Community Hospital to VA Hospital

[AC3_PharmD]

Hey everyone!

So, I got an offer to go out west to be a 7 on/7 off ED pharmacist in a major city. It's at a VA hospital connected to an AMC, but the VA itself is a major culture change. Is anyone in the VA system and can speak to the pros and cons of coming into the VA from the outside? I've got a few other interviews at other hospitals for EM jobs but I want to get some additional info.

Add: It's a GS-13 position. Don't know if that changes the discussion? Honestly I'm open to hearing anything/any advice!

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[johnpharm01]

Hey everyone!

So, I got an offer to go out west to be a 7 on/7 off ED pharmacist in a major city. It's at a VA hospital connected to an AMC, but the VA itself is a major culture change. Is anyone in the VA system and can speak to the pros and cons of coming into the VA from the outside? I've got a few other interviews at other hospitals for EM jobs but I want to get some additional info.

Add: It's a GS-13 position. Don't know if that changes the discussion? Honestly I'm open to hearing anything/any advice!

Well you have landed what 95 percent of pharmacists on this forum would consider a unicorn job. Job security after probation, regular pay with annual increases, pto that exceeds any other organization, pension, 403 b, great health insurance including in retirement. In so far as the culture, it has one of its own with each facility different. If you have to make anyone happy it's your boss. Then try to fit in with the others being generally liked. No matter what they say the va isn't veteran centered. It's a huge bureaucracy that solves everything with rules and paperwork. Expect some coworkers to be incredibly lazy. Vs wastes tons of money. Research your facility online see what controversies they have been in.good luck.

 

[ValeRx]

Hey everyone!

So, I got an offer to go out west to be a 7 on/7 off ED pharmacist in a major city. It's at a VA hospital connected to an AMC, but the VA itself is a major culture change. Is anyone in the VA system and can speak to the pros and cons of coming into the VA from the outside? I've got a few other interviews at other hospitals for EM jobs but I want to get some additional info.

Add: It's a GS-13 position. Don't know if that changes the discussion? Honestly I'm open to hearing anything/any advice!

GS-13 is nothing different, just means you're a clinical specialist rather than a clinical pharmacist. More specialized, slightly higher pay scale than the staff. You earn 4 hours of vacation and 4 hours of sick leave every two weeks for the first three years. Depending on where they start you, in terms of your Step, you either get a raise every year, every two years, or every three years.

 

[AC3_PharmD]

Okay so in general it sounds like the pros way outweigh the cons. I know every job has issues wherever you go, this is going to just be a major shift in terms of location for me. And I am worried about the bureaucracy but I kinda feel every VA is notorious for that.

The advice is invaluable though thank you both! Now just gotta get though all these forms 💀

 

[ValeRx]

Okay so in general it sounds like the pros way outweigh the cons. I know every job has issues wherever you go, this is going to just be a major shift in terms of location for me. And I am worried about the bureaucracy but I kinda feel every VA is notorious for that.

The advice is invaluable though thank you both! Now just gotta get though all these forms 💀

Onboarding can take several months. From interview to start date was almost five months for me. Shift differential is 25% for a weekend day... 10% for anything beyond 1800, and a combination thereof for weekend evenings starting Saturday at 0000. Holiday pay is 2x per hour.

 

[johnpharm01]

Okay so in general it sounds like the pros way outweigh the cons. I know every job has issues wherever you go, this is going to just be a major shift in terms of location for me. And I am worried about the bureaucracy but I kinda feel every VA is notorious for that.

The advice is invaluable though thank you both! Now just gotta get though all these forms 💀

It's not the work at the va that is the hard part. It's the bureaucracy. The good part is that your boss likes you, they hired you. The folks who I saw success stayed quiet and didn't do anything seriously wrong. If you are a veteran buy back your military time. Make friends with mds that's good pr for your boss.

 

[APN-59 rph]

The VA tends to be a kissy kissy tight operation....A lot of relatives....so ya could be picking a fight with a supers cousin or somesuch.....Just settle in..ignore the non-sense.......good luck....play the game and it should work....

 

[AC3_PharmD]

Onboarding can take several months. From interview to start date was almost five months for me. Shift differential is 25% for a weekend day... 10% for anything beyond 1800, and a combination thereof for weekend evenings starting Saturday at 0000. Holiday pay is 2x per hour.

Well that part sucks (the onboarding) and has been the biggest hassle. I'm really trying to have all my ducks in a row so I can expedite this process though. I heard back 1 week after my interview and so far they've been pretty responsive and very quick.

 

[ValeRx]

Well that part sucks (the onboarding) and has been the biggest hassle. I'm really trying to have all my ducks in a row so I can expedite this process though. I heard back 1 week after my interview and so far they've been pretty responsive and very quick.

Next you'll do all the onboarding stuff... then wait .... then do your background check/eQIP... then wait... then wait for your formal offer of employment... then accept... then wait for them to give you a start date. Gives me anxiety just thinking about it.

 

[AC3_PharmD]

Next you'll do all the onboarding stuff... then wait .... then do your background check/eQIP... then wait... then wait for your formal offer of employment... then accept... then wait for them to give you a start date. Gives me anxiety just thinking about it.

Lol well I'm at the eQIP/check phase. It's just good to know that it's gonna take forever it sounds like. Semi makes me anxious too ugh...

But again I do appreciate y'alls advice and I'm pretty excited about this! I'm pretty good at playing nice so again just hoping it goes super well. And the city I'm going to is huge so this is kinda just gonna be a culture shock coming from down south to out west

 

[ValeRx]

Lol well I'm at the eQIP/check phase. It's just good to know that it's gonna take forever it sounds like. Semi makes me anxious too ugh...

But again I do appreciate y'alls advice and I'm pretty excited about this! I'm pretty good at playing nice so again just hoping it goes super well. And the city I'm going to is huge so this is kinda just gonna be a culture shock coming from down south to out west

I was lucky in that I was hired on at my local VA, only a four mile drive. It can be a little hectic because they will probably tell you not to turn in your final notice/resignation from your current job until they tell you to do so (when they give you your official start date). For me it was only about a week and a half.

 

[AC3_PharmD]

I was lucky in that I was hired on at my local VA, only a four mile drive. It can be a little hectic because they will probably tell you not to turn in your final notice/resignation from your current job until they tell you to do so (when they give you your official start date). For me it was only about a week and a half.

Okay I'm hoping that it's not like that I have to give my current job a 4 weeks notice and I gotta move across the country so....😬

 

[lord999]

There's always a reason why a 13 is unoccupied and not internally promoted. Good luck!

 

[pinkpharmd]

lord999 is right!!
GS13 are not easy to come by and to be offered to an outsider with no VA experience is extremely rare. Congratulations on that. You are a first, in the years I have been in the VA where a GS13 is given to an outsider. I did not think it could be possible, to be honest, due to the qualifications. I think, I know which position you are referring to as I am looking all the time to positions. I know one of the areas the VAs are looking to improve upon is ER and having a pharmacist just dedicated in that area. Just wondering, did you have previous Emergency Room experience or involved in antibiotic stewardship? Apparently, the VAs has the best benefit and this pension is what and why most people stick around. Be ready for slow moving changes, lots of hurdles, I hope you ER attendings are not dinosaurs, other team members that are not looking for change and just want to coast by. Good luck.

 

[AC3_PharmD]

Okay @lord999 you're scaring me/making me nervous. They gave good reasons why though as I did ask what happened previously. Sounds just like COVID threw a wrench in a few things. Also I'll add one of their original EM pharmD's on the team also came from outside the VA so that gave me some good perspective too.

@pinkpharmd I did a PGY1 at a very intense level 1 trauma center and spent the bulk of my time in the ED. I'm an EM pharmacist now at a smaller hospital but I am used to things being very frenetic and fast paced. I've been talking to another pharmacist who was in the VA who knows the site pretty well so I'm hopeful for good results.

 

[lord999]

lord999 is right!!
GS13 are not easy to come by and to be offered to an outsider with no VA experience is extremely rare. Congratulations on that. You are a first, in the years I have been in the VA where a GS13 is given to an outsider. I did not think it could be possible, to be honest, due to the qualifications. I think, I know which position you are referring to as I am looking all the time to positions. I know one of the areas the VAs are looking to improve upon is ER and having a pharmacist just dedicated in that area. Just wondering, did you have previous Emergency Room experience or involved in antibiotic stewardship? Apparently, the VAs has the best benefit and this pension is what and why most people stick around. Be ready for slow moving changes, lots of hurdles, I hope you ER attendings are not dinosaurs, other team members that are not looking for change and just want to coast by. Good luck.

These days, the only times it happens is an inside job to hire a friend or required for academic courtesy by a joint appointment with a university. If by merit, either the site or the people are undesirable. Hope it's just the site. There's plenty of ER qualified pharmacists not in a position which should bother you.

I was lucky in that I was hired on at my local VA, only a four mile drive. It can be a little hectic because they will probably tell you not to turn in your final notice/resignation from your current job until they tell you to do so (when they give you your official start date). For me it was only about a week and a half.

Right, but you're a vet. Your jacket is sent with the 214 EDIPI protocol request, so it's trivial to bridge the time gap.

 

[johnpharm01]

I would not worry, i would be prepared. While working in the federal government can be rewarding, just read about in the public record the malfeasance that takes place in the VA. From the illegal to the unethical, it happens. Just read about the md I believe got 20 years prison time for coming in intoxicated at an Arkansas va worked there over 10 years. Ask yourself what you would do if you worked with him. I wonder how did it take this long? If an rph came to my work obviously intoxicated, they would not finish their shift let alone over a decade. Make your boss happy they are the only ones that will get you fired (and their boss). Be friendly to everyone. Don't rock the boat. Dont do anything illegal. If you run into problems take the high road. In a dispute with another employee be the one on the offensive. Someone asks you do something you don't like get it in writing. If it is your supervisor do it without making them be on the defensive. If it's a bad facility it will take some time for you to carve out a niche. Sometimes the worst employees have ways to eliminate themselves but sometimes they hang on. Good luck. If you have many years to go to retire the investment is worth the effort.

 

[samven582]

Hey everyone!

So, I got an offer to go out west to be a 7 on/7 off ED pharmacist in a major city. It's at a VA hospital connected to an AMC, but the VA itself is a major culture change. Is anyone in the VA system and can speak to the pros and cons of coming into the VA from the outside? I've got a few other interviews at other hospitals for EM jobs but I want to get some additional info.

Add: It's a GS-13 position. Don't know if that changes the discussion? Honestly I'm open to hearing anything/any advice!

I really hope its a progressive facility with progressive pharmacy leadership. Otherwise, you're in for a ride. As others have stated, bureaucracy is the VAs worst enemy. PM if you have any questions. I work for the VA

 

[WithGod]

Coming from the DoD (or DHA now, I guess) pharmacist, I’d take the GS 13 job in a heartbeat. Congrats and good luck!

 

[AC3_PharmD]

Yeah to follow up my cousin is in the VA so I talked with her and she basically said I'd be dumb not to take the job. Prep for the frustration but in the end it's worth it.

I will say so far things are moving quickly which is surprising given what I've heard from everyone! So far nothing has gotten lost/I've had to redo things and the communication with follow up for the onboarding has been excellent. Fingers crossed that maybe, just maybe, this is truly the unicorn job and site lol.

Thanks again for the recs everyone!