Clinical Pharmacist

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 - 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. 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 - 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. 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 must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d) - and 7407(d) 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: View phone number on click.appcast.io - or through their Web site at: (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 Grade Determinations: Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level) - GS-12: Experience or Education In addition to the basic requirements - candidates must meet one of the following: One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level - GS-11 - OR Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program AND Knowledge - Skills and Abilities: Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge - skills and abilities (KSAs): Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff Knowledge of laws - regulations - and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies - including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters Assignment A pharmacist in this assignment handles routine medication-related activities in accordance with local - Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) - and national policies and regulations These include - but are 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 providing oversight of technical staff in all aspects of medication distribution Preferred Experience: Inpatient Pharmacy experience or PGY1 preferred Reference: For more information on this qualification standard - please visit The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-12 The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is GS-12 Physical Requirements: See VA Handbook 5019 - Employee Occupational Health. Duties This Clinical Pharmacist position is within the Pharmacy Service within VA White River Junction Healthcare System at the White River Junction - Vermont location VA Careers - Pharmacy: This Pharmacist position is responsible for a broad range of pharmacy work The responsibilities for this position is primarily inpatient and with some outpatient service The primary function will be the provision of pharmaceutical care to both inpatient and outpatient services Incumbent should have knowledge in all aspects of pharmacy practice Duties include but are not limited to: Verifies provider medication orders - documents medication admissions history - facilitates medication reconciliation - interprets physicians' orders - dispenses appropriate medications or supplies - and counsels patients on proper medication administration Independently uses clinical judgment and expertise to resolve issues as a member of a multidisciplinary health care team Provides consultation to providers - nurses and other staff on drug usage - availability - interactions and compliance Performs other related duties as required by Pharmacy supervisors to meet VA directives - DEA compliance - and Joint Commission and Office of Inspector General requirements Interfaces with providers - including physicians - PAs - ARNPs in the design of the veteran's treatment regimen to achieve optimization of rational and cost-effective drug therapy as required Serves as a source on medication management and utilization in therapy Evaluates the drug literature by analysis of experimental design and methodology - to compare efficacy of existing and new therapeutic regimens Interprets patient drug history - medical history - and ongoing patient specific monitoring of medication therapy - with documentation in the formal patient medical record Reviews the therapeutic regimen or plan - based on patient-specific information - which includes defining a therapeutic endpoint - selecting appropriate drug therapy - and establishing an appropriate dosage regimen Monitors and assesses therapeutic and adverse effects of drug therapy (including drug interactions) through selection and evaluation of physical and laboratory parameters and makes referrals as acute management problems arise Provides consultation on selection of appropriate therapeutic regimens as a follow-up to clinical results obtained from ambulatory care and inpatients as required Provides physicians and other providers a resource for discussion of medication management requiring a pharmaceutical intervention Evaluates the risk-benefit ratio of various therapeutic alternatives - assists in developing a therapeutic plan utilizing the most efficacious - least toxic and most economical pharmacological treatment modalities available - and communicates plans to the patients' provider Promotes cost effective pharmacy services - offering reasonable - appropriate alternatives to high cost medications when available Provides objective self-assessment or any other medical milieu appropriate to the overall treatment plan Cross-trains in all areas of pharmacy (inpatient/outpatient) service - to facilitate processing and verification of medication orders Performs additional duties as assigned Work Schedule: Full-Time - Varies - includes nights - holidays - and weekends TBD during the interview process Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position Functional Statement #: F08753 at GS 11 - F02043 at GS #J-18808-Ljbffr U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs