Pharmacist (Clinical Pharmacy Specialist) - Ambulatory Care

The CPS will be assigned to Ambulatory Care within the primary care and specialty medicine clinics. Teams and clinics are located near the main hospital at the Federal Building. The CPS will be consulted by their team(s) for comprehensive medication management of complex patients with chronic diseases commonly seen in primary care or specialty settings, including anticoagulation, formulary management, and weight loss therapy.

NOTE: The 2-page Resume requirement does not apply to this position. For more information, refer to Required Documents below.

The clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice, works independently under their individual scope of practice to directly care for patients. A CPS functions as a member of their assigned team(s) and serves as an advanced practice provider to initiate, modify or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: designing, implementing, assessing, monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic and most economical medication treatments; helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas; performing physical assessments; and ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy.

Functions of the position include, but are not limited to:

Clinical - Direct Patient Care Activities that require a scope of practice

1. Utilizes the highest level of clinical privileges for Clinical Pharmacy Specialists to manage assigned patients.
2. Performs face-to-face and telephone encounters with referred patients, for comprehensive medication management in practice areas identified in their individual scope of practice including but not limited to the Anticoagulation Clinic and Weight Loss Clinic.
3. Functions as a mid-level provider to design, implement, and monitor therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas.
4. Orders, performs reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patient's drug therapy.
5. Follows-up with patients on lab or test results to discuss the plan for therapy, i.e. changes in medication therapy, monitoring, and additional testing requirements.
6. Determines if a referral to the physician is necessary when disease progression occurs or adverse drug events require treatment interventions outside of the CPS scope of practice.

Clinical - Indirect Patient Care Activities

1. Identifies patients who may benefit from comprehensive medication management through population management reports and during team huddles.
2. Reviews patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness, drug selection, dosing, contraindications, side effects, potential drug interactions, and therapeutic outcomes as required.
3. Communicates findings with prescribers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed.
4. Monitors and reports drug errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient compliance issues. Documents findings per facility procedures.
5. Applies knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care, recognizes significant abnormalities, and makes dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings.
6. Reviews and evaluates requests for non-formulary and restricted drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable.
7. Assists Pharmacy and Therapeutics committee with medication use evaluations and other safety initiatives.
8. Promotes and monitors compliance for established drug therapy policies.
9. Works with providers to ensure compliance with national, VISN, and local initiatives.

Education and Research

1. Serves as a preceptor and mentor for pharmacy students and residents in accordance with established policies.
2. Assists in new employee orientation, competency assessments, and mentoring as required.
3. Educates patients on the proper use and care of their medications through day-to-day interactions.
4. Participates in Pharmacy and Therapeutics (P&T) Committee functions and assignments.
5. Acts as a pharmacotherapy mentor, educating medical students, residents, and physician extenders in pharmacotherapy and healthcare economics.

Drug Information

1. Serves as an authority on drug usage, interactions, over-dosages, and compliance, to medical staff, nursing staff, technicians and students. Uses appropriate references to research drug information.
2. Maintains a current knowledge of therapeutics and disease management.
3. Provides timely and accurate responses to drug information inquiries from all customers.
4. Effectively instructs patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am to 4:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 000000
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• 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.

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/.

• 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 dentification 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.