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Summary The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist functions to initiate, modify, discontinue, and monitor medication therapy and acts as a consultant for medication therapy management services. Responsibilities Major duties include but not limited to: Oversees pharmacotherapy to ensure that national treatment guidelines are being followed in addition to adherence to national formulary and local policies. Interfaces with providers, including physicians, PAs, ARNPs in the design and continued evaluation of the Veteran's treatment regimen to achieve optimization of rational and cost-effective drug therapy. Serves as an authoritative information source on medications and their utilization in therapy. Evaluates drug literature by analysis of experimental design and methodology, in order to compare and contrast therapeutic regimens and roles for new drugs. Recognizes patient presentation of signs, symptoms, laboratory tests and diagnoses, recognizes and lists important medical problems, disease states, symptoms or abnormal laboratory values that may necessitate altering the therapeutic regimen or which may be induced by drug therapy. Establishes and expands the patient data base through interpreting the drug history, medical history, physical examination and ongoing patient specific monitoring of therapy, with documentation in the formal patient medical record. Designs and documents a therapeutic regimen or plan, based on patient-specific information that includes establishing a therapeutic endpoint and stop criteria, electing an appropriate drug and related therapy, and establishing an appropriate dosage regimen. Monitors, assesses and documents therapeutic and adverse effects of drug therapy (including drug interactions) through selection and evaluation of physical and laboratory parameters. Provides consultation on selection of appropriate therapeutic regimens as a follow-up of non-therapeutic drug concentrations obtained from ambulatory care and inpatients. Develop, upgrade, and disseminate acceptable criteria for use of formulary and non-formulary medications and other high cost items directed at employing cost effectiveness without compromising the quality of patient care. Provides physicians and other providers a resource for discussion of medical problems requiring a pharmaceutical intervention. Interviews each patient conducting a medication history and formulating a pharmaceutical care plan. Identifies all drug related problems that may be affecting the patient, to include drug side effects, allergic reactions, toxicities, improper dosage regimens, non-compliance, patient's age, etc. Makes recommendations to the provider for optimal management of drug-induced problems either verbally or in writing. Evaluates the risk-benefit ratio of various therapeutic alternatives, develops a therapeutic plan utilizing the most efficacious, least toxic and most economical pharmacological treatment modalities available, and communicates plan. Manages the medication of patients by writing orders for appropriate medications, diagnostic studies, etc., in the patients' medical records in consultation with provider. Maintains current knowledge in chronic disease state management in accordance with published guidelines and generally recognized standards of care to include, but not limited to anticoagulation, hypertension, diabetes, smoking cessation, hyperlipidemia, hepatitis C, osteoporosis, and pain management. Provides medication reconciliation at all appropriate patient encounters and transitions of care. Participates in the appropriate, effective and safe use of pharmaceuticals by contributing to criteria development, data collection and drug use evaluation and other quality improvement activities as assigned. Provides formal education and training programs in the area of pharmacology, therapeutics, pharmacokinetics and related subjects to providers, nursing staff and other health care professionals as appropriate. Serves as a Pharmacotherapy expert and mentor to medical students, residents, and physician extenders, teaching them pharmacotherapy and healthcare economics. Serves as an authority on medication usage, interactions, over-dosages and compliance to clinical staff, residents and students. Contributes to initial and on-going residency projects related to assigned work area or based on foreseen needs within the health care system. Uses appropriate references to research drug information. Maintains current knowledge of therapeutics and disease management. Work Schedule: 8:00am - 4:30pm Monday - Friday Telework: Not Available Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Financial Disclosure Report: Not required Requirements Conditions of Employment You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job. All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA. Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959. Must be proficient in written and spoken English. You may be required to serve a trial period. Subject to background/security investigation. Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements (https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/form-i-9-acceptable-documents). Effective May 7, 2025, driver's licenses or state-issued dentification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment. Must pass pre-employment physical examination. Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP). Qualifications BASIC REQUIREMENTS 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, this part.) 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. 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.) (2) 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. 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. Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019. English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d). GRADE REQUIREMENTS; GS-13 Experience: In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. Assignments: Candidates at this grade level are to be in one of the assignments listed below. For all assignments above the full performance level, the higher level duties must consist of significant scope, administrative independence, complexity (difficulty) and range of variety as described in this standard at the specified grade level and be performed by the incumbent at least 25% of the time. Facility Program Manager: Manages all aspects of a distinct program to include policy development, quality resources and specialty functions unique to the program to optimize cost effectiveness (budget) and patient outcomes. Coordinates a single program area of a complex pharmacy operation, or multiple program areas within a facility to develop, organize, manage, and control complex pharmacy programs. Develops, organizes, coordinates and manages single or multiple program areas within the medical facility; this may include a single program area at multiple facilities. The Program Manager title is reserved for those individuals who have one or more of the following: supervisory responsibilities for various sections within Pharmacy Service; a complex program requiring coordination of multiple locations such as medical center care facilities, Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs), rural health, telemedicine, etc; specialized areas of a complex nature such as nuclear pharmacy, quality assurance, pharmacy informatics, clinical applications coordinator, Home Based Primary Care, pharmacoeconomist or liaison pharmacist duties requiring the coordination of processes with other medical facilities or VISNs. Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the KSAs: a. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions. b. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area. c. Ability to solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise. d. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy. e. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters. Education Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/. Additional Information Receiving Service Credit or Earning Annual (Vacation) Leave: Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a Federal employee. Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual, based on prior work experience or military service experience. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. Such credit must be requested and approved prior to the appointment date and is not guaranteed. During the application process you may have an option to opt-in to make your resume available to hiring managers in the agency who have similar positions. Opting in does not impact your application for this announcement, nor does it guarantee further consideration for additional positions. This job opportunity announcement may be used to fill additional vacancies. This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status. VA encourages persons with disabilities to apply. The health-related positions in VA are covered by Title 38, and are not covered by the Schedule A excepted appointment authority. If you are unable to apply online or need an alternate method to submit documents, please reach out to the Agency Contact listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement. Under the Fair Chance to Compete Act, the Department of Veterans Affairs prohibits requesting an applicant's criminal history prior to accepting a tentative job offer. For more information about the Act and the complaint process, visit Human Resources and Administration/Operations, Security, and Preparedness (HRA/OSP) at The Fair Chance Act.