Summary The position works at an ambulatory health care center as a medical assistant to complete administrative and clinical tasks for primary care specialty physicians or other providers. Duties vary with the location and specialty. We are accepting applications year-round with eligible applicants being placed on a standing register and referred for consideration as vacancies occur with referral at multiple grade levels and locations. Referral is based on the date management request is received. Responsibilities The general duties of the position are listed below: Assist health care provider to examine or treat patients. Take and record vital signs and medical histories, prepare patients for examination, draw blood, and administer medications as directed by health care provider Provide interpretation of technical information. Maintain safe and clean working environment. Ensure supply area is kept stocked and clutter-free. The incumbent receives progressively more responsible assignments as experience and training are gained for advancement to the target level position. For grade GS-07 duties, the target level position, examples of duties are listed below: Provide health care to a range of patients presenting with complex or multiple systems dysfunctions and/or disorders. Perform procedures within the scope of practice to include sterile dressing application and packing, enemas, suture/staple application and removal; applies orthopedic splints as prescribed by Provider. Assist Provider in performing diagnostic, therapeutic, and minor surgical procedures ranging from routine to specialized for example, biopsy, endoscopy, bronchoscopy, flexible sigmoidoscopy, and electrocardiogram. Initiate intravenous (IVs), regulates flow rate, and monitors prescribed IV fluids. Administers prescribed oxygen and respiratory therapy treatments, Act as liaison between patients and the primary professional medical care provider. Serve as an assistant during procedures: handling instruments, redirecting lighting, and repositioning patients. Instructs patients regarding preparation for procedures, post-procedure expectations, and signs/symptoms of potential complications. Prepare rooms for procedures; select and arrange appropriate instruments, packs, fittings, adaptors; initiates IVs, draping, positioning, grounding, and ensuring an aseptic examination area. Prepares required medical supplies and equipment necessary for such procedures. Requirements Conditions of Employment Must pass pre-employment examination. Selectee may be subject to a probationary/trial period ESEP appointees typically serve a two year trial period U.S. Citizenship is required Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959 This is a designated position covered by Public Law 101-630, requiring contact or control over Indian children. Due to this requirement, the agency must ensure that persons hired for these positions have not been found guilty of or pleaded nolo contendere or guilty to certain crimes. Measles and Rubella immunization required for selectees born after 1957 and seasonal influenza immunization is required for all staff working in Indian Health Service health care facilities. COVID-19 vaccination is required for all selectees prior to entrance on duty. The selected individual is required to obtain and maintain certified medical assistant requirements. If certification is not maintained during employment, the employee will be subject to adverse actions, up to and including removal from Federal service. Successfully pass the E-Verify employment verification check. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, visit www.dhs.gov/E-Verify/. You will need to set up direct deposit so we can pay you. Background Investigation: If you are selected for this vacancy, you must undergo a pre-employment fingerprint check and background investigation. Fingerprint results and background investigation documentation must be cleared prior to hire. After you begin your employment, your continued employment is contingent upon the outcome of a complete background investigation as determined by the sensitivity level of your position. The investigation must find that you are suitable for Federal employment in your position. If you are found not suitable, you will be terminated after you begin work. If you make a false statement in any part of your application, you may not be hired; you may be fired after you begin work; or subject to possible criminal charges. You may be subject to a credit check as a part of the background investigation process. Qualifications To qualify for this position, your resume must state sufficient experience and/or education, to perform the duties of the specific position for which you are applying. 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; religious; spiritual; community; social). You will receive credit for all qualifying experience, including volunteer and part time experience. You must clearly identify the duties and responsibilities in each position held and the total number of hours per week. Individual Occupational Requirements: These standards describe the minimum qualification requirements (for example, educational, medical, age, experience, etc.) for the Health Aid and Technician Series occupational series. Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): Positions in this series range widely in type and include support duties to medical or health personnel such as audiologists, speech pathologists, medical officers, and optometrists. Therefore, technician experience is experience that required application of the knowledge, methods, and techniques of the position to be filled. or Education and Training: For GS-4: Successful completion of 2 years of study that included at least 12 semester hours in subjects related to the position. For GS-5: Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. You must meet the Minimum Qualifications stated below. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS for Grade GS-04: Your resume must demonstrate 1 year of combination of general and specialized experience. Resume must show evidence of at least 6 months of general experience that provided a familiarity with the subject matter of the position to be filled AND 6 months of specialized experience that has equipped me with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. Specialized experience is related to the work of the position and equivalent to at least the GS-03 level in the Federal service. Examples Include: experience working in the field of health and medicine answering medical office telephones, receiving patients, utilizing electronic health records; obtaining vital signs for patients; removing and applying wound dressings as directed; preparing and restocking exam rooms; ensuring general cleanliness of exam rooms; and ability to clean and autoclave supplies and instruments. OR Completed 2 years of education above high school that included at least 12 semester hours in subjects related to the position. OR Combination of education and experience that when combined fully meet the minimum qualifications for this position. The total percentage equals at least 100 percent to qualify for this GS-04 grade level. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS for Grade GS-05: Your resume must demonstrate you possess 1 year of specialized experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This specialized experience is related to the work of the position and equivalent to at least the GS-04 level in the Federal service. Examples Include: work experience as a certified medical assistant in medical treatments, performing supporting diagnostic tests (peak flow, EKGs, venipuncture, and blood glucose testing upon Provider direction), administering age-appropriate vaccines as directed by the Provider; assisting in the collection of needed specimens for laboratory testing; ensuring patients understand the providers instructions regarding home care and any follow-up required; and attending Provider Team meetings to determine what scheduled patients may require in the way of services. OR Completed a full 4-year course of study leading to a bachelor's degree, with major study or at least 24 semester hours in subjects directly related to the position. OR Possess a combination of education and experience that when combined fully meet the minimum qualifications for this position. The total percentage equals at least 100 percent to qualify for this GS-05 grade level. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS for Grade GS-06 Your resume must demonstrate you possess 1 year of specialized experience that has equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully perform the duties of the position. This experience is related to the work of the position and equivalent to at least the GS-05 level in the Federal service. Examples Include: work experience as a certified medical assistant in a family medicine orientated medical facility working as part of a health care team that provides acute and chronic care for patients from birth to geriatrics, administer testing and vaccines as directed by the Provider Team; assist with in advanced clinic procedures, including, but not limited to, minor surgical procedures, woman's health, and wound care. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS for Grade GS-07 Your resume must demonstrate experience that equipped you with the particular knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSA's) to perform successfully the duties of the position, and that is typically in or related to the work of the position to be filled. To be creditable, specialized experience must have been equivalent to at least the next lower grade level. Examples Include: work experience as a certified medical assistant providing complex health care to high risk patients, using specialized equipment such as cardiac monitors, EKG, & IV fluid pumps, interpreting examination requests accurately and recognizing a need for additional tests, and establishing a patient care plan; responsible medical administrative work such as monitoring inventory and coordinating supply ordering for the whole medical clinic, collaborate with Provider and RN on chronic medical care of patients with chronic conditions and panel management, coordinate referral care for identified chronic patients and maintaining vendor lists for referral care, coordinate telehealth clinics including scheduling, patient preparation and presence during telehealth visit with outside providers. SELECTIVE PLACEMENT FACTOR: GS-05, or GS-06, or GS-07 Certified Medical Assistant from an accredited institute. If you possess current certification, submit a copy with your application as a supporting document. Certification is essential to perform the duties of the position. Candidates who do not meet a selective placement factor are ineligible for further consideration. There are many certifications such as American Association of Medical Assistants, National Center for Competency Testing, National Health career Association, Certified Clinical Medical Assistant, which are widely recognized. CONDITION OF EMPLOYMENT Grade GS-04 You must be able to obtain certification as a Medical Assistant within 1 year of entrance on duty. A condition of employment refers to something that both the employee and employer agree to at the beginning of a selected candidate employment. You may gain certification through completion of an accredited medical assisting program and passing a medical assistant certification examination leading to certification as a Medical Assistant OR through possession of 1 year of medical assisting employment and passing a medical assistant certification examination leading to certification as a Medical Assistant. Time In Grade Federal employees in the competitive service are also subject to the Time-In-Grade Requirements: Merit Promotion (status) candidates must have completed one year of service at the next lower grade level. Time-In-Grade provisions do not apply under the Excepted Service Examining Plan (ESEP). You must meet all qualification requirements within 30 days of the cut-off date or the closing date of the announcement. Education Equivalent combinations of education and experience are qualifying for all grade levels and positions for which both education and experience are acceptable. Successfully completed post-high school education is qualifying for grades GS-3 through GS-5. This education must have been obtained in an accredited business or technical school, junior college, college or university for which high school graduation or the equivalent is the normal prerequisite. One year of full-time undergraduate study is defined as 30 semester hours, 45 quarter hours, or the equivalent in a college or university or at least 20 hours of classroom instruction per week for approximately 36 weeks in a business or technical school. NOTE: Graduate education or an internship meets the specialized experience required above GS-5 only in those instances where it is directly related to the work of the position. One full year of graduate education meets the requirements for GS-7. Two full years of graduate education or a master's degree meets the requirements for GS-9. One year of full-time graduate education is considered to be the number of credit hours that the school attended has determined to represent 1 year of full-time study. If that information cannot be obtained from the school, 18 semester hours should be considered as satisfying the 1 year of full-time study requirement. Part-time graduate education is creditable in accordance with its relationship to a year of full-time study at the school attended. Additional Information Per IHS policy (SGM 21-04) IHS selectees to positions located in Federally operated hospitals, health centers, and clinics must be fully vaccinated for COVID-19 before entry on duty or have IHS approve a medical or religious exemption. If an exemption is approved, then wearing a face mask and regular testing for COVID-19 will be required. Your Human Resources Specialist will provide a list of documents acceptable as vaccination proof and instructions on how to submit your vaccination documentation or how to request a medical or religious exemption, if needed. Additional selection(s) of candidates may be possible within 240 days from the date the certificate of eligibles was issued for this announcement. Federal Employees earn annual leave at a rate (4, 6 or 8 hours per pay period) which is based on the number of years they have served as a federal employee. IHS may offer newly appointed Federal employees' credit for their directly related previous non-federal experience or active duty uniformed military service. This credited service can be used in determining the rate at which they earn annual leave. This position is covered by a Bargaining Unit at following servicing units. Western Oregon Service Unit, Salem, Oregon Yakama Service Unit, Toppenish, Washington Recruitment or relocation incentives may be authorized. At least a 6 month service agreement will be required. This position has promotion potential to the GS-07 grade level. Promotion to the next grade level is at management's discretion and is based on your demonstrated ability to perform the higher level duties, the continuing need for the higher-level duties, and "Regulatory/Administrative" approval. Promotion to the next higher grade level is not guaranteed and no promise of promotion is implied.