Qualifications

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 (1) A bachelor's degree or higher in orthotics and prosthetics from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program
• OR, (2) 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
• Loss of Credential
• An employee in this occupation who fails to maintain the required certification 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 for which he/she qualifies if a placement opportunity exists
• English Language Proficiency
• Orthotist/prosthetists must be proficient in spoken and written as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d)
• 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)
• Creditable Experience (1) Knowledge of Current Orthotist/Prosthetist Practices
• To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with current professional orthotic and/or prosthetic professional practice
• (2) Quality of Experience
• The experience must be post-degree, from an accredited training program and include work as a professional orthotist/prosthetist directly related to the 4 position to be filled
• Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid or non-paid employment
• For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significantly larger scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time
• (3) Part-Time Experience
• Part-time experience as a professional orthotist/prosthetist is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek
• For example, an orthotist/prosthetist would receive 1 week of full-time credit for each 2 weeks of half-time work
• Orthotist/Prosthetist
• An allied health professional specifically trained to provide or manage the provision of custom designed, fabricated, modified and fitted orthoses and prostheses based upon the independent or consultative clinical assessment of the patient's unique needs and desires, as well as their expectations and pursuant to a physician's prescription
• Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment, candidates must also meet the grade level requirements
• GS-11 (Full Performance Level) 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 KSAs: 1
• 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
• 2
• 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
• 3
• 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 Preferred Experience: Able to work independently Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS 11
• Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019