Podiatrist (Surgery Forefoot)

Summary

This position is within the Veterans Administration (VA), Veterans Health Administration (VHA), Mid-Atlantic Healthcare Network (VISN 6), Fayetteville VA Medical Center. The incumbent serves as a Staff Podiatrist in the Department of Surgery and works within an interdisciplinary team comprising physicians, technicians, administrative, and clerical staff.

Duties

The incumbent is responsible for ensuring the provision of comprehensive podiatry services and addressing the care and administrative needs of podiatric surgery patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings, while adhering to established policies within the Department of Surgery. In addition to complying with national and local regulatory, policy, and accreditation requirements governing this healthcare system, the incumbent is responsible for the following duties, in collaboration with the Administrative Officer, section chiefs, and supervisors. Adequate time and resources are provided to ensure proficiency in administration, clinical practice, education, and research. Administrative Duties: Attending required staff meetings, communicating through the chain of command, and assisting in preparing heads-up and issue briefs related to adverse patient outcomes. Maintaining open encounters and consults, ensuring CPRS documentation compliance, and monitoring clinic management. Responsibilities also include clinic productivity, performance measures, quality and patient safety oversight, and process improvements (system redesigns). The Clinical Staff Podiatrist reports to the Chief of Surgical Services. Overseeing the Prevention of Amputations in Veterans Everywhere (PAVE) program as outlined in VHA Directive 1410 Clinical Duties: The Podiatry service manages a broad range of pathological conditions with both conservative and surgical treatment options. Patients often present with severe concomitant medical conditions, mental health concerns, and chronic pain issues, requiring sound clinical judgment and effective teamwork. Attention to accuracy and detail is critical. Responsibilities include: Conducting admission histories and physicals, preoperative evaluations, orders, progress notes, aftercare plans, and discharge summaries. Maintaining privileges and practicing within their specialty field, with specific privileges approved by the Professional Standards Board. Practitioners are expected to: Patient Care: Provide compassionate, appropriate, and effective care to promote health, prevent illness, treat disease, and manage end-of-life care. Medical/Clinical Knowledge: Demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical, and social sciences and apply this knowledge to patient care and education. Clinical Judgment: Utilize scientific evidence to investigate, evaluate, and improve patient care. Interpersonal and Communication Skills: Establish and maintain professional relationships with patients, families, and healthcare team members. Professionalism: Exhibit commitment to continuous professional development, ethical practice, cultural sensitivity, and a responsible attitude toward patients and the profession. Systems-Based Practice: Understand and apply knowledge of healthcare systems to optimize patient care. Call: Provide consult and call coverage as directed by the Chief of Surgery for the VA Hospital on Ramsey Street. VA offers a comprehensive total rewards package. Work Schedule: Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM Requirements

All qualified candidates encouraged to apply. Open to U.S. Citizens but non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). You may be required to serve a probationary period. Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement. As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 2-year probationary period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider: your performance and conduct; the needs and interests of the Agency; whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the Agency or the Government; and whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of Federal service. Upon completion of your probationary period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest. 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. Podiatrist Basic Requirements Degree as a doctor of podiatric medicine, or its equivalent, from a school of podiatric medicine approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Approved schools are United States schools of podiatric medicine approved by the Council on Podiatry Education of the American Podiatry Association in the year in which the degree was granted. AND Completed, or currently completing, residency training, or its equivalent, approved by the Secretary of Veterans Affairs in an accredited core specialty training program leading to eligibility for board certification. VA Podiatrists involved in academic training programs may be required to be board certified for faculty status. Approved residencies are: (1) Those approved by the accrediting bodies for graduate medical education, the Council on Podiatric Medical Education, in the list published for the year the residency was completed, or (2) Other residencies and training experiences, or their equivalents, which the local Professional Standards Board determines to have provided an applicant with appropriate professional training. AND Currently hold, or will hold, a full and unrestricted license to practice Podiatry in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth of the United States or in the District of Columbia. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. Physical Requirements: The incumbent must be able to perform all activities of the position without restriction. This position may involve standing, walking, stooping, bending, reaching, lifting, and turning. The work may involve going up and down flights of stairs.

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. How You Will Be Evaluated

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. NOTE: A formal pay-setting process will be used to determine your salary. The salary may be at any point in the range listed for this vacancy. Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience. The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position. It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment. Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members. Other Information

This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.