Department of Veterans Affairs

Medical Support Assistant- Surgical and Specialty Care

Saint Cloud, Minnesota Full time

Medical Support Assistant- Surgical and Specialty Care

Department: Department of Veterans Affairs

Location(s): Saint Cloud, Minnesota

Salary Range: $50580 - $65755 Per Year

Job Summary: This position is located within the Surgical & Specialty Care ICC at the St. Cloud VA Health Care System. The primary purpose of the Medical Support Assistant is to provide clear and thorough administrative and scheduling support to the SSC ICC service line clinicians, Veterans, their family members, and other visitors within the St. Cloud VA Surgical & Specialty Care ICC.

Major Duties:

  • VA Careers - Medical Support Assistant: https://youtube.com/embed/EE9c4XkaELo Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional FUNCTIONS OR SCOPE OF ASSIGNED DUTIES: -They can use or learn patient software systems such as VISTA, Outlook, Word, Excel, as well as other computer programs used by MSAs. -The knowledge of basic medical terminology. -The ability to make appointments in a clinical setting. -The ability to work independently, set priorities and coordinate work. -The ability to communicate effectively and professionally with people of all educational backgrounds. -Responsible for scheduling appointments, including interpreting, and verifying provider orders in accordance with VHA national scheduling guidelines. -Ensure encounter forms are complete, research to monitor if appointment should be cancelled or no showed, have basic knowledge on helping provider close open encounters. -The knowledge to set up, organize, and maintain records systems. -Preregistration process- change demographics, ICB scanners for insurance. -Enters appropriate documentation in patient records correctly. -Process basic, non-complex medical orders with minimal guidance. -Fax documents as asked and appropriate. -Mail letters when needed. -Provide Veterans, visitors, and fellow staff members guidance with directions to various places within the St. Cloud VAHCS, both physical locations as well as telephone. -HIPAA rules will be followed, and data will be shared with others on an as needed basis. -Has the ability to answer phones and transfer as appropriate. -Understands how to handle a suicide call. Work Schedule: Monday-Friday 8am-4:30pm Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus): Nor Authorized Permanent Change of Station (Relocation Assistance): Not Authorized Pay: Competitive salary and regular salary increases Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time offer per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays per year) Parental Leave: After 12 months of employment, up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave in connection with the birth, adoption, or foster care placement of a child. Child Care Subsidy: After 60 days of employment, full time employees with a total family income below $144,000 may be eligible for a childcare subsidy up to 25% of total eligible childcare costs for eligible children up to the monthly maximum of $416.66. Retirement: Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401K with up to 5% in contributions by VA Insurance: Federal health/vision/dental/term life/long-term care (many federal insurance programs can be carried into retirement) Telework: Ad-Hoc Virtual: This is not a virtual position. Permanent Change of Station (PCS): Not Authorized

Qualifications: Basic Requirements: Citizenship. Be a citizen of the United States (U.S.). Non-citizens may be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens according to 38 U.S.C. § 7407(a). Experience-No Experience required Education-High school diploma, General Education Development equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education. Certification. None required. Grandfathering Provision. All MSAs employed in VHA in this occupation on the effective date of this qualification standard are considered to have met all qualification requirements for the title, series, and grade held, which are a part of the basic requirements of the occupation. For employees who do not meet all the basic requirements required in this standard, but who met the qualifications applicable to the position at the time they were appointed to it, the following provisions apply:(1) Such employees may be reassigned, promoted, or changed to a lower grade within the occupation.(2) Employees who are appointed on a temporary basis prior to the effective date of the qualification standard may not have their temporary appointment extended or be reappointed, on a temporary or permanent basis, until they fully meet the basic requirements of the standard.(3) If an employee who was converted to Title 38 hybrid status under this provision leaves the occupation, the employee loses protected status and must meet the full VA qualification standard requirements in effect at the time of reentry to the occupation 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. English Language Proficiency. Candidates must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with 38 U.S.C. § 7403(f). Physical Requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. See VA Directive and Handbook 5019, Employee Occupational Health Service for requirements. GRADE DETERMINATIONS: GS-5 MSA (Full Performance Level) 1. Experience: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade. OR 2. Education: Two years of education above high school.(TRANSCRIPTS REQUIRED). AND Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities. In addition to Basic Requirements and the experience listed above, candidates must be able to demonstrate all of the KSAs below: 1. 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. 2. Advanced knowledge of medical terminology specific to understand medical diagnosis and procedures sufficient to communicate clinical staff instructions to patients. 3. Ability to schedule medical appointments in a clinical setting. 4. Ability to work independently in the accomplishment of a wide variety of duties performing patient support work. 5. Ability to communicate effectively and professionally in person, electronically, and/or by telephone, with internal and external customers. 6. Skill in customer service with the ability to identify customer concerns, and refer to the appropriate staff as necessary, to ensure a satisfactory resolution. Reference: For more information on this qualification standard, please visit Medical Support Assistant Qualification Standard (va.gov) The full performance level of this vacancy is GS-5. Physical Requirements: You will be asked to participate in a pre-employment examination or evaluation as part of the pre-employment process for this position. Questions about physical demands or environmental factors may be addressed at the time of evaluation or examination.

How to Apply: 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 03/27/2026 to receive consideration. To preview the questionnaire click https://apply.usastaffing.gov/ViewQuestionnaire/12912736. 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. NOTE: It is your responsibility to ensure your responses and appropriate documentation is submitted prior to the closing date.

Application Deadline: 2026-03-27