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 appointed to direct patient care positions must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2, section D, paragraph 5a, this part
• 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
• 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
• GS-13 Clinical Pharmacy Specialist Grade Determinations: Experience
• You must have 1 year of experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12)
• Equivalent experience includes: Handling routine medication-related activities including, but 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
• and providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution
• AND Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• You must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities: 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
• Preferred Experience: Candidates for the Ambulatory Care Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) should possess the skills outlined above with specific experience in the area of primary care and/or specialty chronic disease management
• Candidates should have recent experience in a current or previous job (including residency training) that includes direct patient care and comprehensive medication management responsibilities
• Preferred candidates will have an advanced pharmacy degree (PharmD), board certification (BPS), PGY1 Pharmacy Practice Residency, or equivalent experience or mentorship
• 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
• References: https://department.va.gov/employees/va-qualifications-standards/ Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination 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.