Clarification from the agency

Area of Consideration: Open to current permanent eligible employees of the Clement J. Zablocki VAMC to include VCS and CBOC's eligibles. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

Major duties of the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - Headache Medicine Include but are not limited to:

• Designs s therapeutic regimens or plans, based on patient-specific information, which includes establishing a therapeutic endpoint, prescribing an appropriate drug therapy and ordering appropriate laboratory monitoring for effective disease state management.
• Collaborates with providers, as well as other in the design of a patient-centered treatment regimen to assure that medication therapy is both appropriate and cost-effective.
• Provides care/counseling for patients ranging in age from 18 through the geriatric years taking into consideration knowledge based competencies which include diagnosis, physical, psychological, cultural, moral, health literacy and religious needs of patients.
• Employs tailored counseling strategies to maximize effective communication with patients.
• Determines medical history, reviews medications for potential drug interactions, polypharmacy, therapeutic duplication, nonadherence, adverse drug reactions, medication appropriateness and effectiveness.
• Uses patient presentation of signs, symptoms, laboratory tests and diagnoses, recognizes and lists important medical problems, disease states, symptoms or abnormal laboratory values that may necessitate altering the therapeutic regimen.
• Performs basic physical assessment as appropriate.
• Identifies and prevents drug-related problems and makes recommendations to providers concerning the management of drug-related problems and their prevention
• Monitors and analyzes drug therapy regimens.
• Monitors and assesses therapeutic and adverse effects of drug therapy through selection and evaluation of physical and laboratory parameters.
• Applies knowledge of pharmacology, therapeutics and drug interactions to the development of alternative therapeutic regimens in the treatment of disease.
• Evaluates drug literature by analysis of experimental design and evaluation, in order to compare and contrast therapeutic regimens and roles for new drugs as it applies to patient care.
• Reviews prior authorization drug requests for all patients assigned. Assures that all prescriptions and actions by providers meet proper eligibility criteria on a patient specific basis and that National Formulary and Non-Formulary (NF) procedures are followed.
• Assures compliance with VA and other accrediting bodies in terms of meeting all medication use standards.
• Electronically enters all prescription orders in the electronic health record (EHR) for a patient under a scope of practice.

• Performs all pharmacy distributive functions according to the VHA and local policies to provide comprehensive pharmaceutical services in a timely fashion to meet the needs of our patients and medical center staff.
• Participates in the development and enforcement of Pharmacy and Health System policies and procedures.

• Reviews electronically-submitted prior authorization drug requests (PADR) for patients assigned to the area which the specialist is practicing and/or covering
• Identifies factors pertinent to cost, distribution and utilization of all therapeutic agents.
• Enters adverse drug reactions into the VA Adverse Drug Event Reporting System (vaADERS)
• Participates in and may occasionally lead team meetings.
• Maintains all pertinent professional and administrative records as necessary.
• Works with neurology and pharmacy team members to plan cross coverage when on leave. May be asked to provide cross coverage to CPP that covers MS clinic.
• Effectively manages technical support in the areas of clinical responsibilities.
• Responsible for coordination and supervision of all pharmacotherapy management activities as assigned.

• Acts as the main pharmacy preceptor within the Headache Clinic.
• Works with team members to identify opportunities for pharmacy involvement within the program.
• Conducts individual and/or group teaching sessions as needed
• May perform other duties as assigned.

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://youtube.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws
Work Schedule: Full Time Monday - Friday 730 am - 400 pm
Compressed/Flexible:May be authorized with supervisory approval
Telework: Ad-Hoc as determined by agency policy
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 09825F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
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.(Transcripts Required)

OR

Graduate of a foreign pharmacy degree program if you are 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).
(Documentation Required)

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.

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:

Specialized Experience, GS-13: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.

In addition to the GS-13 basic requirements, you must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, GS-12, (Federal or Non Federal), which is directly related to the Clinical Pharmacy Specialist position which includes but not limited too:

• 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;
• ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy;

AND
In addition, must be able to demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities (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.

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. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is a GS 13.

Physical Requirements: The work is performed within the pharmacy and the medical center. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation, examination or interview.

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.