Thank you for the prompt reply yeh should of have a 4, was 11 when i typed it hah
so regarding
1. Regarding #2 is there a cap? so you're saying how much pension depends on how long you work so there is no cap then?
2. Regarding #3 for inital pay if I'm bcps+residency+6/7 year experience would it pump you up a couple say 12-4/5? or does it just depends? what with the website saying there is a committee that reviews your profile and will then assess your paygrade/step?
3. Would doing a PGY2 automatically pump you to grade 13?
4. How rare is it to get a EDRP position? Are the EDRP usually really bad location that no one wants to go? or does it just depends? Does everyone get 120k for total of 5 year or does is there a cap?
5. I can't say I worked at or rotated at VA before but I do know most VA Clin RPh have a lot more authority relatively, so why do everyone say it sucks to work for VA? are they all really dirty and nasty? Sorry I really just don't know anything about VA. just trying to plan my career out for the future
6. Regarding #1, so I read FERS is a 3 tier system: Social Security that everyone gets , the TSP that is sort of like 401k match system of va, and also the basic benefit, what is the basic benefit? or is that the actual pension i was referring to?
7. Is it stressful being a specialist at VA or at least from your experience? I know other big teritiary centers its like doing residency perpetually thus high turn over
8. Do you get a lot of free time? 8 days off per week?
Thank again bacillus for your informative information, and did you do a PGY2 btw?
1. No. There's a formula and has no cap, but it's not a huge sum no matter how many years you put in. Here's the explanation:
https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/fers-information/computation/
2. Yes there's a committee, and yes you can get bumped up depending on residency, BCPS and experience.
3. No. For example, our ID specialist position is a 12. I'm not sure why, as it's a 13 at other places. Also all our medicine/surgery people are 12s (none of us have PGY2, but these positions would still be 12s even if someone did). Just look at the posting. If it says it's a 12, it's a 12. No chance you'll go up to a 13.
4. 120k? Where'd that figure come from? The cap for my year was 60k, and that's the highest "bracket" of how much loans you owe. This money is disbursed over 5 years. I wish it were 120k. It really depends on the location if EDRP is approved, not all are bad. I am in a pretty nice location and have EDRP, but the VA in the large city 40 miles north does not have it.
5. Looooooots of red tape and mismanagement. Keep in mind our management gets paid way less than management in the private sector. We are really on a minimalist staffing model where people don't have time to eat lunch, take breaks, etc... Our VA is actually much cleaner than many private sector hospitals I've been to. The VA where I did my residency, however, was pretty dirty.
6. The 3rd tier is the pension.
7. Yep it's pretty stressful for me, but it really depends how the VA is staffed. We are on a hybrid model, so I have both clinical and staffing duties. It can also be stressful to navigate through red tape and mismanagement.
8. I work about 40 hours a week, though I stay a little late sometimes (without getting paid for it). We're not supposed to stay late as we're hourly, but everyone does it. Also I usually don't have time to take a full 30 minute lunch or any 15 minute breaks. I work every 2nd-3rd weekend and have random days off throughout the week if I work weekends. Weekend can be any shift, including graveyard.
I only did a PGY1, no PGY2.
