Clinical Pharmacist

US-Department-of-Veterans-Affair; Little Rock (AR); On-site; USD 75,000 - 105,000; Full time

Job summary

Clinical Pharmacist position within Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Pharmacy Service in Little Rock, AR, delivering comprehensive pharmaceutical care in a hospital setting. You will ensure compliance with all legal, accreditation, and professional standards while supporting the organization’s mission and patient care goals.

Applicants must meet licensure requirements, English proficiency, and ACPE-accredited education (Pharm.D. or BS Pharmacy).

Qualifications

• Graduation from ACPE-accredited College or School of Pharmacy (Pharm.D. or BS Pharmacy).
• Ability to communicate effectively with patients and healthcare staff.
• Knowledge of laws, regulations, and accreditation standards related to pharmacy.
• Experience or ability to monitor and assess drug therapies.

Responsibilities

• Provide comprehensive pharmaceutical care in a clinical setting.
• Ensure compliance with licensure, accreditation, and regulatory requirements.
• Collaborate with healthcare teams to optimize patient outcomes.
• Maintain documentation and reporting per VA guidelines.

Skills

Professional pharmacy practice

Oral & written communication

Regulatory compliance

Drug therapy monitoring

Education

Pharm.D.

BS Pharmacy

Job description

This Clinical Pharmacist position serves the Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System, Pharmacy Service in Little Rock, AR and performs the full range of accepted ethical and professional practices of pharmacy, observing all legal 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

• 1. United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• 2. English Language Proficiency: Pharmacists must be proficient in spoken and written English as required by 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), and 7407(d).
• 3. 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).
• 4. 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.

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

In addition to the basic requirements for employment, the following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

Pharmacist, GS-11

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

Clinical Pharmacist (Full Performance Level), GS-12

Experience or Education.

In addition to the basic requirements, candidates must meet one of the following:

• 1. One (1) year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level, or
• 2. Completion of an ACPE-accredited Pharm.D. program.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

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

Physical aspects associated with work required of this assignment are typical for the occupation, see Duties section for essential job duties of the position. May require standing, lifting, carrying, sitting, stooping, bending, puling, and pushing. May be required to wear personal protective equipment and undergo annual TB screening or testing as conditions of employment.

Work Environment

Work is performed in an office/clinic setting with minimal risks that requires normal safety precautions; the area is adequately lighted, heated, and ventilated. However, the work environment requires someone with the ability to handle several tasks at once in sometimes stressful situations.