[Hiring] Genetic Counselor @Durham VA Medical Center

Role Description

The Genetic Counselor (GC) works closely with other staff within CGS, the staff at the National TeleOncology hub and the National TeleOncology Program Office to deliver highly specialized care to cancer patients across the VA. This position is located in the National TeleOncology (NTO) service's virtual hub at the Durham VA Health Care System (DVAHCS) within the Comprehensive Genetics Service (CGS).

• Provides expert advice and guidance to VA practitioners and program officials on a wide range of issues related to development and delivery of genetic services, methods and practices.
• Advises and provides technical expertise regarding clinical genetic services and responds to questions and concerns from stakeholders.
• Collaborates with local and Veteran-side site telehealth and pathology staff, NTO hub leadership, and the National Oncology Program Office to establish telehealth service agreements (TSA), workflow processes with spoke (patient site) sites, and other standard operating processes and communications documents as needed for CGS participating sites.
• Interviews patients to get comprehensive individual family and medical histories.
• Evaluates genetic information to identify patients or families at risk for specific genetic disorders.
• Writes detailed consultation reports to provide information on complex genetic concepts for patients or referring physicians.
• Discusses testing options and the associated risks, benefits, and limitations with patients, families, and other healthcare providers.
• Counsels patients and family members by providing information, education, or reassurance regarding genetic risks and inherited conditions.
• Plans, designs, and directs clinical genetic counseling protocols to develop and evaluate approaches to delivery of genetic counseling services.
• Identifies and implements ways to improve efficiency, quality, and safety of patient care within the CGS service.
• Participates and contributes to development of standard operating procedures related to program implementation.
• Participates and contributes to the development of marketing materials, SharePoint site, and web design for CGS services.
• Chair, Co-Chair, and actively participate in service level and national level committees and workgroups.
• Assists in the oversight of development and dissemination of information describing the genetic counseling services being offered by CGS, including brochures and other published materials.
• Collaborates to develop methods to evaluate effectiveness of educational programs.
• Establishes working relationships with other programs to develop best practices.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• 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: Genetic Counselors must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a.
• Education: A master's degree or higher in genetic counseling from a program in the United States or Canada accredited by the Accreditation Council for Genetic Counseling (ACGC).
• Experience: One year of progressively complex experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11).
• License: A full, current, and unrestricted license to independently practice as a Genetic Counselor.
• Board Certification: Board certification in the field of Genetic Counseling by the American Board of Genetic Counseling (ABGC).

Requirements

• GS-12: Must have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade.
• Advanced knowledge of genetic conditions with specific expertise in targeted conditions.
• Skill in applying general learning/teaching principles.
• Skill in identifying educational resources available for genetic counselors, as well as other medical specialties, as appropriate.
• Ability to identify national genetic counseling services and most current methods and practices, as well as services available in VA including program infrastructure and operations.
• Ability to organize, synthesize, and select relevant clinical and programmatic information to effectively manage time and priorities.
• Ability to mentor and train genetic counseling students as well as newly hired genetic counselors.
• Ability to identify target audiences within and outside VA for whom genetics educational material would be relevant.

Preferred Experience

• More than 2 years experience in an adult clinical genetics setting.
• Experience with remote delivery of genetic services (telemedicine, telephone).
• Prior administrative experience such as developing institutional genetic testing protocols, committee service for a national professional organization, or overseeing student rotations.

Work Schedule

M-F, 8a - 430p

Remote

This position is remote.

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives

Not Authorized