SUMMARY

This position provides medical support responsibilities associated with one or more outpatient clinics. The applicant is responsible for accurate appointment management and the correct coordination of all administrative information between the professional staff and the patient.

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:

• United States Citizenship. Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Experience and Education.
• (1) Experience. Six months experience of clerical, office, [customer service], or other [administrative] work that indicates the ability to acquire the particular knowledge and skills needed to perform the duties of the position; OR
• (2) Education. One year above high school; OR
• (3) Experience/Education Combination. Equivalent combination of experience and education are qualifying for entry level for which both education and experience are acceptable.
• Certification. None required.
• Foreign Education. To be creditable, education completed outside the U.S. must have been submitted to a private organization that specializes in the interpretation of foreign educational credentials and such education must have been deemed at least equivalent to that gained in conventional U.S. programs.
• Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019.
• English Language Proficiency. MSAs must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with VA Handbook 5005, Part II, Chapter 3, Section A, paragraph 3.j.

Grade Determinations: The following criteria must be met when determining the grade of candidates.
GS-3 MSA (Entry Level)Experience or Education: None beyond the basic requirements, AND

EDUCATION

Note: Only education or degrees recognized by the U.S. Department of Education from accredited colleges, universities, schools, or institutions may be used to qualify for Federal employment. You can verify your education here: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/. If you are using foreign education to meet qualification requirements, you must send a Certificate of Foreign Equivalency with your transcript in order to receive credit for that education. For further information, visit: https://sites.ed.gov/international/recognition-of-foreign-qualifications/.

IN DESCRIBING YOUR EXPERIENCE, PLEASE BE CLEAR AND SPECIFIC. WE MAY NOT MAKE ASSUMPTIONS REGARDING YOUR EXPERIENCE. YOUR APPLICATION, RESUME, C.V., AND/OR SUPPORTING DOCUMENTATION WILL BE VERIFIED. PLEASE FOLLOW ALL INSTRUCTIONS CAREFULLY. ERRORS OR OMISSIONS MAY AFFECT CONSIDERATION FOR EMPLOYMENT.

Experience refers to paid and unpaid experience, including volunteer work done through National Service programs (e.g., Peace Corps, AmeriCorps) and other organizations (e.g., professional; philanthropic; religions; spiritual; community; student; social). Volunteer work helps build critical competencies, knowledge, and skills and can provide valuable training and experience that translates directly to paid employment. You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer experience.
The Department of Veterans Affairs performs pre-employment reference checks as an assessment method used in the hiring process to verify information provided by a candidate (e.g., on resume or during interview or hiring process); gain additional knowledge regarding a candidate’s abilities; and assist a hiring manager with making a final selection for a position.
It is the policy of the VA to not deny employment to those that have faced financial hardships or periods of unemployment.
Veterans and Transitioning Service Members: Please visit the VA for Vets site for career-search tools for Veterans seeking employment at VA, career development services for our existing Veterans, and coaching and reintegration support for military service members.

IF YOU ARE RELYING ON YOUR EDUCATION TO MEET QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS:

Education must be accredited by an accrediting institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education in order for it to be credited towards qualifications. Therefore, provide only the attendance and/or degrees from schools accredited by accrediting institutions recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.
Failure to provide all of the required information as stated in this vacancy announcement may result in an ineligible rating or may affect the overall rating.

DUTIES

The Medical Support Assistant(MSA) will work collaboratively in an interdisciplinary coordinated care delivery model. They work with the patient care team to review the clinic utilization by using various reports, ensure that the clinic setup is closely monitored to effectively support the needs of the clinic, and make any necessary adjustments. They develop/maintain effective and efficient communication with the patient, interdisciplinary team, VA medical centers, and other agencies. The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) is an integral member of the team, who serves to effectively carry out day-to-day administrative operations of the clinic.

The Medical Support Assistant primary duties consist of but are not limited to the following:

• Perform clerical work in support of the care and treatment given to patients in the hospital setting throughout the medical facility.
• Maintains a daily appointment schedule for one or more hospital clinic and is responsible for identifying incomplete encounter information and communicating findings to providers to facilitate accurate workload credit and revenue collection.
• Operates with a great degree of independence in that he/she problem-solves patient complaints and processes problems on the frontline.
• He/she must assist with clinic access contingency plans by adjusting appointment times, location, or dates as well as shift patients to other health-care providers as conflict with staffing and/or coverage occurs.
• The position involves performing receptionist work, customer service, patient screening, and other duties as assigned for the proper and timely treatment of patients.
• Schedule appointments in accordance with VHA Directives and regulations.
• The Medical Support Assistant must be able to interpret and communicate requirements of VHA Scheduling Directives.
• He/she must be able to use daily monitors (such as active/pending consults, electronic wait list, appointments scheduled non-compliantly) in carrying out scheduling tasks.
• Explains insurance collection to veterans as well as collects, scans and updates health insurance information to support the revenue process on a daily basis..
• Monitors and schedules return to clinic orders, patient consults and patient direct scheduling requests.
• Ensures appointments are appropriately scheduled in a timely manner. This may require a high level of coordination to avoid patients having to make multiple trips to the medical center whenever possible.

Work Schedule: The Tampa VA Medical Center is a 24/7 operation and has openings for various shifts and locations.
Tours of Duty Available: 8:30am- 5:00pm, 7:30am-4:00pm. Subject to change with management discretion to accommodate the needs of the VA Mission.
Telework: Not Available
Virtual: This is not a virtual position.
Functional Statement #: 71229F

The following documents are accepted, and may be required if applicable to your eligibility and/or qualifications for this position. Please ensure you have included all documents required for your application, such as a copy of your transcript (if using education to qualify), SF-50’s (current/former Federal employees), etc.

• Cover Letter
• Disability Letter (Schedule A)
• Disability Letter (VA)
• Resume
• SF-50/ Notification of Personnel Action
• Transcrip

All applicants are encouraged to apply online. To apply for this position, you must complete the full questionnaire and submit the documentation specified in the Required Documents section below. The complete application package must be submitted by 11:59 PM (ET) on 08/20/2025 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12764950.

• To begin, click Apply Online to create a USAJOBS account or log in to your existing account. Follow the prompts to select your USA JOBS resume and/or other supporting documents and complete the occupational questionnaire.
• Click Submit My Answers to submit your application package