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. All other requirements must be met within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements:

• Citizenship: Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.)
• Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. 7407(a)
• Experience
• No experience required
• Education
• High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education
• Licensure/Certification/Registration
• None Physical Requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements
• See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements
• English Language Proficiency
• Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7403(f)
• Grade Determination: In addition to meeting basic requirement listed above, applicant must possess at least one year experience at or equivalent to work at the next lower level, GS5 (Full Performance level), that provides the knowledge, skills, and abilities to perform successfully the work of the position
• Medical Support Assistant GS-3: Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• In addition candidates must demonstrated all of the KSA's below: Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals in a courteous and helpful manner in order to give instructions and arrange appointments
• Ability to utilize computer systems to enter administrative data in patient systems
• Ability to learn and utilize basic medical terminology to record patient messages and physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care
• Medical Support Assistant, GS-4 Experience
• One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade
• OR Education
• One year of education above high school
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• In addition candidates must demonstrated all of the KSA's below: Ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals from varying backgrounds and other health care team members in a courteous and helpful manner in order to [facilitate medical care for patients Ability to use, and navigate between, various types of office automation equipment and software (i.e
• computer systems, web based scheduling programs
• insurance collection system
• scanning software, multiple line phone systems
• electronic faxing programs) to support patient care Knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients Skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics
• Medical Support Assistant, GS-5 Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade
• OR Education
• Two years of education above high school
• TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
• In addition candidates must demonstrated all of the KSA's below: Ability to operate computerized programs and systems in order to enter, modify, and retrieve sensitive medical and patient identifying information(PII) into or from electronic health records, scheduling systems, and/or reports
• Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients
• Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting
• Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with [internal and external customers
• Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution
• Promotion Potential: The selectee may be promoted to the full performance level without further competition when all regulatory, qualification, and performance requirements are met
• Selection at a lower grade level does not guarantee promotion to the full performance level
• Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit https://www.va.gov/ohrm/QualificationStandards/
• Grandfathering Provision: 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)
• Physical requirements: The work is sedentary
• Typically, the employee sits comfortably to do the work
• However, there may be some walking, standing, bending, carrying of light items such as papers, books, small parts, or driving an automobile, etc
• No special physical demands are required to perform the work.