Acute Care Internal Medicine Clinical Pharmacist      Joint Base San Antonio

Time to invest in some new footwear because if you’re San Antonio-bound, you’d better show up in boots! The Alamo City is one of the military’s most envied postings and is often referred to as “Military City USA”. Low cost of living, affordable homes, and the lack of state tax on retirement income are a few financial perks to living and retiring in this Texas city. A robust job market that seems partial to government and defense/security contracting ensures employment opportunities for spouses or transitioning service members. San Antonio is the country’s seventh fastest growing city yet has somehow managed to retain a “small town feel.” Quality schools and friendly locals (most with military ties) are additional  perks to living in San Antonio.

Some things you should know before you get here: trucks are the norm (the bigger, the better), love for The Spurs (NBA) runs deep, the H-E-B obsession is real (it’s a grocery store), rodeos are life, and don’t call it “San Antone”—that’s just wrong. The community boasts a vibrant Hispanic population, and enhances everything from the food, to the music, to community events. You don’t necessarily need to speak Spanish to get around, but you’d better know how to say barbacoa, tamales, and cascarones.

Name brand shopping (IKEA is the latest arrival of note), restaurants, and all variety of entertainment all add to San Antonio’s quality of life. SeaWorld, the San Antonio Zoo, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, and downtown museums are all fun outings for kids and families. Tube or kayak down a river, play or fish in the lakes, or relax by San Antonio’s famous downtown River Walk. Museums, art galleries, and historical landmarks—remember The Alamo?—round out San Antonio’s cultural offerings. Tex-mex cuisine arguably originated here, and some up and coming culinary trendsetters are making a name for themselves in the Pearl District downtown, alongside several notable breweries.

San Antonio has over 300 days of sunshine with some hot summers, mild winters and pleasant spring and fall seasons. San Antonio is in Bexar County (it’s pronounced “BEAR”) in south central Texas, and is just south of the gorgeous Hill Country. It’s only about two hours from Austin, the beach, or the desert.

Working for the Department of Defense comes with an abundance of benefits and perks to include competitive compensation packages, paid-time off, medical benefits, student loan repayments, and retirement package with Thrift Savings Plan to include matching employer contributions.

MAJOR DUTIES:

This position is responsible for the clinical pharmacy functions of the military treatment facility (MTF).

Serves as the MTF expert on pharmaceuticals, pharmacokinetics, and pharsacotherapeutics. Using an extensive and intensive knowledge of the drugs and other pharmaceuticals available, their nature, action, and interaction, provides authoritative instructions, advice, and assistance to prescribing and dispensing officials on effectiveness, suitability, hazards, and other aspects of their use. As subject matter expert to the Therapeutic Agents Board, recommends which items will be stocked based on their effectiveness, economy, and appropriateness for the intended use. Serves on a variety of committees., boards, and other bodies representing the pharmacy specialty and providing authoritative input on pharmacy related matters.

Monitors the dispensing of all pharmaceuticals in the MTF and allied facilities. Analyzes patterns and trends to determine appropriate, effective, and economical prescribing and dispensing of drugs. Where improvement in these areas can be identified, counsels or recommends alternatives that will still satisfy the medical needs of the situation. Looks for indications of misuse or abuse of pharmaceuticals and recommends corrective or remedial action. Inspects pharmacy operations in the main and any remote facilities (e.g. troop medical clinics) to insure compliance with operating instructions and quality assurance criteria and procedures. As tasked, provides pharmacy input to quality assurance reviews and similar processes.

Develops, with the attending physician, pharmacotherapeutic regimens for especially difficult or complex cases. Of particular concern are cases involving multiple serious or life-threatening conditions with conflicting drug requirements, serious, drug reactions or interactions, or other factors not receptive to standard or more common specialized approaches. Monitors progress and response to the regimen, modifying dosages or methods of administering as necessary. In emergency situations may change medications or significantly alter regimen without prior approval of physician, but subject to post action review.

Participates in, conducts, or approves studies involving pharmaceuticals and pharmacy related issues. Designs and conducts studies intended to evaluate particular drugs, their effectiveness and suitability, or to study the reaction of diseases, patients, and conditions to drug based treatment. Reviews and approves pharmacy aspects of all protocols and investigative studies. Closely monitors and controls pharmacy aspects of all experimental and investigative drug use. Prepares related reports and documentation.

Prepares and conducts or oversees training of physicians, pharmacists, and other health care providers on the use of drugs and other pharmaceuticals. Monitors training of residents, interns, and fellows to insure drug related issues are fully and correctly dealt with in their curriculum and that the required levels of skill have been attained. Recommends or initiates changes and updates to instructions, regulations And other guidance as needed.

Dispense a varied range of medications in accordance with pharmacy procedures, Army regulations and federal laws. Prepares and dispenses prescriptions to inpatient and outpatients. Checks completed prescriptions prior to dispensing for validity, completeness, description of drug interactions and/or errors. Ensures prescription is filled as written to provide the correct medications, strength and dose and to ensure the label is appropriately typed. Provides information and consultative advice and to health care providers on contraindication, drug interactions, questionable dosages or incompatibilities. 

Performs other duties as assigned.

Basic Requirements:

US Citizenship required

Completion of at least a PGY-1 Pharmacy residency from an ASHP accredited pharmacy residency program or BPS certification (i.e. BCPS) and 3 years of clinical practice experience in the inpatient clinical pharmacy setting is preferred.

This is a drug test designated position.

Position requires a pre-employment physical.

A doctoral degree in Pharmacy that is recognized by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education(external link) (ACPE) or an accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education(external link) at the time the degree was obtained.

Licensure: Except for research positions that do not entail patient care, all applicants must be licensed to practice pharmacy in a State, territory of the United States, or the District of Columbia.

Medical Requirement: Applicants must be able to distinguish basic colors.

Immunization is required.

NOTE:

This position may require Credentialing.