Acupuncturist

About the role

This position is located in Whole Health – Integrative Medicine under the Chief of Staff at the New Jersey VA Medical Center. The acupuncturist uses acupuncture as part of the clinical treatment plan to balance the body's energy flow and help reduce pain and anxiety, whether alone or alongside traditional medical care. The role involves stimulating specific points along the skin using thin needles, with or without electric stimulation, teaching acupressure for self-care, and may include leading Tai Chi or QiGong classes.

Responsibilities

• Provides individualized acupuncture treatment by utilizing standard medical evaluation procedures and East Asian Medicine evaluation to formulate a differential diagnosis and develop an acupuncture treatment plan.
• Formulates acupuncture treatment plans independently or in collaboration with other health care professionals, incorporating techniques taught within East Asian Medicine and acupuncture training.
• Selects and uses appropriate acupuncture tools and supplies based on individual patient needs.
• Educates patients on healthy lifestyle changes, including nutrition, exercise, sleeping habits, stress management, mind-body techniques, and other matters related to acupuncture care.
• Provides group acupuncture services as determined by clinical needs.
• Documents and codes patient care information in the VA electronic health record system in a timely manner, in accordance with VHA policy.
• Communicates with other health care providers regarding patient care, as appropriate.
• Reviews referrals and screens for appropriateness of care, directing Veterans to other services when necessary.
• Serves as the subject matter expert on acupuncture and East Asian Medicine services, providing guidance on purchased care when requested.
• Maintains up-to-date VHA and professional training requirements and attends required meetings.
• Provides leadership on acupuncture best practices and serves as a liaison between patients, staff, and management.
• Educates Veterans on self-care techniques such as acupressure.
• May teach Tai Chi and QiGong as wellness and/or therapeutic classes.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

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.
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in written and spoken English to serve in a direct patient-care capacity in VHA (per 38 U.S.C. chapters 73/74, Chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a).
• Education: Must meet one of the following:
  • Master's degree in acupuncture or oriental medicine from a program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (ACAOM); OR
  • Advanced level degree in acupuncture or oriental medicine from an ACAOM-accredited program.
• Foreign Graduates: Graduates of foreign acupuncture programs meet the education requirement if they hold a full, unrestricted, and current license to practice acupuncture in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth (e.g., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia.
• Certification: Must be board certified through the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine (NCCAOM). Certification must be current and the acupuncturist must abide by the certifying body's continuing education requirements.
• Licensure: Current, full, active, and unrestricted license to practice acupuncture in a U.S. state, territory, commonwealth, or the District of Columbia.
• Grandfathering Provision: Employees in this occupational series on the effective date of the qualification standard are considered to have met all requirements for their title, series, and grade. Those who do not meet all basic requirements but met prior qualifications may be reassigned, promoted up to the full performance (journeyman) level, or changed to lower grade, but may not be promoted beyond journeyman or placed in supervisory/managerial positions. Temporary appointees prior to the effective date may not have appointments extended or be reappointed until they fully meet the standard. Converted employees who leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard in effect at reentry.

Grade Determinations – Acupuncturist, GS-11 (Full Performance Level)

In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following:

• Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the GS-9 grade level directly related to the position. Examples include experience as a licensed, certified acupuncturist providing acupuncture treatment as part of an interdisciplinary team; analyzing medical histories and physical findings to formulate a differential diagnosis based on Oriental and Western medicine paradigms; designing and overseeing acupuncture treatment plans; monitoring needle placement accuracy; and advising patients on lifestyle changes (nutrition, exercise, stress management, mind-body techniques).
• Education: Doctoral degree or equivalent from an accredited college or university in acupuncture or oriental medicine.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs)

Candidates must demonstrate all of the following:

• Ability to screen referrals and direct veterans to other services as appropriate.
• Ability to formulate an appropriate differential diagnosis.
• Ability to formulate an ac