PART B – RECOMMENDATION OF MARKET PAY
Management officials must consider and address the following market pay factors. Please describe in detail each factor. This part should be completed by the appropriate recommending management official (i.e., Service Chief/Service Line Chief, Chief of Staff, or other management officials). Use the last page if more space is needed for any of the factors.

Factor 1: The experience level of the employee/candidate in the specialty/specialties and assignment(s). Describe quantitatively and qualitatively the experience the employee/candidate possesses in the clinical specialty/specialties and assignment(s).

Intent: What makes the employee/candidate stand out?

Examples of evidence:

1. Years of experience, facility roles/accomplishments current/previous
2. Type of Residency or Fellowship completed and where
3. Involvement in specialty (i.e. medical optometry, low vision, TBI, contact lens, etc.)

Factor 4: The board certifications, if any, of the employee/candidate. Provide information on all board certifications only (do not add expired board certifications).

Examples of evidence:

1. ABCMO and/or ABO
   1. Board Certification must be active/enrolled in maintenance of certification program

Note: Passage of NBEO parts I, II, and II for state licensure requirements does not connote board certification.

Factor 5: The accomplishments of the employee/candidate in the specialty/specialties or assignment. Describe special or unique accomplishments within the specialty/specialties or assignment(s), awards, publications, fellowships, research activities, etc. Explain why these special accomplishments are pertinent to the specialty/specialties or assignment(s).

Examples of evidence:

1. Faculty Appointments or “Status Warranting”
   • • • Formal and current faculty appointments at schools/colleges of optometry/health professional
       • PSB precedent is for FAAO and/or Board Certification to “warrant faculty status”
2. Fellowship or Diplomate status in the Academy
3. Optometry research, principal investigator
4. Optometry externship coordinator
5. Peer reviewed publications
6. Professional organization memberships and level(s) of involvement
   • • • Member
       • Committee volunteer
       • Committee vice-chair or chair
       • Leadership (see i below)
7. VISN Consultant/ICC Lead/VISN Mentor
8. Field Advisory Board or subcommittee appointment
9. National Leadership Roles: election/appointment to state/national board/council/workgroup/committee
10. AFOS or AOA Delegate
11. Expert witness
12. Contributions: examples include:
    • • • Item writer or examiner for NBEO
        • COPE reviewer and completing reviews
        • ACOE training and completed site visits
13. Education
    • • • Posters/grand rounds/lectures/presentations (Specify level: local, state, regional, or national)
14. Residency Program Coordinator
15. Distinguished professional awards (ex: OGS, ORS)

Looking Ahead: How the compensation structure of PDPO will improve recruitment and retention

Base or Longevity Pay Schedule:

1. 1. Recruitment Benefits: For early-career optometrists, the PDPO pay table offers a higher starting salary ($123,077) compared to the GS Schedule pay-setting cap ($115,213)*, making the position more competitive and attractive.
   2. Retention Benefits: The two-year tenure-based pay increases continue throughout an optometrist’s career, rather than being capped at Grade-Step 10, ensuring sustained financial growth and long-term retention.

*residency training year is not counted toward VHA tenure

Additional Components of Pay:

1. Market Pay. This component of the PDPO pay structure incentivizes professional growth by tying compensation to experience, board certifications, and specialization demand. It rewards continuous development and aligns salaries with market needs, motivating professionals to enhance their skills and expertise.  Unlike the GS Clinical Optometrist Pay Schedule, early-career VA optometrists would no longer need to delay these achievements for compensation-related considerations.

The determination of the amount of market pay of a physician, podiatrist, optometrist or dentist shall take into account—

1. the level of experience of the physician, podiatrist, optometrist or dentist in the specialty or assignment of the physician, podiatrist, optometrist or dentist;
2. the need for the specialty or assignment of the physician, podiatrist, optometrist or dentist at the medical facility of the Department concerned;

iii. the health care labor market for the specialty or assignment of the physician, podiatrist, optometrist or dentist, which may cover any geographic area the Secretary considers appropriate for the specialty or assignment;

1. the board certifications, if any, of the physician, podiatrist, optometrist or dentist;
2. the prior experience, if any, of the physician, podiatrist, optometrist or dentist as an employee of the Veterans Health Administration; and
3. such other considerations as the Secretary considers appropriate.

source:  SC Ch. 74: VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION-PERSONNEL

 

1. 1. For recommendations on updating CVs to highlight these accomplishments, please visit: Physician Pay Scale Recommendations | NAVAO
   2. Currently, market pay evaluation occurs every 24 months, however, out-of-cycle reviews may be requested

2. Pay for Performance. This third component of pay is intended to recognize the achievement of specific goals and performance objectives prescribed on a Fiscal Year basis.  Pay for Performance criteria are facility.

*Note: New hires onboarded after July 1 are not eligible for pay for performance for that FY.

i. Performance pay shall be paid to a physician, podiatrist, optometrist or dentist on the basis of the physician’s or dentist’s achievement of specific goals and performance objectives prescribed by the Secretary.
ii. The Secretary shall ensure that each physician, podiatrist, optometrist and dentist of the Department is advised of the specific goals or objectives that are to be measured by the Secretary in determining the eligibility of that physician, podiatrist, optometrist or dentist for performance pay.
iii. The amount of the performance pay payable to a physician, podiatrist, optometrist or dentist may vary annually on the basis of individual achievement or attainment of the goals or objectives applicable to the physician, podiatrist, optometrist or dentist under paragraph (2).
iv. The amount of performance pay payable to a physician, podiatrist, optometrist or dentist in a fiscal year shall be determined in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Secretary, but may not exceed the lower of—

• $15,000; or

• the amount equal to 7.5 percent of the sum of the base pay and the market pay payable to such physician, podiatrist, optometrist or dentist in that fiscal year

source:  SC Ch. 74: VETERANS HEALTH ADMINISTRATION-PERSONNEL

*Aggregate Pay Limitation Exclusions
Recruitment, relocation, retention incentives, critical skills incentives, performance awards and education debt reduction programs do NOT count toward the [$400K aggregate limit)

Factor 4:  Board certification(s).  Only active and current board certifications should be listed on the market pay review form.

The board certifications, if any, of the employee/candidate. Provide information on all board certifications which are current and not expired only.  self Explanatory – Current (non-expired) Credentials only

What do the Qualification Standards of Physicians, Dentists and Podiatrists say about Board Certification?

Board Certification is not a condition of employment in VA. In other words, it is not a requirement.

However, it is a preferred credential: [excerpts from VA Handbook 5005/113 Part II Appendix G2, 5005/114 PART II APPENDIX G, and 5005/93]

1. Physicians:
2. 1. • Board Certification: Physicians are generally not required to be board certified for employment in VA; however, three circumstances in VA require physician board certification:
      • (1) If the position being filled is required to be a supervisor for medical students or physician residents (including fellows), the LCME, ACGME or AOA standards requiring a particular board certification credential will apply.
      • (2) If the position being filled will have faculty status with an affiliated medical school (for example, in joint recruitments with affiliated medical schools), then a medical school requirement for board certification will apply to the jointly recruited position.
      • (3) If the position being filled is required to be board certified by virtue of specific VHA policy (for example, as director of a cardiac catheterization laboratory or Director of Clinical Laboratory Medicine), then VHA policy requiring board certification will apply.]

2. Podiatrists:

• • • Staff Podiatrist Surgical. Should be board qualified or board certified by a Council on Podiatric Medical Education certification board, or other equivalent certification to grant surgical privileges.

3. Dentists:

• • • A dentist who represents a specialty for which no specialty board exists may be appointed as a consultant if the individual possesses outstanding ability in the particular field of specialization

4. Optometrists:

• • • Under re-development

What is NAVAO’s Recommendation?

Board certification is one component of market pay that will be determined at a local level. NAVAO recognizes that there may be interfacility variation in its impact on compensation. However, NAVAO still encourages individuals who are already board certified to maintain their certification and clearly highlight it on their CV. For those who are board eligible but not yet certified, it is recommended that they pursue certification.

Board Certifications Recognized by the Professional Standards Board:

1. American Board of Certification in Medical Optometry (ABCMO)

• • How to Apply for Specialty Certification – ABCMO.org

2. American Board of Optometry (ABO) [link]

• • Certification Process | American Board of Optometry | ABO