Student Trainee (Medical/Health)

The Pathways Internship Program allows students to join VA in career positions that emphasize long-term training and development.

This position is located in the Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Product Line, in the general laboratory of the Clement J. Zablocki VAMC in Milwaukee, WI. The purpose of this position is to perform a variety of standardized tests and examinations under regular technical supervision.

This is an excepted service position under 38 USC 7405 (1) (a) (D).

This position is being filled under the Pathways Internship Program. The program is designed to provide students enrolled in a wide variety of educational institutions, from high school to graduate level, with paid work opportunities in agencies to explore Federal careers while still in school. The Internship provides managers a ready source of student employees and potential permanent employees upon completion of the program requirements. It also provides the student with work experience directly related to the curriculum studies or career goals while offering eligibility for non-competitive conversion to permanent employment upon completion. For more information on Internship opportunities within the Department of Veterans Affairs, please visit: https://www.va.gov/EMPLOYEE/pathways-internship-program/.

Major Duties of the Medical / Health Student Trainee include but are not limited to:

• Observes Universal Precautions in performance of all duties.
• Performs phlebotomy by venipuncture on patient wards, the facility Nursing Home, and in the Outpatient Phlebotomy Area as required by staffing needs of the Service.
• Verifies proper patient preparation, specimen collection and specimen transport requirements for laboratory tests.
• Sorts and counts clearly marked packages and containers of laboratory supplies and replenish storage cabinets and workstations.
• Maintains a clean work area assists higher graded technicians with maintenance throughout the laboratory.
• Receives and accessions various laboratory specimens into the Laboratory Information System.
• Properly identifies patient by utilizing VHA Directives and Local Facility requirements before processing and/or hospital computer entry of requests.
• Prepares specimens by centrifugation for testing or examination by higher graded technicians and distributes specimens accordingly.
• Processes send out tests according to the Laboratory Processing Instruction per Reference Laboratory and packages specimens according to Federal Regulations for transportation.
• Makes telephone notifications of unacceptable/questionable laboratory specimens and provides troubleshooting regarding specimen acceptability.
• Works directly with Clinical Laboratory Scientists and other hospital personnel related to patient care.

Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met. Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level.

Work Schedule: Intermittent Hours as needed during the hours of 6:00am-3:30pm to include rotating weekends (This temporary student position is for employment throughout the year - not alone a summer internship).

To qualify for this position, applicants must meet all requirements by the closing date of this announcement, 06/15/2026.

You may qualify based on education and/or experience as described below

Internship Program: An Internship Participant must meet the definition of a student as defined in 5 CFR 362.202 and may be appointed up to the highest grade level for which qualified. An applicant with no previous related education or experience may qualify based on the level of education. An applicant with previous education and or experience may be qualified at the appropriate grade level regardless of his or her current level of education. The basis of the qualification may be based on the level of education, general or specialized experience, or a combination of education and experience (as applicable).

Level of Education. One full academic year of undergraduate, graduate, vocational, trades, technical or high school education is the number of credit hours determined by the college, university or school to represent 1 year of full-time study. The high school curriculum must be approved by a State or local governing body and may include home-school course work. All education beyond high school must be accredited by an accrediting body or organization recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

GS-2 LEVEL: In order to qualify, you must possess a high school diploma or equivalent.

GS-3 LEVEL: In order to qualify, you must have completed one (1) full academic year of post-high school study. One full academic year is the number of credit hours determined by the college, university, or school to represent one year of full-time study.

Please note: The required education must lead to a bachelor's degree with specialization in or directly related to the field in which the student trainees will receive training on the job. The degree of specialization in this field must satisfy on graduation the specific educational requirements in the qualification standard for the corresponding two-grade interval positions. (TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED

GS-4 LEVEL: In order to qualify, you must have completed two (2) full academic year of post-high school study or an Associate's Degree or 1 year level of General Experience. General experience is experience creditable at grade levels GS-2 through GS-4 where the knowledge, skills and competencies needed to perform the duties of a position are not essential, but where an applicant can demonstrate in his or her past experience the ability to acquire the particular knowledge, skills and competencies. When determining general experience requirements, the requirements may vary based on the position, but in general the experience provides an applicant with or familiarity with certain knowledge, skills, and competencies related to the position.

GRANDFATHERING PROVISION.

All persons employed in VA in the Internship Program on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the specific title, series and grade. For employees who do not meet all of the requirements in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: a. Employees grandfathered into the applicable occupational series under the provision of this paragraph may be reassigned, promoted up to the full performance level of a career ladder position, or changed to a lower grade within the applicable occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the full performance level or placed in a supervisory or managerial position. b. Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis (i.e., Interns serving on an appointment with a not-to-exceed (NTE) date) prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the qualification requirements of this standard. c. Employees initially grandfathered in the Internship Program who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure that meet all basic requirements of the position must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the program. d. If an employee who is retained under this provision leaves the Internship Program position in VA, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the Internship Program.

You will be rated on the following Competencies for this position:

• Attention to Detail
• Customer Service (Clerical/Technical)
• Planning and Evaluating

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.

Note: A full year of work is considered to be 35-40 hours of work per week. Part-time experience will be credited on the basis of time actually spent in appropriate activities. Applicants wishing to receive credit for such experience must indicate clearly the nature of their duties and responsibilities in each position and the number of hours a week spent in such employment.

For more information on these qualification standards, please visit the Department of Veterans Affairs Pathways Qualification Standards
https://department.va.gov/employees/wp-content/uploads/sites/63/2025/09/PathwaysIntern.pdf

Physical Requirements: Physical demands are moderate. It requires regular and recurring physical exertion and strain such as long periods of standing or considerable walking.

A transcript must be submitted with your application if you are basing all or part of your qualifications on 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/.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job
• You must be at least 16 years old (by closing date of this vacancy announcement)
• 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-required males (over 18) born after 12/31/59
• Must be accepted for/currently enrolled in a qualified educational institution
• 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.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP)

As a condition of employment for accepting this position, you will be required to serve a 1-year probationary period 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 probationary period or trial period, your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification, in writing, that your continued employment advances the public interest.