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. 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 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.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States

• English Language Proficiency: Medical Technologists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005/72, Part II, Chapter 2, Section D, 5a

• Education and/or Experience Combination: In order to meet the minimum qualifications for this position, you must possess: (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)

• The professional curriculum may have consisted of a post-baccalaureate certificate program or be integrated into a four year program of study that culminated in a baccalaureate degree

• -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 (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) 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, (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED) 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 (Submitted): Candidates must currently possess the appropriate certification as a MT, MLS, or CLS given by the ASCP-BOC, ASCP-BOR, or AMT Applicants 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)

• Grandfathering Provision

• All MTs employed in VHA in this occupation on May 12, 2014 are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and certification that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation

• For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to the position, the following provisions apply: MTs that do not meet the basic requirements for education and certification may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions

• MTs who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard

• MTs initially grandfathered into this occupation who subsequently obtain certification that meets all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation

• If MTs who were retained in this occupation under this provision leave the occupation, the MT loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation

• Grade Determinations: (a) Experience: GS-10 must have one (1) year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-9), which is directly related to the position to be filled

• (b) Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Comprehensive knowledge of and skill in applying a wide range of concepts, principles and methodology of the field to perform advanced techniques

• Ability to modify or adapt established methods, procedures or techniques to resolve difficult or complex problems

• Knowledge of the application of laboratory regulatory requirements

• Ability to provide or coordinate staff development and training

• (c) Assignments: MTs at this level have a higher level of professional oversight responsibilities and may have responsibility for a specific large-scale automated analytical instrument system; a specific area of laboratory functions, such as employee competency records, supply functions, laboratory safety, quality control review, new method development or employee or student training; or provide professional and technical advice to other technicians and technologists on alternate tours of duty

• For all assignments above the full performance level, higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time

• Advanced Staff Technologist: MT's at this level perform more complex laboratory functions

• Duties may include specific targeted laboratory responsibilities or projects such as laboratory safety officer, analyzer specialist, or quality control file maintenance

• GRADE DETERMINATIONS CONTINUED IN THE ADDTIONAL INFORMATION SECTION

Duties "The incumbent serves as a Medical Technologist in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Service.
The incumbent will rotate weekends and holidays.
The duties and responsibilities of the Medical Technologist may include, but are not limited to, any of the following: The Advanced MT is proficient in performing both routine and specialized work with full technical competence and independence.
Functions as primary operator for large-scale automated analytical instrument systems, including preventative maintenance and quality control in all laboratory areas Hematology, Urinalysis, Coagulation, Chemistry, Microbiology and Blood Bank.
Performs complex maintenance procedures and is consulted as the in-house expert for troubleshooting problems.
Responsible for employee competency records, supply functions, quality control review, new method development, or employee/student training.
Provides advisory services to technicians, technologist, and other specialists.
Consults with healthcare providers on logical protocol to follow in attempting to confirm the diagnosis or risk assessment of patients.
Modifies or adapts new methods or techniques to improve or expand services.
Develops protocols for performance of tests and evaluation of results.
Performs validation/method verification studies for new systems.
Responsible for assisting in writing and updating procedure manuals and other documents for a specific laboratory function as directed by the supervisor.
Uses advanced computer skills in several computer applications to generate work-related information to supervisor and performs other duties as assigned Ensures that laboratory tests and procedures are consistent with accrediting agencies standards and requirements click apply for full job details