Clinical Pharmacy Specialist (Pain)

This announcement is an Open Continuous Announcement and will remain open until all position(s) are filled. Next cut-off will be February 2 2026.

VA Careers - Pharmacy: Clinical Pharmacy Specialists functions as part of the Pain teams and is most effective when assigned a panel of patients requiring MTM services to support continuity of care and ensure the best use of pharmaceuticals. Clinical Pharmacy Specialists will follow patients in direct care setting to achieve therapeutic goal.

• Directly involved in the design implementation and monitoring of therapeutic drug plans to achieve definite outcomes through direct interactions with patients and providers in assigned areas
• Involved in reviewing patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness drug selection dosing contraindications side effects potential drug interactions and therapeutic outcomes
• Communicate findings with other providers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed
• Apply knowledge of normal laboratory values in the evaluation of patient care and recognizes significant abnormalities
• Expertise in the principles of clinical pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics and is knowledgeable and able to make dose adjustment recommendations based on objective laboratory findings
• Coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes for tele-health program including management of health emergencies at remote site
• Provide tele-health assessments and treatment provided by tele-work
• Document clinical interventions in CPRS in a timely and professional manner
• Obtain medication histories from patients and summarizes significant findings in the medical record
• Perform drug use evaluations on behalf of national VISN and local medical center initiatives and other Pharmacy and Therapeutics activities as needed
• Provide patient-specific drug therapy to maximize patient response and minimize drug interactions adverse drug effects and polypharmacy while providing cost-effective treatment
• Determine if a referral to the physician is necessary when disease progression occurs or adverse drug events require treatment interventions
• Order perform review and analyze appropriate laboratory tests and other diagnostic studies necessary to monitor and support the patients drug therapy
• Follow up with patients on lab or test results to discuss the plan of therapy (i.e. changes in medication therapy monitoring and evaluation additional testing requirements referral to primary care or specialty care physician)
• Monitor for and report drug errors adverse drug reactions allergies and patient compliance issues
• Review and evaluate requests for assigned prior authorization drugs for appropriateness and compliance with established criteria where applicable
• Promote and monitor compliance for established drug therapy policies
• Work with providers to ensure compliance with national VISN and local initiatives
• Serve on medical center VISN or National committees as requested

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.
• 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 ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers 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).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

Qualifications

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: 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.
  • 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.
• 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).

• Experience. In addition to the GS-12 requirements must have 1 year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12). Experience at the GS-12 level includes Pain/Palliative Care handling medication-related activities in accordance with local Veterans Integrated Service Network (VISN) and national policies and regulations. Will need general VVC Integrated Training or Clinical Video Tele-Health certification and expertise in video tele-health patient assessment and therapeutic relationship; the Pain CPS will perform their duties in Pain or may work remotely using telehealth technologies to include VA Video Connect (VVC) when the team requirements do not necessitate a full time CPS in Pain be physically present and effectively instruct patients and family members in the appropriate use of medications and medical devices. Incumbent adjusts communication and tracking methods based on age and developmental considerations; trucing health and medication histories; performing medication reconciliation; providing drug information; s actively involved in reviewing patient medication regimens for clinical effectiveness drug selection dosing contraindications side effects potential drug interactions and therapeutic outcomes as required as a provider. Communicates findings with other providers and provides appropriate alternatives to current treatment plans as needed.
• And Pharmacists assigned to this position must FULLY demonstrate the following KSAs in their resume:
  1. Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
  2. Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for their program area.
  3. Ability to solve problems coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in their program area or area of clinical expertise.
  4. Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty area of pharmacy.
  5. Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing the outcome of drug therapies including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.