Clarification from the agency

This announcement is limited to current permanent employees of the Minneapolis VA Health Care System (MVAHCS), current permanent VA Nationwide employees, and past/current/upcoming VHA HPT Graduates. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position.

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The Clinical Pharmacist - Outpatient is responsible for working with pharmacy department staff and the interdisciplinary team to ensure safe, effective, cost-conscious and patient-centered drug therapy. This includes clinical assessment of drug therapy based on patient specific factors, recommending appropriate alternatives to optimize medication use, and providing drug information and education to health care professionals, patients, and caregivers. The clinical pharmacist abides by regulations and standards relating to all aspects of distribution, control, and records for scheduled and non-scheduled prescription and over the counter medications and medical supplies. Indirect patient care activities include pharmacy benefits management, staff development, quality assurance, medication utilization review, and teaching/mentoring to incorporate students, interns, residents, and other trainees into patient care.

Functions of Position:

Outpatient Clinical Pharmacy Program: The incumbent will provide clinical pharmacy services, support pharmacoeconomic activities, and is responsible for assessing, monitoring, managing, and documenting medication therapy for assigned patients. Activities include:

• Participates in a patient-focused, team-based multi-disciplinary model of patient centered care to promote positive patient outcomes through direct and indirect interaction with patients, caregivers, nursing, providers, and other facility staff.
• Documents patient education, relevant patient contact, and interventions in the medical record and in other documentation systems as appropriate.
• Provides drug information, including treatment alternatives or additional interventions, to maximize patient care outcomes taking into consideration choice of therapy, safety, efficacy, and pharmacoeconomics. When communicating with patients and caregivers, assesses age and learning readiness and modifies communication accordingly.
• Consults with the physician to provide therapeutically appropriate cost-effective patient drug therapy information by recommending changes in drugs, dose, schedule and route of administration based on evaluation of the patient, patient drug regimen, formulary status of a drug, and various patient lab values and blood levels of a drug.
• Performs all outpatient clinical pharmacy roles in an efficient, professional manner. This includes: profile review and medication optimization, antimicrobial stewardship, anticoagulation, medication reconciliation, educating patients and caregivers on medication use, optimizing medication use upon transitions in care, and other program duties and assignments as developed and implemented by the department.
• Serves as a backup during periods of unplanned leave for positions within the outpatient pharmacy program.
• Provides medication reconciliation where warranted and patient medication counseling; verifying and documenting patient understanding of the medication, proper medication use, expected outcomes, and how to obtain refills of medication.

Outpatient Pharmacy Operational Services: The incumbent will be involved in the independent professional practice of pharmacy in accordance with the guidelines set forth in pharmacy service policies and procedures, VA Regulations, and federal laws governing the practice of pharmacy. The incumbent will work in conjunction with other pharmacy staff and other health care professionals to form an organized team approach to the delivery of pharmaceutical care. Activities include:

• Participates in outpatient work groups to develop and optimize processes to ensure the most efficient, safe, effective, educational, patient-centered, and team-focused outpatient pharmacy practice.
• Effectively organizes workload to complete work within the assigned shift. Solves problems independently whenever possible, working with co-workers and other health care professionals. Discusses ongoing issues in a positive and constructive manner, utilizing continuous improvement techniques.
• Participates in quality improvement activities, pharmacoeconomic initiatives (e.g., drug conversions), committees, and workgroups in support of pharmacy service goals and plans.
• Assists in assuring that the outpatient pharmacy program is compliant with all regulatory and accrediting body requirements (DEA, Joint Commission, FDA, ASHP, USP, OIG, EPA, etc).
• Assists in developing departmental goals and is an active advocate and catalyst for achievement of departmental and agency goals.
• Serves as the pharmacist-in-charge when needed in the absence of a supervisor.

Work Schedule: Full-Time, Variable day/evening tours, assigned weekends and holidays
Telework: Ad-Hoc ONLY
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
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 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

All requirements must be met at the time of the announcement closing.

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. 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.)
  • 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.
  • Exception. Non-licensed pharmacists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment at the entry level as a Graduate Pharmacist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 2 years for a pharmacist that provides care under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. For grade levels above the GS-11, the candidate must be licensed.

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.

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-11 Pharmacist

• Experience, Education, and Licensure. None beyond the basic requirements.

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level)

• 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.

• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs):
  • 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.

Creditable Experience:
(1) Knowledge of Professional Pharmacy Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the use of knowledge, skills, and abilities associated with professional pharmacy practice. Professional practice means paid/non-paid employment as a professional or unlicensed graduate pharmacist as defined by the appropriate licensing board.
(2) Residency and Fellowship Training. Residency and fellowship training programs in a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice may be substituted for creditable experience on a year-for- year basis. The pharmacy residency program must be accredited by the American Society of Health- System Pharmacists (ASHP). A fellowship program that is not accredited by the American College of Clinical Pharmacy (ACCP) will need to have comparable standards for experience to be creditable (Professional Standards Board refers to the Deputy Chief Consultant for Professional Practice for the determination).
(3) Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to pharmacy experience at the next lower level. Experience as a Graduate Pharmacist is creditable provided the candidate was used as a professional pharmacist (under supervision) and subsequently passed the appropriate licensure examination.
(4) Part-time Experience. Part-time experience as a professional pharmacist is credited according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, a pharmacist employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive 1 full-time workweek of credit for each 2 weeks of service.

All qualifying experience you possess must be clearly described in your application package. We will not make assumptions when reviewing applications. Failure to demonstrate your experience in your resume may result in disqualification. It is strongly recommended that you write to each KSA in your application package.

Preferred Experience: Highly desirable candidates will have recent experience in a current or previous job (including residency training) in an outpatient pharmacy setting that offers safe, effective, cost-conscious and patient centered drug therapy; advanced pharmacy degree (PharmD); PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency; applicable professional certificates or board certification.

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: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

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.