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
(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. Verification of approved degree programs may be obtained from the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, 20 North Clark Street, Suite 2500, Chicago, Illinois60602-5109; 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.)
(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).
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.
NOTE: Individuals who have or have had multiple licenses and had any such license revoked for professional misconduct, professional incompetence or substandard care, or who surrendered such license after receiving written notice of potential termination of such license by the State for professional misconduct, professional incompetence, or substandard care, are not eligible for appointment to the position unless such revoked or surrendered license is fully restored (38 U.S.C. § 7402(f)). Effective November 30, 1999, this is a requirement for employment. This requirement does not apply to licensed pharmacists on VA rolls as of that date, provided they maintain continuous appointment and are not disqualified for employment by any subsequent revocations or voluntary surrenders of State license, registration or certification.
Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
English Language Proficiency. Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 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-13
Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.
Assignments. Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed below. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.
Facility Program Manager. Manages all aspects of a distinct program to include policy
development, quality resources and specialty functions unique to the program to optimize cost
effectiveness (budget) and patient outcomes. Coordinates a single program area of a complex pharmacy
operation, or multiple program areas within a facility to develop, organize, manage, and control complex
pharmacy programs. Develops, organizes, coordinates and manages single or multiple program areas
within the medical facility; this may include a single program area at multiple facilities. The Program
Manager title is reserved for those individuals who have one or more of the following: supervisory
responsibilities for various sections within Pharmacy Service; a complex program requiring coordination
of multiple locations such as medical center care facilities, Community Based Outpatient Clinics
(CBOCs), rural health, telemedicine, etc; specialized areas of a complex nature such as nuclear
pharmacy, quality assurance, pharmacy informatics, clinical applications coordinator, Home Based
Primary Care, pharmacoeconomist or liaison pharmacist duties requiring the coordination of processes
with other medical facilities or VISNs. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the
KSAs identified in subparagraph 3b(3)(b)1 above.
a. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management
decisions.
b. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
c. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their
program area or area of clinical expertise.
d. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of
pharmacy.
e. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical
assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.
Preferred Experience: PGY-2 Pharmacy Residency in Pharmacy Informatics or 2 years Pharmacy Informatics experience, including all Pharmacy functions within CPRS, VISTA, and associated modules. Advanced skills with Microsoft Office products (Excel, Word, Outlook, etc.), SQL, PowerBI, and Pyramid Analytics and Administrator Level skills with Pharmacy Automation systems including ScriptPro, Pyxis, TGCRX, Alaris Infusion Pumps, Codonics, AudioCARE, PakEdgeUD, and interfaces. Knowledge and experience with pharmacoeconomics.
Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit
https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.
Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.