Clarification from the agency

First area of consideration will be given to current, permanent employees of NIHCS. Current 2026 SF50 must be submitted with application. NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

Videos

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo

The Supervisory Medical Support Assistant (SMSA) provides administrative and supervisory support to Primary Care, Specialty Care, Ward Administration, the Call Center, and specialized care teams. The SMSA promotes team-based care by participating in daily huddles and weekly meetings, supporting patient-care planning, and coordinating administrative information between Veterans and clinical staff.

With assistance from the Lead Medical Support Assistant (LMSA), the SMSA assigns work, establishes priorities, defines objectives, and sets deadlines. The SMSA independently plans and carries out daily office operations; resolves scheduling problems, unusual situations, and deviations using knowledge of clinic operations, policies, schedules, and provider preferences; and coordinates work to ensure duties are completed efficiently, accurately, and timely. The SMSA sets priorities while allowing the LMSA to organize recurring activities and evaluates completed assignments for quality, usefulness, and compliance with VA requirements.

Supervisory responsibilities include day-to-day management of MSAs; review of scheduling reports, insurance data capture, and performance standards; and consideration of clinic-team feedback to ensure mission accomplishment. The SMSA may serve as Acting Chief or supervisor for Medical Administration Service programs, including Beneficiary Travel, Health Benefits, Primary Care, Specialty Care, Ward Administration, and the Call Center. In an acting capacity, the SMSA reports to the Chief of the Ambulatory Care and Ward Administration Section.

The SMSA performs appointment scheduling and coordination; demographic and insurance verification; consultation and electronic waitlist management; data entry; Veteran notification and advocacy; diagnostic and specialty appointment coordination; and administrative support for physicians, nurses, advanced practice providers, and other clinical staff. The SMSA must complete required training and competencies and demonstrate proficiency in at least two areas of Ambulatory Care and MAS Administration.

Depending on assignment, the SMSA must possess knowledge of clinic operations, ambulatory and inpatient care, call center operations, data management, patient advocacy, enrollment and eligibility, beneficiary travel, revenue cycle processes, and specialized care services. The position requires knowledge of medical terminology, clinic procedures, and VA systems, including VistA, CPRS, the Bed Management System, and Microsoft applications.

In Primary Care, the SMSA supports the Patient Aligned Care Team (PACT) and interdisciplinary care partners. In Specialty Care, the SMSA coordinates appointments and consultations across clinical services. In Ward Administration, the SMSA supports inpatient and residential units; monitors admissions, discharges, transfers, and other patient movements; maintains accurate bed-management records; and trains staff on applicable systems. In the Call Center, the SMSA schedules, cancels, and reschedules appointments; provides customer service; monitors call activity; reviews management reports; and ensures compliance with policies, procedures, and approved scripts.

Work Schedule: 6:00am - 7:00pm, Monday - Saturday, as determined by the needs of the service.
Compressed/Flexible: Not Authorized.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 92630-A
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.
• To be considered for this position, you must complete all required steps in the process. In addition to the application and questionnaire, this position requires an online assessment. The online assessment measures critical general competencies required to perform the job.
• 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 process.
• 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.
• Experience: Six months experience of clerical, office, customer service, or other administrative work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position
• Education: High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State of territorial-level Board of Department of Education
• English Language Proficiency: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f).

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).

Creditable Experience
(1) Knowledge of MSA Practices. To be creditable, the experience must have demonstrated the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) associated with current MSA responsibilities or an equivalent administrative patient support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting. Experience satisfying this requirement may be paid/non-paid employment as an MSA or an equivalent position in a non-VA hospital or clinic setting.

(2) Quality of Experience. Qualifying experience must be at a level comparable to MSA experience or equivalent administrative clinical support role in a non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting at the next lower grade level. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher-level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty), and a range of varieties as described in this standard, at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time.

(3) Part-Time Experience. Part-time experience as an MSA or equivalent administrative patient support in a [non-VA medical inpatient or outpatient setting] is creditable according to its relationship to the full-time workweek. For example, an MSA employed 20 hours a week, or on a 1/2-time basis, would receive one full-time workweek of credit for each two weeks of service.

Supervisory Medical Support Assistant, GS-08

Grade Determinations: In addition to the basic requirements for employment listed above, the following experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates:

1. Experience:
To qualify, you must posses one (1) full year of experience equivalent to the GS-7 grade level supervising MSAs or equivalent administrative patient support staff in a non-VA medical inpatient, outpatient, or interdisciplinary setting. This experience may include, but is not limited to: assigning and evaluating the work of subordinate MSA staff; resolving complex problems to ensure patient services are met; evaluating new products, equipment, and systems to make recommendations for improved clinic operations; identifying educational or training needs; making final decisions on hiring selections; evaluating performance, and taking disciplinary action when necessary. The employee has full administrative and professional responsibility for planning and directing the MSA's activities. Note: This experience must be clearly demonstrated in your resume. NOTE: This experience must be clearly demonstrated in your resume.

**AND**

2. Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA).
In addition to the experience above, the candidate must demonstrate all the following KSAs

1. Advanced knowledge of managing or leading patient support staff in a clinic. This includes independently utilizing reference sources, decision making, and 13 empowering the team to collaborate and resolve problems within a complex systems environment.
2. Ability to provide the full range of administrative and supervisory duties to at least one subordinate MSA supervisor or team leader in a patient support setting which includes assignment of work, performance evaluations, selection of staff, and recommendation of awards and/or advancements
3. Ability to collaborate, communicate, and demonstrate customer service and interpersonal skills with internal and external customers to ensure quality/continuity of care and ensure compliance with established policies and regulations.
4. Ability to provide briefings, orientations, staff development, and training in a patient support setting.
5. Ability to manage fiscal matters, forecast resource and equipment needs, and identify budget needs.

NOTE: The Specialized Experience and KSAs outlined above must be clearly demonstrated within your resume. Please do not copy or paste the Specialized Experience or KSAs verbatim into your resume. Provide specific examples and details that illustrate how you meet these requirements. Failure to do so may result in your application not being referred to the hiring manager for consideration.

Documentation Requirements for Proof of High School Completion or Higher: If selected, to meet the basic requirement of high school education or equivalent and prior to a firm job offer being extended, applicants must provide one of the following as verification of the education requirement if not covered under the grandfathering provision:

• Copy of high school diploma OR high school transcript (unofficial or official) OR GED Certificate OR homeschooling completion OR proficiency certificate issued by a State or Territorial Board or Department of Education OR college transcript (official).

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

The full performance level of this vacancy is GS8.

Physical Requirements: The majority of work is performed in an office setting, primarily while seated. The position requires some standing, ambulation, bending, and carrying of items such as training manuals. The Advanced MSA is required to sit for long periods of time at a computer terminal typing data while having face to face contact with Veterans and answering the telephone. In addition, there can be increased stress due to the intensity of a patient/customer complaint or concern.

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.

Do not copy and paste duties, specialized experience, or information from the assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications.

As stated in the "Qualifications" section of this announcement, your resume must clearly demonstrate that you meet 1 year Specialized Experience (at the GS7 level) AND meet all Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs). We cannot assume you have performed the necessary experience required for this position regardless of your employment history or academic career. Ensure your resume contains all required information and organize it so we can associate the following information for each experience/position:

1. Job title
2. Name and address of employer
3. Beginning and ending dates of employment (month/day/year format)
4. Hours worked per week. Part-Time or PRN experience will be pro-rated.
5. Detailed description of job duties, accomplishments, related skills, and responsibilities to include any supervisory/managerial responsibilities and number of staff supervised, etc.
6. Series and grade or equivalent (if a federal position)

Do not include photographs or video of yourself, sensitive information (age, date of birth, marital status, protected health information, religious affiliation, social security number, etc.) on your resume or cover letter. We will not access web pages linked on your resume or cover letter to determine your qualifications.

Your qualifications will be evaluated based on your application materials (e.g., resume, supporting documents), your responses on the application questionnaire, and your responses to all assessments required for this position. You will be assessed on the following Competencies for this position:

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.