Clarification from the agency

This position is open to current, permanent federal employees of Veterans Affairs ; current, permanent federal employees of other agencies; and to Past/Current/Upcoming VHA HPT Graduates. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

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

The Clinical Pharmacist is a licensed professional with knowledge and proficiency in pharmacy practice including pharmaceutics, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics and pharmacotherapeutics. The primary functions will be the interpretation and verification of physician's orders, patient medication profile review (allergy, drug interaction screens etc.) providing drug and policy information to patients and medical center staff. The Clinical Pharmacist also applies standards relating to all aspects of distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs.

Anticipate this position will be assigned predominately to the controlled substance inpatient and outpatient vaults.

The duties of the Clinical Pharmacist include, but are not limited to the following:

Clinical

• Establishes a working diagnosis and initial treatment plan by the patient's provider(s) and in accordance with accepted standards of practice or the pharmacological management guidelines established by the Medical Advisory Panel (MAP).
• Manages various actions, as appropriate, for medication orders to include: flagging prescriptions, managing view alerts, using the "hold medication" function, and generating unsigned discontinued orders using Service Reject.
• Adjusts medications by discontinuing and/or generating new/renewed prescriptions for items other than Controlled Substances with the verbal or written approval of a physician or authorized prescriber.
• Provides pharmacokinetic consultation, including dosing vancomycin and aminoglycosides, in accordance with local policy.
• Completes medication histories including patient interviews.
• Reports adverse drug events (ADE), near misses, and medication errors in alignment with VA ADERS reporting program.
• Participates in the medical center medication utilization evaluation (MUE) program.

Education

• Educates patients on the purpose, proper use, and expected outcomes of prescribed medications.
• Uses suitable oral, written or audiovisual communication techniques, and verifies through direct feedback, the patient's and/or caregiver's understanding of information presented.
• Provides both written and oral drug information to physicians, nurses and other associated healthcare professionals.
• Acts as clinical institutional instructor for professional or technical level pharmacy students and assists in the training of new technicians and pharmacists.
• Provides in-services to pharmacy staff and other healthcare professionals when required.
• Participates in or attends continuing educational programs.

Administrative

• Responsible for the daily operation status of the various aspects of the pharmacy programs.
• Prioritizes work and makes administrative decisions when supervisory pharmacists are not available, or in instances where immediate decisions are required.
• Supervises technical support staff during holidays and off tours.
• Performs any duties and or special projects deemed necessary by the Chief, Pharmacy Service.

Distribution

• Responsible for the safe and appropriate distribution or dispensing of medications.
• Ensures that all Pharmacy Service and other regulatory policies are compliant with regards to medication labeling, inventory management, formulary management, PBM initiative, equipment maintenance and timeliness of service.
• Provides supervision of Pharmacy support staff in the conduct of distributive functions.
• Consults with patients and healthcare system staff whenever there is a questions concerning therapeutic or policy matters regarding outpatient and/or inpatient providers orders.

Work Schedule: Variable - Will be required to work variable tours of duty including evenings, weekends and holidays based on the needs of the service. Anticipate tour of duty to be primarily day shift hours between 7am and 7pm.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 20222F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Available
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact VISN8CCoE@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Available

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-Transcripts Required

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 or on track to complete advanced degree from an accredited program by the time of hire. 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.)
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-Documentation Required. 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.

• Exception: Non-licensed pharmacists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment at the GS-11 entry level as a Graduate Pharmacist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)(B).

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).

Grandfathering Provision. All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:

• Employees grandfathered into the GS-660 occupational series may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.
• Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard. Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration, that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.
• If a licensed pharmacist who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

Grade Determinations: The following is used to determine if you meet the grade requirements for this position.

GS-11 Pharmacist. No experience, education, or licensure requirements beyond the basic requirements listed above. Non-licensed pharmacists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment at the GS-11 entry level as a Graduate Pharmacist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. 7405(c)(2)(B).

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist.

• Experience or Education. In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following:
  • 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or
  • Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program
• Knowledge, Skills and Abilities (KSAs). Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following:
  • Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
  • Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff.
  • Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security.
  • Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Preferred Experience:

• Skills in managing the pharmacy inventory, including ordering, storing, and dispensing controlled substances in accordance with legal requirements.
• Use of pharmacy management software and automated dispensing systems (e.g., Pyxis, ScriptPro) that track controlled substances.
• Experience with the handling and disposal of expired or unwanted controlled substances.
• Experience implementing and maintaining security measures to prevent theft and diversion of controlled substances.
• Familiarity with federal and state regulations governing controlled substances, including the Controlled Substances Act (CSA).

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-12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-11 to GS-12.

Physical Requirements: The physical demands of the work includes: Moderate lifting, 15-44 pounds; light lifting, under 15 pounds; moderate carrying, 15-44 pounds; pushing up to 4 hours; reaching above shoulder; use of fingers, good dexterity (both hands required); walking, up to 4 hours; standing, 6 hours prolonged; kneeling; repeated bending; climbing, use of legs and arms; operation of vehicle; ability for rapid mental and muscular coordination simultaneously; near vision correctable at 13" to 16" to Jaeger 1 to 4; far vision correctable in one eye to 20/20; specific visual requirement, ability to read fine print on labels; depth perception; ability to distinguish basic colors; ability to distinguish shades of colors; hearing (aid permitted); clear speech; and emotional stability.

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.

Area of Consideration - Eligible applications will be reviewed and referred in the following order:

1. Current permanent VA employees of the facility.
2. All other VA employees.
3. Current permanent Federal employees of other agencies.
4. All other applicants.