Clinical Pharmacist

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Iron Mountain (MI); On-site; USD 78,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

The Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain, MI seeks a clinical pharmacist to safeguard the safe and appropriate use of medications.

Responsibilities include evaluating drug therapy for patient-specific factors, individualizing regimens, dispensing medications, and providing drug information to patients and health care teams. Applicants must meet licensure requirements and demonstrate knowledge of professional pharmacy practice, laws, and the ability to monitor outcomes of

Qualifications

• ACPE-accredited degree required (BS Pharmacy or Pharm.D.).
• Licensure as a pharmacist in a US state/territory or district as applicable.
• Knowledge of pharmacology, pharmacovigilance, and drug use evaluation.

Responsibilities

• Ensure safe and appropriate use of medications for patients.
• Evaluate appropriateness of drug therapy based on patient factors.
• Provide drug information and counseling to patients and staff.

Skills

Professional pharmacy practice

Oral and written communication

Pharmacy laws & regulations

Drug therapy monitoring

Laboratory data interpretation

Education

ACPE-accredited degree (BS Pharmacy or Pharm.D.)

FPGEC Certification (for foreign grads)

Job description

This position is at the Oscar G. Johnson VA Medical Center in Iron Mountain, MI. The primary function of a clinical pharmacist is to ensure the safe and appropriate use of medications through the following: evaluation of the appropriateness of drug therapy based on patient specific factors, individualization of drug therapy, dispensing medications, and providing drug information. 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.

United States Citizenship

Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.

English Language Proficiency

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: [phone], 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)
• 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.
• 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.
• Failure to Obtain License. In all cases, pharmacists must actively pursue meeting state prerequisites for licensure 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.

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

GS-11 Grade Requirement

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

GS-12 Grade Requirement

Full Performance Level Experience or Education: In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet:

1 year of experience at or equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-11)

OR

Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.

AND

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: Work is performed where there is a potential for exposure to communicable diseases. Such areas are adequately heated and ventilated, and safety precautions are required. In some cases, dealing with anti-neoplastic drugs may expose the incumbent to hazardous and toxic agents. The incumbent works with drugs/chemicals and must exercise precautions to avoid accidental contact to the skin, eyes, and lungs.