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:
Citizenship. Citizen of the United States. (Noncitizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3, section A, paragraph 3g, this part.)
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 Web site 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.) (TRANSCRIPT REQUIRED)
- Graduates 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 and unrestricted 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 is a requirement for maintaining full, current, and unrestricted licensure. A pharmacist who has, or has ever had, any license(s) revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or issued/placed in a probationary status may be appointed only in accordance with the provisions in VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, section B, paragraph 16.
GS-13 Grade Determinations:
Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, you must possess one-year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12). Equivalent experience to the next lower grade level (GS-12) may include:
- 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.
AND
You must demonstrate the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's)
- 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 includes:
- Experience providing care for women for gender-specific health needs
- Completion of an American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) accredited residency program
- Active and current Board of Pharmacy Specialties (BPS) certification in Pharmacotherapy or Ambulatory Care
References: VA Handbook 5005 Part II, Appendix G15, Licensed Pharmacist VA Qualification Standard
Physical Requirements: Physical movements involve completion of routine pharmacy functions which include but are not limited to significant computer work/typing, prescription order entry and processing, contact of patients (both face to face and via phone). Certain tasks are repetitive in nature and require multiple steps performed in succession for success. The incumbent should be able to lift and carry up to 50 pounds without significant difficulty. Incumbent must be able to stand or sit in one place for considerable time during completion of complex tasks. Complexity of mental processes involved is extensive, demanding, and challenging.