Veterans Health Administration Logo
Position Title
Medical Support Assistant (Open Continuous Announcement)
Agency
Veterans Health Administration
Announcement Number
CBSR-12056670-23-KDD Opens in new window
Open Period
Wednesday, July 19, 2023 to Friday, September 29, 2023
For preview purposes only. To apply, please return to the USAJOBS announcement and click the Apply button.
Eligibilities
1. Are you currently employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
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2. Are you an employee of the facility indicated for this position?
This includes: Career/Career Conditional or Excepted Service (i.e. Canteen, Hybrid, Title 38, etc. and meets interchange agreement requirements). This does not include temporary, term or temporary intermittent.

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your most recent Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50).  Your SF-50 must include enough information to be able to determine that time-in-grade requirements have been met (if applicable) and include your position title, pay plan/series/grade, tenure and the type of appointment (i.e. Competitive or Excepted).  Please be aware that award SF-50's do not always include this pertinent information.
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3. Are you a current permanent Federal employee from an agency other than Department of Veterans Affairs?

To verify your eligibility, you must submit a copy of your latest Notification of Personnel Action, Standard Form 50 (SF-50) or equivalent personnel action form.
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Preferences
1. Select the location(s) you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location. (limit characters)
2. Which of the following items describes your current or recent (within the last five years) political appointee service?

If you responded yes to any of the items below, you will need to include a SF-50 specifying your prior service.
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Resume Reminder- Your resume must include the following information for each job listed:
  • Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible)
  • Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008)
  • Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week)
  • Series and Grade, if applicable, for all Federal positions you have held
Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail.

Recommended: Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications.
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TRANSCRIPT REMINDER - If you are basing your qualifications on education (or a combination of education and experience) or if the position requires a college education to qualify, you must submit a copy of your transcripts with your application. (limit characters)
Accuracy of Application Reminder:
By submitting your application, you are certifying, to the best of your knowledge and belief, all the information submitted by you with your application for employment is true, complete, and made in good faith, and that you have truthfully and accurately represented your work experience, knowledge, skills, abilities and education (degrees, accomplishments, etc.). The information you provide as part of your application may be investigated. You are also certifying, and acknowledging, that misrepresenting your experience or education, or providing false or fraudulent information in, or with your application, may affect your eligibility for appointment and/or continued employment. False or fraudulent statements may be punishable by fine or imprisonment (18 U.S.C. 1001).
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3. In accordance with 38 U.S.C. 7402(d), No person shall serve in direct patient care positions unless they are proficient in basic written and spoken English. Are you proficient in basic written and spoken English? (limit characters)
4. Please select the work schedule you are applying for (one or both). (limit characters)
5. Term appointments are non-status, non-permanent appointments of limited duration of more than 1 year, but not more than 4 years and are subject to a 1 year trial period. Should the need warrant, term appointments may be extended without further competition up to a maximum of the 4 year limitation. An appointment to a term position does not confer eligibility for promotion, reassignment, or transfer to other positions or the ability to be non-competitively converted to permanent employment.

Would you accept a term appointment?
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6. Select the location(s) you want to be considered for. You must choose at least one location. (limit characters)
7. This is an Open Continuous Announcement that will be used for filling GS-0679 Medical Support Assistants for any of the facilities/services listed in this Job Opportunity Announcement until September 29, 2023. Qualified applicants will be considered and referred as vacancies become available.

We utilize Open Continuous announcements to accept applications in anticipation of vacancies. Extended announcements provide us a readily available source of applicants when vacancies do occur and are approved. If a vacancy does not occur for the location and grade for which you are qualified and apply, no further notification concerning the announcement will be provided.

Have you read and do you understand the above provided information about OPEN CONTINUOUS ANNOUNCEMENTS? 
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Assessment 1
We will evaluate your resume and responses to this questionnaire to determine if you are among the best qualified for this position. Your responses are subject to verification and must be fully supported by your resume and supporting documents. Failure to respond to all questions in this assessment will result in an ineligible rating. Overstating your qualifications and/or experience in your application materials or application questionnaire may result in your removal from consideration. Cheating on the online assessment may also result in your removal from consideration. Do not copy and paste the duties, specialized experience, or occupational assessment questionnaire from this announcement into your resume as that will not be considered a demonstration of your qualifications for this position. (limit characters)
Basic Requirements - GS- 3 Grade Determination - This section will be used to determine if you possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities to needed to qualify for a Medical Support Assistant, GS-0679-3 position. (limit characters)
1. Select the statement that best describes your education and/or experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of Medical Support Assistant at the GS-679 in the Federal Service.

Your resume must support the response you select. If you are using education to qualify, you must submit a transcript with your application.
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Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your background and experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task. Your resume must support the response you select. (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
2. Do you have the ability to meet, communicate, and interact with individuals in a courteous and helpful manner in order to give instructions and arrange appointments?
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3. Do you have the ability to utilize computer systems to enter administrative data in patient systems?
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4. Do you have the ability to learn and utilize basic medical terminology to record patient messages and physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care?
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GS- 4 Grade Determination - This section will be used to determine if you possess the specialized experience and the knowledge, skills, and abilities to needed to qualify for a Medical Support Assistant, GS-0679-4 position. (limit characters)
5. Select the statement that best describes your education and/or experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of Medical Support Assistant at the GS-679-04 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal Service.

Your resume must support the response you select. If you are using education to qualify, you must submit a transcript with your application.
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Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your background and experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task. Your resume must support the response you select. (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
6. Do you have skill in recording patient messages and understanding physician requests pertaining to follow-up medical care in internal or external clinics?
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7. Do you have the 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?
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8. Do you have the 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?
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9. Do you have knowledge of basic medical terminology to assist in the provision of care to patients?
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GS- 5 Grade Determination - This section will be used to determine if you possess the specialized experience and the knowledge, skills, and abilities to needed to qualify for a Medical Support Assistant, GS-0679-5 position. (limit characters)
10. Select the statement that best describes your education and/or experience that you possess that demonstrates your ability to perform the work of Medical Support Assistant at the GS-679-05 grade level or equivalent pay band in the Federal Service.

Your resume must support the response you select. If you are using education to qualify, you must submit a transcript with your application.
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Select the appropriate answer to each of the following questions based on your background and experience that demonstrates your ability to perform the duties of this position. When answering the questionnaire, remember that your experience and education are subject to verification by investigation. You may be asked to provide specific examples or documentation of experience or education as proof to support your answers, or you may be required to verify a response by a practical demonstration of your claimed ability to perform a task. Your resume must support the response you select. (limit characters)
Select “Yes” or “No” to the following question(s). (limit characters)
11. Do you have the 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?
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12. Do you have the ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting?
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13. Do you have the ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work?
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14. Do you have ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers?
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15. Do you have skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff, as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution?
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16. Do you have advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients?
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RESUME REMINDER Your resume must include the following information for each job listed: Job title Duties (be as detailed as possible) Month & year start/end dates (e.g. June 2007 to April 2008) Full-time or part-time status (include hours worked per week) If your resume does not include ALL of the above items, you will not be considered for this position. Please be aware that your answers will be verified against information provided on your resume. Be sure that your resume clearly supports your responses to all of the questions by addressing your work experience in detail. Even though we do not require a specific resume format, your resume must be clear so that we are able to fully evaluate your qualifications. To ensure you receive appropriate consideration, please list the duties you performed under each individual job title. If we are unable to match your experiences with the positions held, you may lose consideration for this vacancy. We cannot make assumptions regarding your qualifications. (limit characters)
CERTIFICATION OF INFORMATION ACCURACY As previously explained, your responses in this Assessment Questionnaire are subject to evaluation and verification. There are specific steps in the selection process designed to verify your responses. Deliberate attempts to falsify information will be grounds for disqualifying you or for dismissing you from employment following acceptance. Please take this opportunity to review your responses to ensure their accuracy. (limit characters)
17. I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, all of the information included in this questionnaire is true, correct, and provided in good faith. I understand that if I make an intentional false statement, or commit deception or fraud in this application and its supporting materials, or in any document or interview associated with the examination process, I may be fined or imprisoned (18 U.S.C. 1001); my eligibilities may be cancelled, I may be denied an appointment, or I may be removed and debarred from Federal service (5 C.F.R. part 731). I understand that any information I give may be investigated. I understand that responding "No" to this item will result in my not being considered for this position.
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