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
• 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.) OR 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)
• OR A current or former intern/Resident/Fellow for the Office of Affiliated Academics (OAA) program at a VA facility? 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
• OR A 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
• English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d)
• 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
• AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs): 1
• Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice
• 2
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff
• 3
• Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security
• 4
• Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters
• Assignment: A pharmacist in this assignment handles routine medication-related activities in accordance with local, Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN), and national policies and regulations
• These include, but are not limited to: reviewing, interpreting, and verifying medication orders for appropriateness
• processing and filling medication orders
• interacting with and making recommendations to other clinical staff regarding medication therapy ordered to ensure safe and effective care
• reviewing the patient's medications, allergies, labs, and other pertinent information from the medical record to identify and solve medication-related problems
• contacting providers as appropriate
• documenting recommendations and interventions
• providing refill extensions and partial medication supplies
• taking health and medication histories
• performing medication reconciliation
• providing drug information
• assisting in formulary management including therapeutic substitutions, nonformulary reviews and medication usage evaluations
• documenting and assessing adverse drug events (ADEs)
• assisting in medical emergencies
• providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution
• Preferred Experience: Inpatient/Outpatient Pharmacy Experience 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 requirements for this position include light lifting and carrying (15-25 pounds) with occasional heavier lifting and carrying, straight pulling, pushing, reaching above the shoulder, using fingers, repeated bending, walking, and standing (up to 8 hours), with the ability to wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) as needed
• The job also necessitates adherence to department and VHA policies, and involves sitting, climbing stairs, shelf stocking, lifting up to 50 pounds, and requires dexterity of the hand and wrist, as well as arm strength
• Activities align with caring for Veterans and ensuring personal safety and security
• Duties involve moderate lifting, walking, bending, stooping, standing, pushing, and pulling.