Summary

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction Program (EDRP), a student loan payment reimbursement program. You must meet specific eligibility requirements per VHA policy and submit your EDRP application within four months of appointment. Program Approval, award amount (up to $200,000) & eligibility period (one to five years) are determined by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office after review of the EDRP application. Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply.

Duties

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Duties will include, but are not limited to:

Program Management for Operations

• Develops coordinates, supervises, evaluates, and assumes primary responsibility for all pharmacy operations and programs.
• Monitors drug prescribing and prescription processing for compliance with the formulary, with respect to cost-effective management of the use of available therapeutic agents and to make recommendations for system-wide interventions when deemed necessary.
• Develops, participates in, coordinates, and evaluates drug utilization reviews, quality assurance audits, and other audits to assure TJC and other regulatory agencies.
• Provides and interprets pharmacy data submitted for PT&N Committee and other reviews for the purpose of evaluating the quality of patient care.
• Develops, coordinates, supervises, evaluates, and assumes responsibility for all clinical pharmacy programs and services.
• Serves as the Pharmacy Residency Program Director (RPD).
• Develops, provides, and coordinates regular formal and informal educational training programs and lectures to affiliated institutions.
• Develops, participates in, coordinates, and evaluates drug utilization reviews, quality assurance audits, and other audits as required by JCAHO and other regulatory agencies.
• Manages clinical privileging/credentialing for Pharmacy Service including OPPE/FPPE.
• Serves as Pharmacy Service representative to various Medical Center Committees (i.e. Primary Care Steering Committee, Pharmacy Therapeutics and Nutrition Committee, etc.).
• Identifies patients who may benefit from Comprehensive Medication Management through population management reports.
• Monitor and report drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues.
• Applies knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care, recognizes significant abnormalities, and makes dose adjustment recommendations based clinical guidelines and evidence-based medicine.
• Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary and restricted drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable.

Clinical

• Core functions include face-to-face, VA Video Connect (VVC), and telephone encounters with patients.
• Orders, performs, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy.
• Follows-up with patients on lab or test results to discuss the plan of therapy, i.e. changes in medication therapy, monitoring, and additional testing requirements.
• The Clinical Pharmacy Provider (CPP) will determine if a referral to the physician is necessary when disease progression occurs, or adverse drug events require treatment interventions outside of the CPP scope of practice.

Supervision.

• Supervises Clinical Pharmacy Providers, outpatient pharmacy staff, pharmacy residents and pharmacy students in the provision of clinical pharmacy services.
• Identifies and resolves problems in the clinical pharmacy work environment to maintain good employee morale and to meet program objectives.
• Assists in ensuring compliance with American Hospital Association, American Society of Health-Systems Pharmacist, and JC accreditation standards, federal laws and agency requirements governing the control, security and distribution of all medications prescribed for patient use.
• Assist in responsibility that ensure all personnel actions i.e., selections for promotions, awards, reassignments, training, etc. are free from discrimination based upon race, age, color, sex, religion, national origin, or other non-merit factors. Interviews employee candidates, recommends appointments, advancements or promotions and initiates effective disciplinary actions, if appropriate.
• Effectively maintains resource accountability, and objectively allocates resources based on most effective use and quality patient care.
• Assist in responsibility for budget management, preparing in-depth budget plans with analysis and projections. Assist with judicious expenditure of funds by actively monitoring medications costs, usages as to volume and pattern and sources of purchases. Assist in initiating and interpreting reviews and reports of various clinical and administrative management segments to affect cost control.

Work Schedule: Monday thru Friday 8:00am-4:30pm.

Compressed/Flexible:Not Available.

Telework: AD-HOC

Virtual: This is not a virtual position.

Functional Statement #: 80824F

Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized

EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact [redacted], the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more

Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.

Requirements

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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.
• Must possess a current, valid drivers' license and be cleared to drive.
• 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

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 [redacted]; phone: [redacted], 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. 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.
• 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:

Associate Service Chief GS-14:

Experience. In addition to the GS-13 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level.

*In addition, pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following KSAs:

1. Skill in persuading others and gaining cooperation to accomplish goals.

2.Ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing regarding complex clinical and technical issues.

3.Skill in utilizing regulatory and quality standards to develop and implement operational programs.

4.Skill in managing multiple people or programs.

5.Skill in utilizing available resources to support the mission and goals of the organization.

*6. Ability to plan, organize and direct the functions of the pharmacy staff.

Assignments. Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed below. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Responsible for coordinating multiple programs in pharmacy service in a medical facility. Serves as the Acting Service Chief in the absence of the Service Chief. Develops and maintains a system of internal reviews that ensure service programs operate at a satisfactory level of performance and in compliance with regulatory and accrediting bodies. Responsible for pharmacy utilization of resources and budget. Makes selections, assigns personnel, and serves as a mentor to help employees develop their full potential. (NOTE: Associate Service Chief/ Associate CMOP Director positions should be graded one grade below the grade of the Chief of Pharmacy Service or CMOP Director.)

Preferred Experience: Preferred VHA management experience.

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

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-14.

Physical Requirements: Light lifting and carrying, under 15 pounds,reaching above shoulders, use of fingers, walking, standing, repeated bending, operation of the motor vehicle, hearing (aid may be permitted).

Education

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

Additional information

Receiving Service Credit for Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed.

During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your res