Pharmacist (Clinical Specialist)

Clarification from the agency

OPEN TO CURRENT FACILITY EMPLOYEES ONLY

**OPEN TO CURRENT FACILITY EMPLOYEES ONLY**

FUNCTIONS OF SCOPES OF PRACTICE
a. Clinical
1) The pharmacist provides appropriate selection of drug therapy based upon the pharmaceutical principles of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; monitoring for efficacy, side effects and clinical outcome; and advises prescribers, as appropriate.
2) Provides patient-specific therapeutic drug monitoring and communicates relevant findings and / or recommendations to other health care providers in charge of the patient both orally and in writing. Monitoring will include prospective review and intervention in:

• Therapeutic appropriateness of a patient's drug regimen
• Therapeutic duplication in the patient's drug regimen
• Appropriateness of the route and method of administration
• Degree of patient compliance with the prescribed drug regimen
• Drug-drug, drug-food, drug-laboratory, or drug disease interactions
• Clinical and pharmacokinetic laboratory data to evaluate the efficacy of drug therapy and to anticipate side effects, toxicity, or adverse effects
• Physical signs and clinical symptoms relevant to the patient's drug therapy

3) Performs continuous evaluation of prescribed medications to assure optimal drug therapy.
4) Provides medication counseling to patients on discharge.
5) Extends medication therapy until next medical appointment when patients are out of medications (limited to non-controlled substances) per pharmacy "bridging" procedure.
6) Completes medication histories including patient interviews on admission when appropriate.
7) Serves as a drug information resource by providing up-to-date drug information to prescribers, other health care professionals, patients and caregivers.
8) Participates in patient care rounds, review charts, evaluates pertinent laboratory data, drug-drug and drug-nutrient interactions, monitors for adverse drug effects, and screens for allergies.
9) Performs medication reconciliation at all transitions of care, including updating the medication profile to reflect an accurate, active list of VA and non-VA medications. This may include adding non-VA medications or discontinuing duplicate medications or those the patient is not taking.
10) Assesses drug safety and efficacy, including evaluation of physical symptoms.
11) Reports adverse drug events (ADE), near misses, and medication errors in alignment with VA ADERS reporting program.
12) Participates in the medical center medication utilization evaluation (MUE) program and other QA programs that monitor drug safety and efficacy.
13) Recommends formulary alternatives and completes non-formulary consults as assigned.
14) Provides anticoagulation consultation including dosing and monitoring of anticoagulants, in accordance with local policy.
15) Participates in the facility Antibiotic Stewardship Program by reviewing antibiotics pending orders for appropriateness and making interventions as necessary.
16) The pharmacist is responsible for maintaining his / her professional competency by keeping abreast of current medical and pharmaceutical literature, new drugs and therapies, and applies this knowledge in his / her daily duties.

b. Dispensing
1) Reviews all medication orders for appropriateness, drug selection, dosage, route of administration and the amount, prior to dispensing.
2) Ensures all medication orders are entered into the electronic patient medical record.
3) Fills all orders in a timely fashion; review of the patient's allergy history, drug-drug, drug-nutrient, drug laboratory and drug disease state interactions and assessment for clinical relevance should be performed and dealt with appropriately.
4) Reviews medical profiles and monitors for compliance or potential abuse; problems encountered shall be resolved.

c. Education
1) Provides education to health care providers regarding medication use
2) Effectively instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices. Is able to adjust communication and tracking methods based on age and developmental considerations. Is able to accurately assess and document patient comprehension. Is able to refer patients to educational programs provided at the medical center by multidisciplinary teams.
3) Maintains basic knowledge of pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacotherapeutics in the area of practice
4) Assumes an active role in the overall pharmacy-training program consisting of students, externs, interns, residents, and professional and non-professional staff members. Conducts on-the-job training and provides guidance through designated programs
5) Keeps abreast of new developments in pharmacy practice and drug therapy by reading pharmacy and medical literature and participating in continuing education programs.

Work Schedule: 8:00am-4:30pm, Monday through Friday
Telework: Ad-hoc Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 63350F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: 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 identification 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

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.
• Education. (1) 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. (NOTE: Prior to 2005 ACPE accredited both baccalaureate and Doctor of Pharmacy terminal degree program. Today the sole degree is Doctor of Pharmacy). TRANSCRIPTS MUST BE SUBMITTED (2) 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). YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF FPGEC CERTIFICATION WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGE
• 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.YOU MUST SUBMIT A COPY OF CURRENT LICENSE WITH THE APPLICATION PACKAGE.
• English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) and 7407(d).

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:
GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level)
Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following:
1. Have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11) which includes Knowledge of Professional Pharmacy Practices, Residency accredited by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) and Fellowship Training Program accredited by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP)
OR
2. Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs:
1. Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
2. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff.
3. Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security.
4. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

References: VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Appendix G15, Licensed Pharmacist Qualification Standards http://vaww1.va.gov/ohrm/HRLibrary/Dir-Policy.htm

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12.

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.

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.

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

• License
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action

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.

• License
• Long-form resume/Curriculum vitae (CV)
• Additional Documentation
• 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.

Next steps