Medical Support Assistant

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: 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 38U.S.C. 7407(a) Experience None 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 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) Grandfathering Provision Employees in VHA in this occupation, under a permanent, appropriate, and legal placement on the effective date of the qualification standard, are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the grade and/or assignment held, including positive education and registration/certification where applicable For employees who do not meet all the basic or assignment-specific requirements in this standard but met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed, the following provisions apply: (1) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed on a temporary or permanent basis until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard (2) Employees retained in this occupation under this provision who subsequently leave the occupation lose protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation NOTE: This provision is not intended to regularize appointments/placements Foreign Education To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must be deemed at least equivalent to that gained in a conventional U.S. program by a private organization specializing in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials Physical 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 Determinations: Medical Support Assistant, GS-05 In addition to the basic requirements, you must meet the grade requirement Experience or Education: Experience One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade OR, Education Two years of education above high school AND, Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: In addition to the experience or education above, the candidate must demonstrate the following KSAs: Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution 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 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 Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit >5c143e31-5e48-4549-b2d185386