Clinical Pharmacy Specialist - EDRP Approved

This position is eligible for the Education Debt Reduction (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:

VHA Health Profession Trainees (HPTs) 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 website at: ACPE. (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.
• 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(/)). 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.
  • Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, pharmacists must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for Iicensure starting from the date of their appointment. At the time of appointment, the supervisor will provide the unlicensed pharmacist with the written requirement to obtain licensure, the date by which the license must be acquired, and the consequences for not becoming licensed by the deadline. Failure to become licensed within 2 years from date of appointment will result in removal from the GS-0660 Pharmacist series and may result in termination of employment.
• 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).

Note: VA Employees who have been continuously employed as Pharmacists within VA Since 6/7/2012, release of the current Pharmacist Qualification Standard may meet the Basic Requirements for this posting through the Grandfathering Provision.

Grade Determination:
Clinical Pharmacy Specialist GS-13
Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements, must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level. *Experience must be gained while having a full, unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a U.S. State or Territory.

Assignment. The clinical pharmacy specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice, works independently under their scope of practice as defined by the individual medical center to directly care for patients. A CPS plays a defined role in budgetary execution and serves as a mid-level provider who functions to initiate, modify or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for intensive medication therapy management services. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: designing, implementing, assessing, monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic and most economical medication treatments; helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas; performing physical assessments; and ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy.

Pharmacists assigned to this position must demonstrate the following 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.

Preferred Experience:

• VA experience
• Clinical Pharmacy experience
• Anti-Coagulation experience
• Residency

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

Physical Requirements:

Pharmacists may dispense drugs prescribed by physicians and other health practitioners and provide information to health practitioners and patients about proper usage of medications. Pharmacists advise physicians and other health practitioners on the selection, dosages, interactions, and side effects of medications. Pharmacists monitor the health and progress of patients to ensure the safe and effective use of medication. Pharmacists may practice compounding. Pharmacists may prescribe and administer certain medications. Pharmacists may have prescriptive authority to either independently prescribe under their own authority or in collaboration with a primary care physician through an agreed upon protocol. Pharmacy work requires knowledge of the use, clinical effects, and composition of drugs, including their chemical, biological, and physical properties. Many pharmacists work in a in a hospital or clinic. Pharmacists in hospitals and clinics may perform duties such as, but not limited to:

- dispense, prescribe and/or administer medications;

- advise the medical staff on the selection and effects of drugs;

- may make sterile solutions and buy medical supplies;

- assess, plan, and monitor drug programs or regimens;

- counsel patients on the use of drugs; and

- evaluate drug use patterns and outcomes for patients in hospitals or managed care organizations.

Responsibilities:

The Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (CPS) functions at the highest level of clinical practice, works independently under their advanced scope of practice greater than 25% of their time. This CPS plays a defined role in budgetary execution and serves as a Clinical Pharmacist Practitioner (CPP) who functions as an Advanced Practice Provider (APP) to initiate, modify or discontinue medication therapy and as a consultant for comprehensive medication management services. This includes, but is not limited to, the following: designing, implementing, assessing, monitoring and documenting therapeutic plans utilizing the most effective, least toxic and most economical medication treatments; helping achieve positive patient centric outcomes through direct and indirect interactions with patients, providers, and interdisciplinary teams in assigned areas; performing patient assessments; and ordering laboratory and other tests to help determine efficacy and toxicity of medication therapy.

The CPP must be able to:

(1) Communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
(2) Have an expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
(3) Solve problems, coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
(4) Monitor and assess the outcome of drug therapies, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.

The CPP maintains full in-depth Pharmacy Services with for disease state management, drug distribution, and pharmaceutical education to patients and health care staff. He/she will maintain an appropriate level of competence through self-study and continuing education. Functions will include but not be limited to drug regimen review, assessment, patient interview, counseling, clinical interventions as needed with health care providers, interpretation of orders, participating in the education of other Pharmacy staff and VA/Texas Tech post-graduate PGY-1 and PGY-2 Pharmacy Residents. This CPP serves as a preceptor to Texas Tech School of Pharmacy P3/P4 Pharmacy Students or VA/Texas Tech School of Pharmacy PGY-1 or PGY-2 Pharmacy Residents. The CPP will participate in pharmacy managed clinics such as Anticoagulation Clinic and Pharmacy PACT Clinic which may include but not limited to comprehensive medication management (CMM) for the following disease states/problems: long-term anticoagulation management for any oral or injectable anticoagulant, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, tobacco cessation, osteoporosis, pain management monitoring, heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), weight loss management, thyroid dysfunction, and Hepatitis C. Additional clinical assignments may include Clinical Video Telemedicine (CVT) or VA Video Connect (VVC) Pharmacy Managed Clinics, Geriatric and Evaluation Clinic (GEM), Home Based Primary Care (HBPC), Medication Use Evaluation, Medication Refill Clinic, Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting, Drug Information, Prior Authorization Drug Requests (PADR), Community Living Center (CLC), and other clinical areas as assigned. Performance measures associated with these clinics must meet or exceed assigned goals.

Work Schedule: M-F 0800am -16:30pm
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 54949F
Relocation/Recruitment Incentives: Not Authorized
EDRP Authorized: Former EDRP participants ineligible to apply for incentive.Contact: vhaedrpprograms@va.gov, the EDRP Coordinator for questions/assistance. Learn more
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Salary : $153,118 - $200,000