Pharmacist (Facility Program Manager)

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.

The Internal Medicine Pharmacy Program Manager is a licensed pharmacist, preferably with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree and American Society of Health System Pharmacists (ASHP) Accredited residency and specialized training, or equivalent, who is experienced in the treatment of Veterans admitted to the Internal Medicine Service at the James A. Haley Veterans' Hospital and Clinics (JAHVH). The incumbent will work within the facilities established framework under an advanced scope of practice established for secondary providers, but functions at a higher-level and with more autonomy than a GS-12 clinical pharmacist. Responsibilities include planning, developing, and maintaining effective clinical pharmacy programs by implementing rational cost effective drug therapy to improve care and safety and to ensure compliance with VHA, VISN and facility policies.

Duties Include:

• The Internal Medicine Pharmacy Program Manager uses expertise in medication management in collaboration with other interdisciplinary team members, and is responsible for the development of a therapeutic plan which is intended to achieve definite drug-therapy outcomes.
• Under Advanced Scope of Practice, manage the medication programs of selected patients by writing orders for appropriate medications in the patient's medical record per hospital policy
• Under Advanced Scope of Practice, orders, performs, reviews, and analyzes appropriate laboratory tests, other diagnostic studies, and registries necessary to monitor and support patient's drug therapy.
• Through Pharmacy Consult services, manages anticoagulation, therapeutic drug monitoring, and medication therapy management
• Interviews patients to determine medical history and reviews history for potential drug-interactions, poly-pharmacy, therapeutic duplication, non-compliance, and adverse drug reactions.
• Orders, performs, reviews, and/or analyzes appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the Veteran's drug therapy as a member of the treatment team.
• Monitors and manages medication therapy including initial assessment of new patients and follow-up of existing patients.
• Evaluates Prior Authorization Drug Requests (PADR) appropriately and in accordance with established VA Criteria for Use and with consideration to National VA treatment guidelines when specific VA Criteria for Use are not available. Assure all PADRs are completed within 96 hours and recommends formulary alternatives when appropriate.
• Evaluates and reports adverse drug reactions through organizational reporting processes.
• Documents all clinical pharmacy patient care activities through the Computerized Patient Record System (CPRS) and utilizes encounters appropriately to capture workload.
• Serves as a medication management subject matter expert and drug information resource for other healthcare professionals.
• Verifies providers' orders to be complete and appropriate for dose, route, and frequency to facilitate Veteran care.
• Ensures continuity of care for Veterans during transitions of care.

Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 09:00-1730 with occasional evening shifts and rotating weekends and holidays
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 71217F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Contact V8_EDRP_Tampa@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

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.
• Education: (Transcripts Submitted)

(1) 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.)
(2) Graduates of foreign pharmacy degree programs meet the educational requirement if the graduate can 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 (Documentation Submitted): 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.

Grandfathering Provision: 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:GS-13 Grade Requirements::In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have one (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12).

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs):
a. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
b. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
c. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
d. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
e. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

Preferred Experience: At least one year of internal medicine experience and/or PGY-2 in Internal Medicine and/or PGY-1 in general hospital practice with emphasis in internal medicine/acute care.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.The full performance level of this vacancy is GS13.

Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.

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.