Clinical Pharmacist (Staff Pharmacist)

Description:

This Clinical Pharmacist (Staff Pharmacist) position is in the VA Maine Healthcare System, located in Augusta, ME. This position is Full Time at 40 hours per biweekly pay period.

Requirements:

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.
• 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/. 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).
• License: 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 OR
• Exception: Non-licensed pharmacists who otherwise meet the eligibility requirements may be given a temporary appointment at the entry level as a Graduate Pharmacist under the authority of 38 U.S.C. § 7405(c)(2)(B). The appointing official may waive the requirement of licensure for a period not to exceed 2 years for a pharmacist that provides care under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. For grade levels above the GS-11, the candidate must be licensed.
• English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English.

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 who are in this occupation and meet the criteria).

Grade Determinations :

GS-11 Clinical Pharmacist

Experience, Education, and Licensure: None beyond the basic requirements.

Pharmacists at this grade level serve in a developmental capacity.

GS-12 Clinical Pharmacist (Outpatient Staff Pharmacist):

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.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs):

1. Knowledge of professional pharmacy practice.
2. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to both patients and health care staff.
3. Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to the distribution and control of scheduled and non-scheduled drugs and pharmacy security.
4. Skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

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 12. The actual grade at which an applicant may be selected for this vacancy is in the range of GS 11 to GS 12.

Physical Requirements: Must be physically and mentally able to perform efficiently the duties of the staff pharmacist position.

Work Environment: Work is typically performed in a clinical setting that exposes incumbent to communicable diseases, biohazards, hazardous chemicals and hazardous medications common in a healthcare environment. Such exposure will be mitigated in accordance with local policies and operating procedures as per USP 800 standards, OSHA guidance and local risk assessment practices. Standard safety precautions and PPE are required and specified per local policies. Some work is performed in a setting away from the pharmacy where the environment cannot be controlled.