Clinical Pharmacist

Full Job Description

The Pharmacy Department at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Columbia, South Carolina is actively recruiting for a GS-12 Community Care Clinical Pharmacist.

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.

Language: 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: (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.) OR 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).

NOTE: If you are using education to qualify for this position, you must supply a copy of your transcripts with your application package for verification, or you may be disqualified from consideration.

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.

Grandfathering Provision.

All licensed pharmacists employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series and grade held, including positive education and licensure/certification/registration that are part of the basic requirements of the occupation.

For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees grandfathered into the GS-660 occupational series may be reassigned, promoted up to and including the full performance (journey) level, or changed to lower grade within the occupation, but may not be promoted beyond the journey level or placed in supervisory or managerial positions.(2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.

Employees initially grandfathered into this occupation, who subsequently obtain additional education and/or licensure/certification/registration, that meet all the basic requirements of this qualification standard must maintain the required credentials as a condition of employment in the occupation.

(3) If a licensed pharmacist who was retained under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation.

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist Experience or Education: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following: 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11), or Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D.

program. Additionally, applicants must demonstrate the following 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.

Preferred Experience: Experience collaborating with community care providers to ensure timely, safe, and appropriate medication prescribing in compliance with VHA Pharmacy Formulary requirements, policies, and regulatory standards, while delivering high-quality external customer service.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/.

Physical Requirements: Work is primarily sedentary in nature and is performed in a well-lit, temperature controlled office environment. Major Duties:

VA Careers - Pharmacy: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/Fn_ickNBEws Major duties include, but are not limited to: The incumbent is responsible for ensuring timely review and processing of medication requests from non-VA providers in alignment with VA Policies and guidelines.

The incumbent is also responsible for verifying eligibility for non-VA prescriptions and confirming that non-VA providers are authorized to prescribe medications before processing.

The pharmacist will also review medication requests to ensure they align with the VA National Formulary and will recommend formulary alternatives when appropriate in response to non-formulary medication requests.

Furthermore, pharmacists in this role are responsible for appropriate documentation of all non-formulary requests and requesting records from non-VA providers when necessary for completion of Prior Authorization Drug Requests.

The incumbent will also work to ensure timely communication of any prior authorization disapprovals to non-VA providers and patients.

Additionally, the incumbent will serve as a resource for non-VA providers with questions about the VA National Formulary and Prior Authorization Drug Requests.

Work Schedule: 8:00am to 4:30pm (Monday - Friday). May be required to work weekends and holidays. Tour of duty is subject to change based on agency's needs.

Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Functional Statement #:55984 Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not authorized