Medical Technologist

Summary This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific individual eligibility requirements in accordance with VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after complete review of the EDRP application.

Qualifications

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship

• Citizen of the United States

• (Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.) Education and/or Experience Combination (1) A bachelor's degree or higher from an accredited college or university in medical laboratory science, medical technology, clinical laboratory science or in a related science (e.g., laboratory sciences such as chemistry, biochemistry, biology, microbiology, immunology, etc.)

• AND completion of a medical technology clinical practice program

• Clinical practice programs completed after 1974 must have been accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS), Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP, formerly CAHEA), or the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)

• OR, (2) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics, AND two years of post-certification clinical laboratory experience (e.g., blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, clinical microscopy, etc.) within the last ten years as a certified Medical Laboratory Technician by the American Society for Clinical Pathology Board of Certification (ASCP-BOC), American Society of Clinical Pathology Board of Registry (ASCP-BOR) or American Medical Technologists (AMT)

• This experience must include performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology immunology and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory

• OR, (3) A bachelor's degree from an accredited college/university, including 16 semester hours of biological science (with one course in microbiology), 16 semester hours of chemistry (with one course in organic or biochemistry) and one course in mathematics, AND five years of clinical laboratory experience within the last ten years performing moderate and/or high complexity testing in blood banking, chemistry, hematology, microbiology, immunology, and clinical microscopy (or categorical experience which matches categorical certification) in a clinical laboratory

• Foreign Graduates

• Graduates of foreign baccalaureate degree programs meet the educational and/or experience requirements if the degree is found to be equivalent to degree programs recognized by the NAACLS or clinical laboratory experience as described in paragraph 2b(2) or (3) above

• This finding may be based on either of the following: (1) A letter from a college or university with a baccalaureate program recognized by the NAACLS stating that the individual's foreign degree has been evaluated and been found to be equivalent to its Bachelor of Medical Technology degree

• (2) A letter from ASCP-BOC or AMT stating that the individual is eligible for the certification examination

• Certification

• Candidates must have either (1) or (2) below: (1) Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT

• (2) For positions up to the full performance level, candidates must currently possess the categorical or specialist technologist level certification from the certification agencies listed above, such as, but not limited to, chemistry (C/SC), hematology (H/SH), microbiology (M/SM), molecular biology (MB/SMB) and blood bank (BB/SBB)

• (3) Exception

• Non-certified applicants who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements for certification may be given a temporary appointment up to the full performance level not to exceed one year as a graduate medical technologist under the authority of 38 U.S.C

• 7405(c)(2)(B)

• This appointment may not be extended

• (1) above

• (4) Failure to Obtain Certification

• In all cases, MTs must actively pursue meeting prerequisites for certification from the date of their appointment

• At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the MT with the written requirement to obtain certification, the date by which the certification must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming certified by the deadline

• (5) Loss of Credential

• Loss of certification will result in removal from the occupation and may result in termination of employment

• Physical Requirements

• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019

• English Language Proficiency

• MTs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part

• GRADE REQUIREMENTS a

• Creditable Experience (1) Knowledge of Current Professional Laboratory Practice

• For positions at or above the full performance level, the experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge, skills and abilities as a MT and may be paid or non-paid employment

• (2) Quality of Experience

• Experience is only creditable if it is equivalent to at least the next lower grade level and is directly related to the position being filled

• (3) Part-time Experience

• Part-time experience as a MT is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek

• For example, a MT would receive 1 week of full-time credit for each 2 weeks of half-time work

• (4) Graduate Education

• Graduate education and graduate degrees may be substituted as specified at each grade level

• Education must have been from an accredited college or university in a field related to MT (e.g., biochemistry, chemistry, microbiology, immunology, hematology, immunohematology, biological science, physiology, allied health education, health systems administration, infection control and preventive medicine)

• b

• Grade Determinations

• The following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates

• (1) GS-7 (Entry Level) (a) Experience

• None beyond the basic requirements

• (b) Assignments

• Employees at this level serve in an entry level MT career development position practicing under close supervision of an MT at or above the full performance level

• (2) GS-9 (Full Performance Level) (a) Experience

• Must have 1 year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, which is directly related to the position to be filled

• OR, (b) Education

• Must have master's degree or 2 academic years of progressively higher-level graduate education in medical technology or directly related field

• (c) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: 1

• Comprehensive knowledge of professional MT principles, practices, concepts, and theories providing for sound independent work

• 2

• Comprehensive knowledge of laboratory quality control and assurance procedures and principles of performance improvement in order to manage reagent and supply inventories and document control systems

• 3

• Knowledge of laboratory equipment and ability to maintain, troubleshoot and repair instrumentation

• 4

• Ability to plan, organize, set priorities, work as a team member and effectively complete assignments

• (d) Assignment

• This is considered the full performance level for nonsupervisory positions

• A MT at this level carries out the day-to-day operations in the laboratory

• This would include routine testing, quality control, routine maintenance of instrumentation and troubleshooting

• The MT develops, performs, evaluates, interprets, correlates and validates the accuracy of laboratory procedures and results ensuring all laboratory regulatory requirements are met

• References: VA HANDBOOK 5005/72 PART II APPENDIX G24 MAY 12, 2014 The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-09

• The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected is in the range of GS-07 to GS-09.

Duties "Duties/Tasks - Performs a broad range of laboratory procedures including all testing and tasks of the medical laboratory technician occupation.
In addition, performs advanced and complex laboratory procedures; recognizes deviation from expected results; analyzes and corrects problems using scientific principles.
- Evaluates and solves problems related to collection and processing of biological specimens for analysis taking into account physiologic processes and requirements.
- Maintains and documents the optimal functioning of laboratory equipment.
Uses, calibrates, identifies malfunctions, repairs, and performs preventive maintenance of laboratory equipment.
Diagnoses deviations in test performance due to instrument malfunction.
- Performs and documents quality control and assurance activities and corrective actions related to test performance using statistical principles and theories of performance improvement.
- Adheres to practices and regulations governing biosafety and biosecurity in the workplace.
- Identifies discrepancies, solves problems, and presents solutions click apply for full job details