Medical Support Assistant

About the opportunity

This position is located in the Health Administration Service (HAS) at the Coatesville VA Medical Center. The Medical Support Assistant (MSA) is responsible for performing a variety of technical support duties that facilitate the work of physicians, physician assistants, nurses, nursing assistants, and other members of the medical facility who provide direct patient care. MSAs are chief sources of patient care and patient flow information, providing crucial administrative advice, guidance, and clerical support. Key responsibilities include answering phones, greeting patients, relaying messages, scheduling and cancelling appointments according to VHA guidelines, monitoring appointment requests, verifying demographics and insurance information, and coordinating administrative functions for emergency and non-emergency transfers.

Salary and benefits

• Competitive salary ranging from $46,714 to $60,729 per year with regular salary increases
• Paid Time Off: 37-50 days of annual paid time off per year (13-26 days of annual leave, 13 days of sick leave, 11 paid Federal holidays)
• Credit toward annual leave accrual based on prior work or military service experience
• Parental Leave: Up to 12 weeks of paid parental leave after 12 months of employment
• Child Care Subsidy: Eligible employees with family income below $144,000 may receive up to 25% of childcare costs (max $416.66 monthly) after 60 days of employment
• Traditional federal pension (5 years vesting) and federal 401(k) with up to 5% VA contributions
• Comprehensive federal health, vision, dental, term life, and long-term care insurance programs

Who can apply?

• Must be a United States Citizen (non-citizens may only be appointed if it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens)
• Must be proficient in spoken and written English
• Education: High School Diploma, General Education Development (GED) equivalency certificate, or proficiency certificate from a State or territorial-level Board or Department of Education
• Experience / Grade GS-5: One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level OR two years of education above high school
• Demonstrated Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs): ability to operate computerized health record systems, advanced knowledge of medical terminology, ability to schedule medical appointments, ability to work independently, effective communication skills, and customer service skills
• Selective Service Registration required for males born after 12/31/1959
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a condition of employment

Required documents

• Resume (Note: standard Clinical Resume Document recommended for the restricted resume upload field; full resume/CV may be uploaded in 'Other')
• Cover Letter
• DD-214 / Statement of Service
• Disability Letter (VA)
• SF-15
• SF-50 / Notification of Personnel Action (for current/former Federal employees)
• Transcript (if using education to qualify)

When to apply

• Date Posted: August 26, 2026
• Application Closing Date: August 31, 2026 at 11:59 PM (ET)

How to apply

• Read the entire announcement and all instructions carefully before beginning
• Click 'Apply Online' on USAJOBS to create an account or log in to an existing account
• Select your USAJOBS resume and upload required supporting documents
• Answer the questions presented in the application questionnaire
• Submit the complete application package prior to 11:59 PM (ET) on August 31, 2026
• Complete any required USA Hire Assessments using the unique access link provided via email and application screen

Additional information

• Work schedule is Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM
• This position is in the Excepted Service and does not confer competitive status
• Selected applicants may be required to serve a 1 or 2-year trial period
• Recruitment Incentive (Sign-on Bonus) and Permanent Change of Station (PCS) relocation assistance are not authorized
• Telework and virtual work are not available for this position