Pharmacist-Clinical Specialist PACT (Intermittent)

Veterans Health Administration • Aurora, CO

18h • Hybrid

About The Position

The Primary Care Clinical Pharmacy Practitioner is an Advanced Practice Provider who works autonomously under an approved Scope of Practice. This intermittent position has varying hours per week based on service needs and follows a Monday–Friday schedule with no holidays. The role may serve Veterans at clinics in Golden, Aurora, Rocky Mountain Regional Medical Center, Englewood, Castle Rock, Colorado Springs, and Pueblo; the work location is negotiable within the health care system’s catchment area. Ad-hoc telework is available based on service needs, but this is not a virtual position.

The practitioner delivers direct and indirect clinical pharmacy services, including independent medication therapy management for chronic disease, laboratory and diagnostic monitoring, patient assessments, medication safety review, transitions-of-care support, drug information, and patient education. The role exercises independent clinical judgment within its scope of practice and clinical privileges, and refers patients to physicians or specialists when warranted.

The position is at the GS-13 level. Applicants must meet the stated pharmacy education, licensure, English proficiency, and experience requirements. The full performance level and actual grade for selection are GS-13.

Requirements

• Graduate of an ACPE-accredited College or School of Pharmacy with a BS Pharmacy and/or Doctor of Pharmacy degree, or foreign pharmacy education meeting the stated FPGEC certification requirements.
• Full, current, and unrestricted license to practice pharmacy in a U.S. State, Territory, Commonwealth, or the District of Columbia; maintain current registration if required for licensure.
• Proficiency in spoken and written English.
• For GS-13, one year of experience equivalent to the next lower grade level (GS-12).
• Ability to communicate orally and in writing to persuade and influence clinical and management decisions.
• Expert understanding of regulatory and quality standards for the program area.
• Ability to solve problems and coordinate and organize responsibilities to maximize outcomes in the program area or clinical specialty.
• Expert knowledge of a specialized area of clinical pharmacy practice or specialty pharmacy area.
• Advanced skill in monitoring and assessing drug therapy outcomes, including physical assessment and interpretation of laboratory and other diagnostic parameters.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, subject to the stated exception for non-citizens when qualified citizens cannot be recruited under VA policy.
• Must meet stated pre-employment conditions, including applicable drug screening, background/security investigation, physical evaluation, influenza vaccination program participation, and onboarding requirements.
• Must be able to meet the described physical and cognitive demands, including maintaining confidentiality in shared workspaces, concentrating amid noise and interruptions, using computers and telephones for extended periods, and moving between clinic areas as needed.

Nice To Haves

• PGY-2 Pharmacy Residency.
• PGY-1 Pharmacy Residency with at least one year of ambulatory care clinical experience, with or without BCPS, BCACP, or BGCP certification.
• Multiple years of ambulatory care clinical experience with BCPS, BCACP, or BGCP certification.

Responsibilities

• Conduct face-to-face, telephone, and telehealth/VVC encounters with patients referred or empaneled for comprehensive medication management (CMM).
• Independently initiate, titrate, adjust, and discontinue medication therapy for chronic disease states, pursuing defined outcomes through direct patient care and collaboration with providers.
• Order, perform, review, and interpret laboratory tests and diagnostic studies needed to monitor and support drug therapy, and adjust treatment plans based on results.
• Perform and document relevant physical assessments within the Scope of Practice and clinical privileges.
• Follow up with patients regarding laboratory and test results, communicate findings, and adjust therapeutic plans, including medication changes, monitoring frequency, and additional testing.
• Use independent clinical judgment to determine when referral to a physician or specialist is warranted because of disease progression, diagnostic uncertainty, or adverse drug events outside the practitioner’s scope.
• Manage transitions of care, including post-discharge medication reconciliation, identification and resolution of polypharmacy discrepancies, and coordination with non-VA and specialty care as needed.
• Independently review medication regimens for effectiveness, appropriateness, dosing, contraindications, potential adverse effects, and interactions; communicate findings and implement alternative treatment plans when indicated.
• Obtain and document comprehensive medication histories, summarize significant findings in the electronic health record, and communicate them to the responsible provider as appropriate.
• Monitor, document, and report medication errors, adverse drug reactions, allergies, and patient adherence concerns according to facility procedures.
• Apply clinical knowledge of laboratory reference ranges to identify significant abnormalities and make dose-adjustment decisions based on objective findings.
• Review and adjudicate requests for non-formulary and restricted medications against established clinical criteria, where applicable.
• Collaborate with providers and pharmacy leadership to support compliance with national, VISN, and local clinical initiatives.
• Review and verify medication orders for appropriateness and safety, intervening to reduce the risk of adverse drug events.
• Support the Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee with medication use evaluations, drug utilization reviews, and formulary safety initiatives.
• Serve as a clinical authority on medication use, drug interactions, overdose management, and adherence for medical staff, nursing staff, technicians, and trainees, using evidence-based references.
• Maintain current working knowledge of pharmacotherapy literature and clinical decision-support resources, and provide timely, accurate responses to drug information inquiries.
• Educate patients and caregivers on appropriate medication and device use, adapt communication to age, health literacy, and developmental considerations, assess and document comprehension, and refer to multidisciplinary education programs as indicated.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and regular salary increases; a higher step rate may be considered based on higher or unique qualifications or VA special needs.
• 37–50 days of annual paid time off per year, comprising 13–26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, and 11 paid Federal holidays.
• Potential credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service, subject to request and approval.
• Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment, in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child.
• Eligible full-time employees may qualify for a child care subsidy after 60 days of employment, subject to income and other eligibility limits.
• Traditional federal pension with five-year vesting and federal 401(k), with up to 5% in contributions by VA.
• Federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance; many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement.

What This Job Offers

• Career Level: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree