VA Pharmacy Residency Requirement

[BC_89]

While working in an outpatient - inpatient pharmacy at one of the biggest burn institute level 1 trauma VA hospitals in the country (as a pharmacy tech in the armed services), I was curious:

With a few years of experience working with CHCS / Scriptpro / GSL / ATAAPS - DMHRSI and ordering medications as a vault tech and budgeting our monthly supplies, would I possibly get any waiver as a prior service disabled vet to apply as an outpatient pharmacist without a PGY-1?

I understand all mandate a pgy-1 or years of experience but I’ve heard of the outliers that got hired on but don’t personally know of any unless they were an 03+ pharmacist officer prior service. I also know timing is everything especially since I won’t hold a pharmD until 2022.

I’m curious if anyone has witnessed or bypassed this requirement as a new grad (especially as a disabled vet with past experience working with the computer systems).

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[fmbzp5]

Depends on the VA.

If they still have GS 11 positions you’d qualify right out of school. If they converted to all GS 12 (only thing I have seen as of late) the requirement is a PGY 1 or at least 1 year of equivalent experience to a GS 11 (meaning worked 1 year as a licensed pharmacist).

Having said that, and not to be too technical, but there is talk to put pharmacist on the same system as nursing and physicians to help adjust for pay issues. If that happens the standards are sure to change again.

 

[bacillus1]

Depends on the VA.

If they still have GS 11 positions you’d qualify right out of school. If they converted to all GS 12 (only thing I have seen as of late) the requirement is a PGY 1 or at least 1 year of equivalent experience to a GS 11 (meaning worked 1 year as a licensed pharmacist).

Having said that, and not to be too technical, but there is talk to put pharmacist on the same system as nursing and physicians to help adjust for pay issues. If that happens the standards are sure to change again.

A PharmD qualifies you for GS12 positions. That said, the people we've been hiring lately in outpatient have a PharmD and years of experiences and most are veterans. Try a more rural VA.

The one thing I do have to say is a hard requirement is that you have to be licensed BEFORE you apply, so don't even bother until you are fully licensed.

 

[BC_89]

A PharmD qualifies you for GS12 positions. That said, the people we've been hiring lately in outpatient have a PharmD and years of experiences and most are veterans. Try a more rural VA.

The one thing I do have to say is a hard requirement is that you have to be licensed BEFORE you apply, so don't even bother until you are fully licensed.

That’s also what our admin pharmacist stated for the GS workers: “No license, no job....Pending license means no job.”

Nonetheless the plan is a PGY-1 with hopes to apply rural and bypass the requirement but I’m sure many things will change in the next 3 years.

 

[lord999]

While working in an outpatient - inpatient pharmacy at one of the biggest burn institute level 1 trauma VA hospitals in the country (as a pharmacy tech in the armed services), I was curious:

With a few years of experience working with CHCS / Scriptpro / GSL / ATAAPS - DMHRSI and ordering medications as a vault tech and budgeting our monthly supplies, would I possibly get any waiver as a prior service disabled vet to apply as an outpatient pharmacist without a PGY-1?

I understand all mandate a pgy-1 or years of experience but I’ve heard of the outliers that got hired on but don’t personally know of any unless they were an 03+ pharmacist officer prior service. I also know timing is everything especially since I won’t hold a pharmD until 2022.

I’m curious if anyone has witnessed or bypassed this requirement as a new grad (especially as a disabled vet with past experience working with the computer systems).

I can tell you that there are VA's that still hire off-the-street pharmacists for positions, but for competitive ones, vet preference actually is the only thing that trumps the Title 38 Professional Standards Board for hiring. This happens today, no bypass necessary.

There is special consideration (bypass) for veterans and then an additional one for disabled veterans. If you're a 5 or 10 pointer and completed your service at least with honorable conditions (so honorable, general, and medical count), you get consideration period, residency or not. There is no waiver involved, you are allowed to compete in the internal positions immediately (so, on USAJobs, you check the current federal employee as you have competitive status already). I don't think VA HR actually follows the exact precise law, in practice, what happens is that we MUST consider the candidate if they have 5 point or 10 point status if they are qualified, we are disallowed on the PSB to NOT interview a qualified applicant with those characteristics (aware of the double negative) unless we cancel the position itself. For veterans, there is a hiring advantage, for disabled veterans, there is both a hiring advantage and an HR preference in Title 38 considerations.

By the way, if you do it that, make sure you get your buy-in to retirement correct when you show up. It makes a major difference. Also, if you take a VA residency, make sure that your service computation is correct, you are allowed more leave and placement due to your prior military experience.

When you get close, PM me and I can talk to you about the unwritten rules for placement as there are a couple of matters that are different for vets.

 

[BC_89]

I can tell you that there are VA's that still hire off-the-street pharmacists for positions, but for competitive ones, vet preference actually is the only thing that trumps the Title 38 Professional Standards Board for hiring. This happens today, no bypass necessary.

There is special consideration (bypass) for veterans and then an additional one for disabled veterans. If you're a 5 or 10 pointer and completed your service at least with honorable conditions (so honorable, general, and medical count), you get consideration period, residency or not. There is no waiver involved, you are allowed to compete in the internal positions immediately (so, on USAJobs, you check the current federal employee as you have competitive status already). I don't think VA HR actually follows the exact precise law, in practice, what happens is that we MUST consider the candidate if they have 5 point or 10 point status if they are qualified, we are disallowed on the PSB to NOT interview a qualified applicant with those characteristics (aware of the double negative) unless we cancel the position itself. For veterans, there is a hiring advantage, for disabled veterans, there is both a hiring advantage and an HR preference in Title 38 considerations.

By the way, if you do it that, make sure you get your buy-in to retirement correct when you show up. It makes a major difference. Also, if you take a VA residency, make sure that your service computation is correct, you are allowed more leave and placement due to your prior military experience.

When you get close, PM me and I can talk to you about the unwritten rules for placement as there are a couple of matters that are different for vets.

Much appreciated. By the end of 2021 (when I’m sure many changes take place) I’ll send PMs to specific individuals and I’ll put you on my list!