clinical settings, rehabilitation medicine, orthopedics, neurosurgery, vascular care, podiatry, oncology, etc., as a subject matter expert to develop the orthotic and/or prosthetic treatment plan
• The work includes complex patient analyses in accordance with established procedures for patients with unusual conditions, multiple complex conditions, interrelated conditions, etc.
• assessment of the patient for indications/contra-indications and discussion of the assessment with the physician/requesting provider for the purpose of developing the overall treatment plan with considerable influence in the development of that plan
• consideration of new and emerging technologies in designing unique or innovative devices to accommodate or treat a wide range of complex medical conditions which include unusual problems or complications
• The orthotist/prosthetist at this level is expected to recognize physical abnormalities, deviations, and complicating conditions with potentially life threatening implications
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The full performance level of this vacancy is GS11
• Physical Requirements: Work is sedentary but also demands standing, walking, bending, twisting, and carrying light items
• Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions
• the area is adequately lighted, heated and ventilated
• However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.