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Medical Support Assistant (Advanced)


Job Location:

Providence, RI - USA

Yearly Salary: USD 53376 - 53376
Posted: 6 October 2026 (2 days ago)
Application Deadline: 5 January 2027
Vacancies: 1 Vacancy

Job Summary

Summary

This Medical Support Assistant position is located in the Mental Health services at the Providence VA Healthcare Medical Center in Providence Rhode Island. This position is a full-time at 40 hours per week.





Duties

VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

This position serves as a Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) at VA Providence Healthcare System. This position is responsible for a wide range of assignments and provides administrative support to the assigned section.

Duties may include but are not limited to:

Work Schedule: Full-Time Mon-Fri 8:00am-4:30pm.
Compressed/Flexible: Not Available.
Recruitment/Relocation Incentives (Sign-on Bonus): Not Authorized.
Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized.
Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases When setting pay a higher step rate of the appropriate grade may be determined after consideration of higher or unique qualifications or special needs of the VA (Above Minimum Rate of the Grade).
Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave 13 days of sick leave 11 paid Federal holidays per year)
Selected applicants may qualify for credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work experience or military service experience.
Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth adoption or foster care placement of a child.
Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment full time employees with a total family income below $144000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66.
Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA
Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement)
Telework: Not Available.
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: F01391.
Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized.
PCS Appraised Value Offer (AVO): Not Authorized.

Notifications:
  • This position is covered by a special rate.
  • This position is a LIUNA Bargaining Unit position.
  • Due to a critical staffing shortage 38 U.S.C. 7412 waives the requirement to apply Veterans preference for this job announcement.
  • Current and former Federal employees must submit copies of their most recent SF-50 (Notice of Personnel Action). The SF-50 must identify the position title series grade step tenure and type of service (competitive or Excepted). In some cases more than one SF-50 may be required to show a higher grade previously held. Do not submit an award SF-50.
  • Narrative responses to the knowledge skills and abilities (KSAs) may be required from the selectee in order to proceed with the appointment.
  • Veterans preference does not apply for internal or other current permanent Federal agency employees.


Requirements
Conditions of employment

    As a condition of employment for accepting this position you will be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period during which we will evaluate your fitness and whether your continued employment advances the public determining if your employment advances the public interest we may consider:
    • 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.
    Upon completion of your trial period your employment will be terminated unless you receive certification in writing that your continued employment advances the public interest.
    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.
    • English Language Proficiency:MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d).
    • Education: High school diploma General Education Development equivalency certificate or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education.
    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:

    Medical Support Assistant (Advanced) GS-06: In addition to the Basic Requirements listed above the following education and experience criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.

    Experience. One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade GS-05 grade level.

    AND

    Demonstrated Knowledge Skills and Abilities (KSA): In addition to the experience above the candidate must demonstrate all of the following KSAs:
    • Advanced knowledge of the technical health care process (including but not limited to scheduling across interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community models and patient health care portals) as it relates to access to care.
    • Advanced knowledge of policies and procedures associated with interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery and/or care in the community operational activities that affect patient flow and patient support care administrative functions to include but not limited to appointment cycles outside patient referrals follow-up care overbooking provider availability etc.
    • Advanced knowledge of medical terminology due to the technical nature of language utilized by clinicians.
    • Ability to collaborate and communicate with a wide range of medical clinicians across multiple disciplines (e.g. medical doctors nurse practitioners physician assistants psychologists psychiatrists social workers clinical pharmacists and nursing staff) to accomplish team goal setting to ensure medical care to patients is met.
    • Ability to independently set priorities and organize work to meet deadlines ensuring compliance with established processes policies and regulations.
    • Ability to communicate tactfully and effectively electronically by phone in person and in writing with internal and external customers. This may include preparing reports in various formats and presenting data to various organizational levels as well as resolving patient concerns.
    Documentation Requirements for Proof of High School Completion or Higher:If selected to meet the basic requirement of high school education or equivalent and prior to a firm job offer being extended applicants must provide one of the following as verification of the education requirement if not covered under the grandfathering provision:
    • Copy of high school diploma OR high school transcript (unofficial or official) OR GED Certificate OR homeschooling completion OR proficiency certificate issued by a State or Territorial Board or Department of Education OR college transcript (official)
    Preferred Experience: Scheduling experience Proficient in medical terminology experience in fast paced environment.

    Reference: For more information on this qualification standard please visit full performance level of this vacancy is GS-06.

    Physical Requirements: See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
    Additional information

    Receiving Service Credit for 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 applicants 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.

    Candidates should be committed to improving the efficiency of the Federal government passionate about the ideals of our American republic and committed to upholding the rule of law and the United States Constitution.

    A career with the U.S. government provides employees with a comprehensive benefits package. As a federal employee you and your family will have access to a range of benefits that are designed to make your federal career very rewarding. Opens in a new windowLearn more about federal benefits.

    Review our benefits

    Eligibility for benefits depends on the type of position you hold and whether your position is full-time part-time or intermittent. Contact the hiring agency for more information on the specific benefits offered.


    Required Experience:

    Junior IC