Clinical Pharmacy Specialist

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 determines the award amount (up to $200,000) and eligibility period (one to five years) as reviewed by the VHA Education Loan Repayment Services program office. Former EDRP participants are ineligible to apply. Qualifications United States Citizenship: Citizen of the United States. Noncitizens: May be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with chapter 3 – section A – paragraph 3g of VHA 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). 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. License Maintenance: The pharmacist must maintain current registration if required for licensure. Prior License Violations: A pharmacist who has ever had any license(s) revoked, suspended, denied, restricted, limited, or 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. Education: (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. (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 FPGEE and the TOEFL IBT. 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). Grade Determinations: Clinical Pharmacy Specialist, GS‑13. Experience: In addition to the basic requirements, must have one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Demonstrated KSAs: Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions; expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards; ability to solve problems; expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice; advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies. Preferred Experience: Completion of a PGY‑2 Residency in Geriatrics – Ambulatory Care – Internal Medicine – Pharmacotherapy. Board Certification: e.g., BCGP, BCPS, BCACP or other applicable specialty certification. Prior VHA Experience: Practicing within a VHA facility such as a Community Living Center, skilled nursing facility, long‑term care setting, rehabilitation unit, spinal cord injury unit, hospice/palliative care service, or transitional care environment. Scope of Practice: Experience functioning under an advanced scope of practice with authority to initiate, modify, discontinue, and monitor medication therapy. Precepting: Experience precepting pharmacy residents and students or providing formal staff education. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit Full Performance Level: GS 13. Physical Requirements: Physical aspects associated with this assignment are typical for the occupation; see duties section for essential job duties. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, pulling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment. Work Environment: Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks requiring normal safety precautions. The area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. The work environment requires the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations. Duties Responsible for managing and coordinating comprehensive pharmaceutical care activities within the Michael E. DeBakey VA Medical Center and its community‑based outpatient clinics. Provides highly innovative and progressive clinical pharmacy services inclusive of developing and directing clinical pharmacy programs in the Extended Care Line. Shared decision making is utilized to promote and deliver collaborative, evidence‑based, patient‑centered, comprehensive medication management in an interprofessional direct patient care setting on a team/clinic. Clinical pharmacy duties are also performed in other areas of the Medical Center as needed. Has knowledge of clinical practice guidelines, The Joint Commission (TJC) standards, Veterans Affairs (VA) performance measures, VA Pharmacy Benefits Management (PMB) initiatives and integrates these standards into practice. Routinely functions as an advanced practice provider with prescribing privileges as outlined in scope of practice, working independently with minimal supervision. Interfaces with Veterans Medicine teams and other disciplines in a clinic setting utilizing various treatment modalities such as face‑to‑face, telephone, and/or VA Video Connect (VVC). Face‑to‑face visits are the preferred modality unless alternative treatment modalities are requested by provider and/or Veteran. If assigned to inpatient unit, attends and participates in daily multidisciplinary rounds, team meetings, and other meetings as required (in person) unless the assigned team prefers virtual rounds and meetings. Has full and complete responsibility for operating the clinical pharmacy program in the assigned areas. Assures the safe, appropriate, cost‑effective use of drugs in assigned patient care areas through the application of specialized knowledge and the use of judgment in collecting and interpreting data specific to each patient and in tactful interactions with other professionals. Provides accurate, up‑to‑date, relevant drug information and drug literature analysis to health care professionals and acts as a therapeutic consultant on matters of a high degree of complexity and difficulty. Make recommendations to providers to improve patient care and enhance patient safety. Shares responsibility of drug usage evaluation with appropriate health care professionals. Actively participates in quality assurance programs. Provides education programs for patients and for pharmacy, medical, and nursing staff. Supplies coverage to other clinical pharmacy areas as assigned. Work schedule: Monday‑Friday 8:00 am – 4:30 pm – subject to change based on the needs of the facility. Telework: Available. Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #: 580‑02374F. Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized. EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive. Learn more. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized. #J-18808-Ljbffr U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs