Optometrist (Clinical)

Overview

OPTOMETRIST (CLINICAL) - ( GS-0662-12) - FT Sill, OK.

Fort Sill is a United States post north of Lawton, Oklahoma, about 85 miles (136.8 km) southwest of Oklahoma City and 50 miles north of Wichita Falls, Texas on Interstate 44.

It covers almost 94,000 acres.

The fort was first built during the Indian Wars. It is designated as a National Historical landmark and serves as home of the United States Army Field Artillery School as well as the Marine Corps' site for Field Artillery MOS school, United States Army Air Defense Artillery School, the 31st Air Defense Artillery Brigade, and the 75th Field Artillery Brigade.

Fort Sill is also one of the four locations for Army Basic Combat Training. It has played a significant role in every major American conflict since 1869.

Working for the Department of Defense comes with an abundance of benefits and perks to include competitive compensation packages, paid-time off, medical benefits, student loan repayments, and retirement package with Thrift Savings Plan to include matching employer contributions.

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Responsibilities

The primary purpose for the establishment of this position is to serve as a primary eye-care provider providing the full range of professional optometric services to the soldier in training population, qualified military and civilian personnel, with emphasis on therapeutic pharmaceutical agents, consultations of Occupational Health through examinations of "at-risk" personnel and survey work sites, and as a primary care agent, identifies systemic problems in addition to visual / ocular problems.

Issues eye profiles due to visual limitations. Instructs, teaches, and guides student optometric interns in all areas of clinical optometry.

Must qualify as an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Clinical Optometry at the affiliated academic institutions. Refers patients who require the services of other specialists to the appropriate clinic for further evaluation.

Initiates prescriptions for optical devices, visual training, therapeutic pharmaceutical agents, or any approved treatment currently accepted by the Surgeon General and local MEDDAC policy for proper patient therapy.

Orders appropriate laboratory tests and radiological studies. Maintains constant and continuing contacts with all levels of the hospital staff and the staff of other health clinic units in the performance of these duties.

1. Provides a variety of optometric services.

Examines, diagnoses, manages, and treats a full range of eye and visual problems and ocular diseases, to include the application of advanced instrumentation, optometric procedures and techniques, with an emphasis on therapeutic / diagnostic pharmaceutical drugs in the care of visual and ocular anomalies.

Treats cases involving ocular pathology and injury in accordance with approved credentialing by the MEDDAC credentials committees.

Performs comprehensive and limited visual and ocular examination of all types of patients; to include but not limited to basic trainees, pediatric patients, adult patients, geriatric patients, learning disability patients, low vision patients, contact lens patients, and patients who work in eye hazardous occupations.

Also the proper diagnosis, management, and treatment of all patients that are within the scope of optometric practice.

• Diagnoses and treats any visual anomaly and specified pathologic conditions of the ocular adnexa and the eye. Performs a wide range or tests to include use of refractor, retinoscopy, trial lens;
• peripheral and central visual fields; color perception; binocular vision; depth perception; intraocular tension; ductions;
• versions; amplitudes of accommodation; phorias; dynamic retinoscopy; biomicroscopy, gonioscopy; direct and indirect ophthalmoscopic fundus evaluation;
• pachymetry; ultrasound studies of the eye; pupillary reflexes or other diagnostic tests for neuro-ocular impairment; exophthalmometry;

any further advanced diagnostic tests as may be required;use of diagnostic drugs or any clinically approved method for the evaluation of the visual system.

• Performs medical profiling within specialty of basic trainees and other service members; to include the determination of fitness for induction, retention, special military training, and / or duty.
• Evaluates and performs all necessary tests that deal with the eye portion of all types of physical exams, to include DODMERB physicals, MEPS, retirement, flight and airborne physicals.
• Provides eye and vision consultative services to the medical staff and others as needed. This involves serving as an authoritative source of information in the areas of eyes, vision, and military optometry.

Refers patients for consultation to other health care providers when appropriate.

• Independently manages and treats conditions and diseases that are within the optometric scope of practice. This includes the use of and prescribing of therapeutic drugs.
• Provides special and advanced optometric evaluation, management, and treatment as needed in the following areas : contact lenses;
• visual fields; low vision; vision training; ocular photography, both internal and external; laser and microwave / radio-frequency workers;

flight physical evaluation; and shooting vision.

2. Performs related administrative duties.

Monitors the maintenance of ophthalmic equipment and instruments. Initiates request for needed replacement and new equipment IAW hospital policy.

Advises patients about reading habits, posture, lighting, and other matters pertaining to ocular hygiene. Makes reports, as requested, for drivers, pilots, students, and others.

Annotates patient records, physical examination forms, copies of correspondence, and all other data pertaining to individual cases to be placed in the patients records.

• In the absence of any military optometrists, acts as the Chief, Optometry Service and / or the Chief of the Optometry Clinic at which working.
• Participation in the Optometry Quality Improvement Program.
• Manages data and information that deals with the Optometry Service mission to include the writing of memorandums, letters, and reports.

Performs other duties as assigned.

Conditions of Employment

• Appointment may be subject to a suitability or fitness determination, as determined by a completed background investigation.
• This position is a Testing Designated Position subject to pre-employment screening and random drug testing. Selectees will be required to consent to participation in random drug urinalysis testing.
• A pre-placement medical examination is required.
• Selectees will be required to sign a statement (Condition of Employment) consenting to seasonal influenza vaccinations or must provide a recognized exemption.
• Immunization screening is required. Hepatitis B immunization is required for all positions with direct patient contact.

Applicants may be required to show proof of other immunizations depending on the type of position.

Must be able to obtain and maintain current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification through the American Red Cross or American Heart Association.

Advanced certification (., ALS) does not supersede BLS.

• Applicants must be able to fulfill credentialing requirements and obtain and maintain appropriate / relevant clinical privileges.
• A Personnel Security Investigation is required.
• This position may require the incumbent to work during irregular work hours which may include evenings, weekends, holidays, and / or varying work schedules.

Qualifications

Must be a US Citizen

Basic Requirements for Optometrist (Clinical) : A Doctor of Optometry degree from an educational program that is accredited by the Accreditation Council on Optometric Education (ACOE) at the time the degree was obtained.

License : Applicants must have received a passing score on the National Board of Examiners in Optometry (NEBO) examinations and possess a current, full, and unrestricted license to practice optometry in a State, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, or a territory of the United States.

In addition to meeting the basic requirement above, to qualify for this position you must also meet the qualification requirements listed below :

Specialized Experience : One year of professional experience as an optometrist which includes examining patients, diagnosing visual disorders or diseases, and / or identifying treatment.

This definition of specialized experience is typical of work performed at the next lower grade / level position in the federal service (GS-11).

Residency : One year completion of a residency program in an institution accredited for such training. Some federal jobs allow you to substitute your education for the required experience in order to qualify.

For this job, you must meet the qualification requirement using experience alone no substitution of education for experience is permitted.

Education

FOREIGN EDUCATION : If you are using education completed in foreign colleges or universities to meet the qualification requirements, you must show the education credentials have been evaluated by a private organization that specializes in interpretation of foreign education programs and such education has been deemed equivalent to that gained in an accredited .

education program; or full credit has been given for the courses at a . accredited college or university.