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Posted: March 16, 2026 (0 days ago)

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Medical Support Assistant - 2B Inpatient Mental Health

Veterans Health Administration

Department of Veterans Affairs

Fresh

Salary

$40,401 - $63,434

per year

Closes

March 23, 2026More VA jobs →

GS-3 Pay Grade

Base salary range: $26,979 - $35,074

Typical requirements: 6 months general experience. Some college or vocational training.

Note: Actual salary includes locality pay (15-40%+ depending on location).

Job Description

Summary

This entry-level job involves working as a medical support assistant in an inpatient mental health unit at a VA hospital in Madison, Wisconsin, where you'll help with patient scheduling, record-keeping, and coordinating care under supervision.

It's ideal for someone starting out in healthcare administration who is organized, good with people, and comfortable using computers for tasks like managing appointments and patient information.

No prior experience is needed for the starting GS-3 level, but advancing requires building skills in medical support duties.

Key Requirements

  • U.S. citizenship (or non-citizen appointment under specific conditions)
  • Proficiency in spoken and written English
  • High school diploma or equivalent
  • For GS-3: No experience beyond basics; entry-level with frequent supervision
  • For GS-4: One year of relevant experience or one year of post-high school education, plus skills in communication, office automation, basic medical terminology, and patient message handling
  • For GS-5: One year at GS-4 level or two years of post-high school education, plus advanced abilities in computerized systems, scheduling, independent work, and professional communication

Full Job Description

This position serves as a Medical Support Assistant within Inpatient Nursing Service.. Basic Requirements: US Citizenship is required. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.).

Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a).

ENGLISH: Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). EXPERIENCE: No experience required.

EDUCATION: High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.

IN ADDITION TO MEETING THE BASIC REQUIREMENTS LISTED ABOVE, YOU MUST MEET THE GRADE REQUIREMENTS AT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING GRADE LEVELS TO QUALIFY FOR THIS POSITION.

GS-3 - This is an entry level MSA position. It is expected that MSAs at this level receive guidance from more experienced staff members and require frequent and direct supervision.

Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements. GS-4 - This is a developmental level MSA position.

It is expected that MSAs at this level receive minor and less frequent guidance from higher experienced staff members for more difficult tasks.

Experience: One year of creditable experience that equips you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position and that is equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-3) OR Education: One year of education above high school.

(TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: 1.

Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals from varying backgrounds and other health care team members in a courteous and helpful manner in order to facilitate medical care for patients.

2.

Ability to use, and navigate between, various types of office automation equipment and software (i.e., computer systems, web-based scheduling programs; insurance collection system; scanning software, multiple line phone systems; electronic faxing programs) to support patient care.

3. Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients. 4.

Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics. GS-5 - This is the full performance level for MSAs.

At this level, the MSA is expected to independently perform a full range of duties related to the delivery of healthcare services in an inpatient or outpatient setting.

Experience: One year of experience equivalent to the GS-4 grade level that equips you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the duties of this position.

At this grade level, experience consists of: interacting with internal and external customers; establishing and maintaining medical outpatient and inpatient charts as well as administrative records; verifying third party insurance and updating insurance information in automated systems; obtaining medical information from patients; coordinating information and actions related to patient care and services; and scheduling appointments OR Education: Two years of education above high school.

(TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills and Abilities: 1.

Ability to operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information into or from electron health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports.

2. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients. 3.

Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting. 4. Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work. 5.

Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers. 6.

Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution.

Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/. The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-05.

The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS-03 to GS-05. Major Duties:

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional The purpose of this position is to serve as a Health Unit Coordinator (HUC) with the responsibility for clerical management and coordination of patient movement on the inpatient units.

Duties include but are not limited to: Verifies non-medication physician orders related to inter-unit/facility transfers, diet, lab work, and consults; transcribes to the patient spreadsheet.

Sends emergently drawn blood to the laboratory via the tube system or delivers to lab and coordinates with nursing staff to follow-up on results.

Assists physicians' and nurses with obtaining patient services at our academic affiliate institution, the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics.

Completes clerical process for admission, discharge, nursing home placement, inter-ward and inter-hospital transfers, death and referral for community nursing care.

Schedules patient appointments for primary care and specialty care post inpatient discharge. Reviews patient demographic information and corrects if needed.

Prepares clinical records for pre-surgery, surgery or other appointments prior to the procedure.

Cleans and maintains office equipment periodically (computers, copy/fax machines, printers, phones and chart folders with chart assembly), including cleaning computer key boards, mice and phones per procedure.

Work Schedule: Full-Time M-F, AM Tour Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.

Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.

Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)

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Posted on USAJOBS: 3/16/2026 | Added to FreshGovJobs: 3/16/2026

Source: USAJOBS | ID: MA-12897930 -26-EC