Clarification from the agency

First area of consideration will be given to current permanent Detroit VA employees. Second area of consideration will be given to current permanent Agency employees. Final area of consideration is to current, past, or upcoming Health Professional Trainees (HPTs). *HPT's are subject to veterans preference. *See "How You Will Be Evaluated" for additional information.

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Directly involved in the design, implementation, and monitoring of therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients, providers, nurses, and other team members.
• Initiate medication orders and/or laboratory orders based on patient's clinical presentation.
• Review patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, allergies, intolerances, and therapeutic outcomes. Communicates and/or documents findings with other providers/disciplines and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans.
• Responsible for patient care activities within the acute care or specialty team utilizing an advanced in-depth knowledge of specialized areas of clinical pharmacy practice.
• Conduct appropriate lab monitoring and apply knowledge of normal laboratory values and recognizes significant abnormalities.
• Demonstrate expertise in the principles of clinical pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmaceutics and able to recommend and make dose adjustments based on objective laboratory findings.
• Document clinical interventions and progress notes in computerized record system in a timely and professional manner.
• Interview patients and/or review patient medical record to identify or validate drug allergy information and responsible for documentation into CPRS/VISTA allergy field. Monitor for and report drug errors, adverse drug reactions, and patient compliance issues. Document findings per facility procedures.
• Assist other VA providers in acute or specialty care on the appropriate VA National Formulary medications to consider for patients that are choosing to transfer their care from the private sector to VA during an inpatient admission.
• Review, evaluate, and document the recommendations for non-formulary and restricted drug requests for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria.
• Unique functions requiring the individual to maintain a scope of practice. Serves as a mid-level provider to recommend or modify patient's medication therapy. Recommend patient-specific drug therapy modifications to maximize patient response and minimize drug interactions, adverse drug effects, and polypharmacy while providing cost-effective treatment.
• Determine if a referral to the physician or specialist is necessary when disease progression occurs, adverse drug events require significant treatment interventions, or if the disease/presentation is beyond the CPS's scope of practice.
• Order, perform, review, and analyze appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy.
• Participate with Pharmacy and local Ongoing and Focused professional practice evaluation program.
• Perform drug/medication use evaluations (DUE/ MUE) on behalf of national, VISN, and local medical center initiatives. Assist with other formulary projects, cost saving projects, medication conversions, and Pharmacy and Therapeutics or other committee activities.
• Promotes and monitors compliance for established drug therapy policies.
• Works with providers to ensure compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives.
• Serve on medical center and/or VISN committees as required.
• Assist with recommending, prescribing, or providing alternative therapy in presence of drug shortages or local/national drug conversions.
• Coordinate and/or conduct minimum data set reviews, preparation for VA and external accreditation or review bodies, JC, OIG.
• Follow patients to achieve therapeutic goals identified by guidelines, literature, and the primary care provider. Complete other assignments at the direction of Chief, Pharmacy Service, or designee.
• Participate in the training and in-servicing of pharmacy employees, medical staff, nursing staff, Pharmacy and Medical residents or other program residents, Pharmacy and Medical students or other students, and other allied health professionals.
• Effectively instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices.
• Adjust communication and tracking methods based on age and developmental considerations. Accurately assess and document patient comprehension. Refer patients to educational programs provided at the medical center as needed.
• Serve as a preceptor for Pharmacy students and Pharmacy residents or other students and residents as assigned and demonstrate knowledge and compliance with established guidelines and/or those specific to American Society of Health-System Pharmacists.

Work Schedule: 7:30 am - 4:00 pm or 8:00 am - 4:30 pm; subject to change based on the needs of the service
Telework: AD-HOC may be authorized by the Supervisor per Agency policy.
Functional Statement #: 91480-O
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Conditions of employment

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical examination.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the "Required Documents" section of this announcement.

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public interest. In determining if your employment advances the public interest, we may consider:

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Upon completion of your trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.

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: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
• Education:
  • Graduate of an Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a baccalaureate degree in pharmacy (BS Pharmacy) and/or a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm. D.) degree. Verification of approved degree programs may be obtained from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois 60602-5109; phone (312) 664-3575, or through their website at: http://www.acpe-accredit.org/. (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy.); OR,
  • Graduate of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the graduate is able to provide proof of achieving the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Examination Commission (FPGEC) Certification, which includes passing the Foreign Pharmacy Graduate Equivalency Examination (FPGEE) and the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-Based Test (TOEFL iBT).
• Licensure: Full, current, unrestricted, and unexpired license to practice pharmacy in a State, Territory, Commonwealth of the United States (i.e., Puerto Rico), or the District of Columbia. The pharmacist must maintain current registration if this a requirement for maintaining full, current, and unrestricted licensure. A pharmacist who has or has eve had, any license(s) revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only IAW the provisions in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16.

Note: 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.

Creditable Experience
(1) Knowledge of Professional Pharmacy Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with professional pharmacy practice. Professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional or unlicensed graduate pharmacist as defined by the appropriate licensing board.
(2) Residency and Fellowship Training. Residency and fellowship training programs in a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for- year basis. The pharmacy residency program must be accredited by the American Society of Health- System Pharmacists (ASHP). A fellowship program that is not accredited by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) will need to have comparable standards for experience to be creditable (Professional Standards Board refers to the Deputy Chief Consultant for Professional Practice for the determination).
(3) Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to pharmacy experience at the next lower level. Experience as a Graduate Pharmacist is creditable provided the candidate was used as a professional pharmacist (under supervision) and subsequently passed the appropriate licensure examination.
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).

Grade Determinations: In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-12. An example of one year of experience at the GS-12 level would be working as a Clinical Pharmacist reviewing, interpreting, and verifying medication orders for appropriateness; processing and filling medication orders; interacting with and making recommendations to other clinical staff regarding medication therapy ordered to ensure safe and effective care; reviewing the patient's medications, allergies, labs, and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems; contacting providers as appropriate; documenting recommendations and interventions; providing refill extensions and partial medication supplies; taking health and medication histories; performing medication reconciliation; providing drug information; assisting in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions, nonformulary reviews and medication usage evaluations; documenting and assessing adverse drug events (ADEs); assisting in medical emergencies; providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution. Clinical Pharmacy Specialist. The clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice, works independently under their scope of practice as defined by the individual medical center to directly care for patients. A CPS plays a defined role in budgetary execution and serves as a mid-level provider who functions to initiate, modify or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: designing, implementing, assessing, monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic and most economical medication treatments; helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas; performing physical assessments; and ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs:

• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
• Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
• Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
• Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
• Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Preferred Experience:

• ASHP accredited PGY1 residency or equivalent experience
• Pharmacotherapy Specialty Certification (BCPS) or Certified Anticoagulation Care Provider (CACP) or equivalent outpatient anticoagulation management experience

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-13.

Physical Requirements: This position may require light to moderate lifting and carrying; up to 44 pounds. Requires routine standing, bending, and stooping/squatting. As needed - pushing, walking, standing, reaching over shoulder, use of fingers, both hands and legs required, walking, and standing up to two hours per tour, near vision correctable at 13' to 16' to Jaeer 1 to 4, far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20 and to 20/40 in the other, hearing (aid permitted). See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

How you will be evaluated

You will be evaluated for this job based on how well you meet the qualifications above.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. Your application, resume, C.V., and/or supporting documentation will be verified. Please follow all instructions carefully. Errors or omissions may affect consideration for employment. Your resume/CV must include the following information for each job listed:
Company & Job Title
Month & Year of Start/End dates (i.e. June 2007 to April 2008)
Indicate Full-time or Part-time (include hours worked per week) status
Duties(be as detailed as possible) for each job entry
References, to include contact information

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate's abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.

It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.

Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

Applicants will be considered based on the following areas of consideration:

• First Area of Consideration (Facility Employees) - Current, permanent John D. Dingell Medical Center employees (this includes Outpatient Clinics, permanent employees of the Veteran Canteen Service assigned to this facility, Office of Information & Technology employees assigned to this facility, CPAC bargaining unit employees located at the Detroit VAMC, and Virtual bargaining unit employees assigned to the facility.
• Second Area of Consideration (Other VA Employees) - Current, permanent Department of Veterans Affairs Employees (VA employees who are located at other VA medical centers).
• Third Area of Consideration - current, past, or upcoming VHA Health Professional Trainees (HPTs).

To apply for this position, you must provide a complete Application Package which includes:

1. Resume Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field (must include the following information):

• Place of Employment and Job Title
• Duties (be as detailed as possible)
• Month and year start/end dates (e.g. June 2024 to April 2025)
• Full-time or part-time (include hours worked per week)

NOTE: Do not include a photograph or video of yourself, or any sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. Including any of this information may result in an ineligibility rating.

2. Transcript (must include the following information):

• Your Name
• Name of the college or university
• Full address of the college or university
• Degree Received
• Date Conferred

REMINDER: A transcript, either official or unofficial, must be submitted with your application for ALL degrees. A copy of your certificate/degree or screenshot of your current classes are not a replacement of your transcript and they will not be used in the qualifying process.

3. License (must include the following information):

• Name on License
• Issuing state or territory
• Complete license number
• Expiration date

4. SF-50, Notification of Personnel Action (applicable for eligibility for current employees and past or current HPTs):

• Most recent SF-50 if you are a current Federal employee:
  • GS Employee - most recent SF-50, dated 1/12/2025 or after
  • WG Employee - most recent SF-50, dated March 2024 or after

Special Note for Applications: To complete your application, please use the following link https://vacareers.va.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/Resume.docx to download the standard Clinical Resume Document. This one-page document does not need to be modified and must be uploaded into the two-page restricted 'Resume' document upload field.

Your full resume/CV may be uploaded without page limitation into the 'Other' document upload field.

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50's (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• DD-214/ Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• License
• Full Resume/CV
• Other (2)
• Other (3)
• Professional Certification
• Resume
• Separation Notice (RIF)
• SF-15
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcript

Veterans' Preference: When applying for Federal Jobs, eligible Veterans should claim preference for 5pt (TP), 10pt (CP/CPS/XP), or for Sole Survivor Preference (SSP) in the questionnaire. You must provide a legible copy of your DD214(s) which shows dates and character of service (honorable, general, etc.). If you are currently serving on active duty and expect to be released or discharged within 120 days you must submit documentation related to your active duty service which reflects the dates of service, character of service (honorable, general, etc.), and dates of impending separation. Additionally, disabled veterans and others eligible for 10-point preference (such as widows or mothers of eligible Veterans) must also submit an SF-15 "Application for 10 Point Veteran Preference" with required proof as stated on the form. Documentation is required to award preference. For more information on Veterans' Preference, please visit Feds Hire Vets - Veterans - Job Seekers - Veterans' Preference.

Veterans' preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees. *HPTs are subject to veterans preference and must upload documentation.

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