🟢 Status: OPEN CONTINUOUS — Closes Aug 24, 2026 | VA Medical Centers Nationwide | Source: USAJOBS.gov
Medical Support Assistant Jobs 2026 — U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (Veterans Health Administration) | No Degree Required | Apply USAJOBS
The Department of Veterans Affairs is hiring for medical support assistant jobs at VA medical centers, outpatient clinics, and community-based facilities across the country. If you are searching for va medical support assistant jobs 2026, this open-continuous announcement covers full-time, part-time, and intermittent openings at VA facilities nationwide, with no medical background required to get started. As a Medical Support Assistant (MSA), you will be the first face a Veteran sees when they walk through the door — screening, scheduling, and guiding patients through their care.
This role is one of the most accessible entry points into a federal healthcare career. Selections are made at the GS-3, GS-4, or GS-5 grade level depending on your experience and education, with a clear, non-competitive promotion path to the GS-5 full performance level. If you are wondering how to become a medical support assistant, the honest answer is: a high school diploma and two years of relevant education or experience can get your foot in the door, and VA provides structured on-the-job training from there.
Job Overview
| Field | Details |
|---|---|
| Job Title | Medical Support Assistant (MSA) |
| Agency | Veterans Health Administration (VHA) |
| Department | U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs |
| Job Series | GS-0679 Medical Support Assistance |
| Location | Washington, DC (VA Central Office) — assignments available at VA medical centers and clinics nationwide |
| Work Schedule | Full-Time, Part-Time, or Intermittent — determined upon selection |
| Appointment Type | Permanent or Temporary (not to exceed 1 year) |
| Pay Scale & Grade | GS-3 to GS-5 (medical support assistant gs-5 is the full performance level) |
| Salary Range | $38,592 – $62,747 per year (varies by locality pay area) |
| Special Note | Veterans’ preference waived for all external applicants under 38 U.S.C. § 7412 due to critical staffing shortage — va jobs no experience required applies broadly here |
| Opening Date | Currently accepting applications |
| Closing Date | Aug 24, 2026 — Apply Now (Open Continuous, referrals ongoing) |
| Who May Apply | US Citizens — Open to Public |
| Security Clearance | Not Required |
| Drug Test | Required |
| Telework | Availability depends on location and service line — some va medical support assistant remote and hybrid options may apply |
| Apply Now | Click Here to Apply |
About the Role
Every day, Veterans walk into VA facilities needing care, and the Medical Support Assistant is who greets them first. This is a federal healthcare jobs no degree opportunity in the truest sense — you do not need a nursing license or a clinical background to start, just strong organizational skills, comfort with medical terminology, and genuine care for the people you are helping.
Day to day, MSAs screen and check in patients, schedule and reschedule appointments across multiple specialty clinics, verify insurance and demographic information, process consultation requests, and relay messages between Veterans and clinical staff. It is fast-paced, people-facing work that sits at the center of how VA delivers care — and because assignments span more than 1,300 VA locations nationwide, there is meaningful flexibility in where you can build this career.
“I attend Veterans. I help them with their appointments, I help them with their needs. We’re the first people that see the Veteran and guide them where they have to go.” — David Velazquez, VA Medical Support Assistant and Veteran
Key Duties & Responsibilities
- Screen and greet Veterans arriving for scheduled and walk-in appointments
- Interview patients to gather information ahead of clinical visits
- Schedule, reschedule, and cancel appointments across multiple clinics and specialties
- Enter, modify, and retrieve patient information in electronic health record systems
- Verify and update insurance and demographic information
- Process incoming consult requests and route them to the appropriate clinical team
- Answer multi-line phones and relay messages between Veterans and providers
- Coordinate care in the community, including authorizing referrals when applicable
- Communicate clearly with clinical staff using accurate medical terminology
- Resolve routine scheduling conflicts and escalate complex issues appropriately
- Maintain confidentiality of sensitive patient health information (PII/PHI)
- Support daily clinic operations to keep patient flow smooth and on schedule
Qualifications & Requirements
Minimum Qualifications
| Requirement | Details |
|---|---|
| Citizenship | U.S. Citizen |
| Education (GS-5) | Two years of education above high school, OR one year of experience equivalent to GS-4 |
| Experience (GS-5) | One year of creditable experience equivalent to the next lower grade level |
| Language | Proficiency in spoken and written English (38 U.S.C. § 7403(f)) |
| Background Check | Required — Fair Chance Act protections apply; criminal history is not requested pre-offer |
| Immunizations | Seasonal flu vaccination or documented exemption required (Healthcare Personnel policy) |
Career Ladder & Salary by Grade
| Grade | Salary Range | Level | Requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| GS-3 | ~$34,700 – $45,100/yr | Entry | None beyond basic requirements |
| GS-4 | ~$38,900 – $50,600/yr | Developmental | 1 year general clerical/admin experience OR 2 years post-HS education |
| GS-5 | $38,592 – $62,747/yr | Full Performance | 1 year experience at GS-4 OR 4 years post-HS education |
💡 Note: Salary varies significantly by locality pay area — MSAs in high-cost metro areas (San Francisco, Washington DC, New York) can see the top of this range, while lower-cost areas start closer to the base rate. This is standard for medical support assistant salary figures across VA facilities nationwide.
Other Requirements
- Selectees may be promoted to GS-5 full performance without further competition once qualification and performance requirements are met
- Transcripts required if qualifying based on education
- Participation in seasonal influenza vaccination program is a condition of employment for Healthcare Personnel
Salary & Benefits
| Benefit | Details |
|---|---|
| Base Salary | $38,592 – $62,747/yr depending on grade and locality |
| Paid Time Off | 13–26 days annual leave + 13 sick days/year (37–50 total days off) |
| Federal Holidays | 11 paid federal holidays per year |
| Health Insurance | FEHB — VA covers up to 75% of premiums |
| Dental & Vision | FEDVIP |
| Retirement | FERS (pension + Social Security + TSP) |
| TSP (401k) | Up to 5% government matching |
| Paid Parental Leave | 12 weeks after 12 months of employment |
| Childcare Subsidy | Up to 25% of eligible costs (income-based, after 60 days) |
| Career Growth | Non-competitive promotion path to GS-5 and beyond within VHA’s administrative track |
How to Apply
- Create a free account at USAJOBS.gov if you do not already have one.
- Build your federal resume — for this position, the standard 2-page limit does not apply, so include full detail on any customer service, clerical, healthcare, or administrative experience.
- Navigate to the Medical Support Assistant announcement (Control #870448700).
- Submit your application along with required documents — if qualifying by education, attach your official or unofficial transcript.
- Complete any required occupational questionnaire honestly and specifically — vague answers can hurt your qualification rating.
- Watch your USAJOBS account and email for referral notifications; this is an open-continuous announcement, so applications are reviewed and referred on a rolling, monthly cut-off basis.
- If selected, complete pre-employment steps including background check and immunization screening before your start date.
⚠️ Important: This announcement is Open Continuous through August 24, 2026, with referrals happening on rolling monthly cut-offs — the sooner you apply, the sooner you are in the pool. Apply directly at USAJOBS.gov; FederalJobsAlert.us does not process applications.
Veterans’ Preference
Because of a critical staffing shortage under 38 U.S.C. § 7412, veterans’ preference is waived for external applicants on this specific announcement — meaning all qualified U.S. citizens compete on equal footing. That said, Veterans and transitioning service members are strongly encouraged to apply: MSA work draws heavily on the same interpersonal and administrative skills used in military medical, personnel, and admin roles, and VA offers dedicated career-search and transition support through its VA for Vets program. If you are claiming preference on other VA announcements, you will typically need your DD-214 and, if applicable, a VA disability rating letter.
About the Veterans Health Administration
The Veterans Health Administration is the largest integrated health care system in the United States, operating more than 1,300 facilities — including hospitals, outpatient clinics, and community living centers — to serve the more than 9 million Veterans enrolled in VA care. VHA employs hundreds of thousands of clinical and administrative staff nationwide, and Medical Support Assistants sit at the operational heart of that mission: making sure every Veteran who walks through the door gets to the right care, at the right time, without friction.
FederalJobsAlert.us is an independent job notification website. This listing is sourced from USAJOBS.gov for informational purposes only. Always verify the latest details and apply directly at usajobs.gov/job/870448700. We are not affiliated with the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans Health Administration, or any US government agency.
Sources
- USAJOBS — Medical Support Assistant Announcement #870448700
- VA Careers — Medical Support Assistant Role Overview
- VA Qualification Standards — GS-0679 Medical Support Assistance
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