Pharmacy Experience Questions!

[tryinghard]

hey guys...can someone suggest what i can do.

i think you need a pharm tech liscence to be a pharm tech.. what am i able to do without it. it's kinda late in the application process, but i just need some expereince..can someone suggest something.

anything paid...or do i have to volunteer.

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[Dr JPH]

Not sure if you need to be a certified tech in all states (yet).

Call up your local retail pharmacy chain and ask if you can have the phone number for the District Manager, or whoever is in charge of hiring new interns (which you will be once you are in your professional years in school).

Good luck.

 

[tlh908]

Tryinghard,

After reading many of your other posts may I suggest you wait a year before applying to pharmacy school. You don't seem to have a depth of the profession which schools look for. Schools want to know that you have carefully thought out a career in pharmacy and that this is not just a brainstorm.......

Get experience as a tech, which does not require a license (and it isn't a license anyways) in most states. Retail stores are the easiest to get into with hospitals usually wanting some experience.

If you can't get a tech job right away, look for a cashier job in a pharmacy. The cashier job will provide exposure and then hopefully get you into a tech position.......

 

[Nocsag56]

it's not difficult to get paid pharmacy clerk positions, so you don't have to sell yourself short by providing free labor. if you want something quick and easy -- go to your local walgreen's and apply for a pharmacy clerk/cashier position. they offer part time hours for probably a dollar or two above minimum wage.

you can also try hospital outpatient pharmacies, but they sometimes like a little bit of experience behind the counter doing at least cashier duties.

much luck to you.
-s

********

"...if you've never stared off into the distance...then your life is a shame..."
-counting crows

 

[Triangulation]

Tryinghard:

Depending on where you are you can get pharm tech certification just by having an associates degree in the sciences. I know a bunch of people that are doing that and getting a lot out of it. The catch is it costs about $100 for the whole process (application fee, fingerprinting, transcripts from your school) taking a minimum of 6 wks. But that still could get you a position by April or May leaving an entire summer to work in a pharmacy before fall.

I haven't kept up w/your posts. Are you applying right now?

Oh, yeah and lemme suggest volunteering in a hospital in-patient pharmacy in the mean time. You need to get more acquainted with a pharmacy and they're always looking for help.

 

[tryinghard]

hey triangulation..can you give me the website to go through the certification process if you have a b.a.

or anywhere else that can get me started.

 

[Triangulation]

Trying hard,

What state are you in? You have to contact your state board of pharmacy. California's is
http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/applicant_pharmacy_technician.htm

 

[Modnar]

What sort of work experience does a person need to get into pharmacy school? Is it really necessary to work in a pharmacy or in a health care setting? I'm working right now, but my current job is more related to research than health care.

 

[jdpharmd?]

Depends on the school. Some don't care at all, while others think it's a big advantage. Research is also impressive (usually) and if you've had anything published, be sure to include that on your application and make reference to it in an interview, if relevant. Since the PharmD emphasizes patient interaction and communication, it wouldn't be a bad idea to at least volunteer on a regular basis somewhere or try retail pharmacy one day a week for a few months if time allows. It's always nice to have a diverse background to pull from, especially in an interview when you can say "when I work in my pharmacy, I make a special point to.. blah blah communicate, etc." It's kind of something to fall back on in case the questions get rough. If they asked you why you thought pharmacy was the right profession for you, what would you say if you had no pharmacy experience?

Jd

 

[Modnar]

Originally posted by jdpharmd?
If they asked you why you thought pharmacy was the right profession for you, what would you say if you had no pharmacy experience?

Jd

I've actually pondered this a few times. What I'll probably tell them is that one of my psych classes discussed basic pharmacology (LD50s, pharmacokinetics, that sort of thing) and that, coupled with the neuroscience classes I've taken, inspired me to pursue a career in drug discovery. I am trying to find a 2nd job as a pharm tech, but there don't seem to be any openings here at the moment.

 

[LVPharm]

When I sat on interview panels, we always started out with "So, what makes you want to become a pharmacist?", "Why pharmacy?" or something of that sort. We wanted to hear about their impressions about the career ("buzzwords" like "pharmaceutical care" play very well in interviews), but we also wanted to hear about something that shows either a commitment to the profession, or at least a keen interest in it. Working as a Tech, or at the very least "shadowing" pharmacists show that the candidate has thought this through, and has done his/her "research". I understand that you'll eventually go back to "the bench", but the PharmD curriculum is ultimately clinical in nature; so experience beyond the laboratory may be more advantageous for you.

 

[clachan3]

Originally posted by Modnar
What sort of work experience does a person need to get into pharmacy school? Is it really necessary to work in a pharmacy or in a health care setting? I'm working right now, but my current job is more related to research than health care.

Volunteer experience would be great but you'll have to make sure the work actually counts. A friend of mine volunteered at the pharmacy in a hospital didn't get any credit for gaining "real" pharmacy experience. Some schools are really picky. Working as a pharmacy tech probably be the best bet but it is not required. If you plan to continue your research career as a pharmacist, you are doing fine. If not, you might want to consider to do something more related to pharmacy practice, not only for getting into pharmacy school but for yourself also. Well, I guess other students would also agree that getting into pharmacy school really need some luck and some connection. Good Luck Everyone!

 

[Triangulation]

jdpharmd said:

It's always nice to have a diverse background to pull from, especially in an interview when you can say "when I work in my pharmacy, I make a special point to.. blah blah communicate, etc." It's kind of something to fall back on in case the questions get rough.

I can't agree more. I think i knocked their socks off at SC and UCSF with stuff like that. There wasn't anything they threw at me that i couldn't match blow-for-blow with some experience or at least concept demonstrating that i'd read about it or heard about it. Moreover, i had a response.

When they get to the part of the i.v. where you get to ask questions have some thoughtful ones prepared, not where's the best pizza joint, but how they think pharmacy is going to change, how do they think curriculum is going to change, ask them about what you plan to do both in school and in your career.

I did my i.v.'s before working retail, so i didn't even have that aspect to discuss. I would've milked that for all it's worth if i had that as well. You have to do the same.

 

[tweaker]

is it possible to get into a Pharmacy school with no prior work experience in the healthcare field? I have enlisted in the Navy in the electronics field and will be working on some kind of science degree while I'm in. Probably in biology or chemistry. My initial plan was to enlist as a Pharmacy tech in the Navy and work on just the pre-requisites for a PharmD school but that will not be possible for reasons I won't go into. But since it won't be I figure I will just get a science degree and use that to make up for having no work or volunteer experience in Pharmacy.

 

[eddie269]

i would just do an internship or even volunteer at a place. if anything, this gives you a better idea of what the profession is all about. But I hear over again that experience is better than none at all.

 

[dgroulx]

Yes, you can get in without any pharmacy experience. We have two ex-military students in my class who did not have any pharmacy experience. Serving in the military teaches you things like responsibility and they took that into consideration.

 

[Oneday_9]

Before applying this year, LAST year I had intended to apply, but I, at the time, also did not have any experience. Well, needless to say, I decided to wait another year, and apply for Fall 2004.

I can tell you it is a great feeling lookng back at this decision, because so much good has come from it. If pharmacy is truly what you want to do, another year obtaining experience and knowing for certain about your career choice, is ultimately worthwhile. Waiting also allowed me to focus on community service, volunteering, and start working on contacts in the field. It gave me more time to research schools, the overall field, and make my application that much stronger.

My cousin did the opposite, no exp, 3.7 or 3.8 GPA, honors, etc, and she was waitlisted last year. She has applied this year after gaining more exp as a pharmacy tech amd various other volunteering efforts.

A big sign lit up last year after learning this: hey way to wait on it!

I'm sure many people can get in, but you might as well convince yourself that pharmacy is what you want to do before convincing the admissions committee. That overall is an awesome feeling.

Good Luck!

 

[tweaker]

Originally posted by dgroulx
Yes, you can get in without any pharmacy experience. We have two ex-military students in my class who did not have any pharmacy experience. Serving in the military teaches you things like responsibility and they took that into consideration.

good to hear. I was actually going to apply for retraining in a couple years in the Navy hospital rating but that would put me up for another 5 year obligation on top of my current 5, which would take up more time than necessary.

Before applying this year, LAST year I had intended to apply, but I, at the time, also did not have any experience. Well, needless to say, I decided to wait another year, and apply for Fall 2004.
I can tell you it is a great feeling lookng back at this decision, because so much good has come from it. If pharmacy is truly what you want to do, another year obtaining experience and knowing for certain about your career choice, is ultimately worthwhile. Waiting also allowed me to focus on community service, volunteering, and start working on contacts in the field. It gave me more time to research schools, the overall field, and make my application that much stronger.

I figure I'm going to try to get some contacts and maybe even some volunteer experience while I'm deployed on a ship or just on my own time on base. Or I can enter active reserves in healthcare after my time is up.

 

[TC714]

Just volunteer for a few hours/week to serve 2 purposes:

1. Gaining a taste of what the profession you've chosen is like.

2. Let the Admission Committee know that you have prepared and know what you are involved with.

 

[pharmel]

Pharmacy is definitely not for everyone. I think it is necessary to have some experience before you apply. I have been accepted to the pharmacy school of my choice for 2004, but I never worked in a pharmacy. I did do a lot of shadowing, and I have two family members who are retail pharmacists.
So, do people get in without experience? Yes, actually my sister (graduated 1996)says that in her school it was actually negative to have teched for Walgreens because they (the school) wanted to have a clean slate to mold clinical and research pharmacists, not retail drones. So in some schools, it may be positive for you to have no retail experience.

 

[tweaker]

I'm sure I can muster up some experience in my spare time on base and on ships. After all, I will have a lot of time to kill for the next 5 years.

 

[tao08244]

I've searched on the forum and found that a lot of people have volunteered at pharmacies in the L.A. area. I've talked with the head of volunteering in 2 different hospitals who've told me that they don't normally do volunteering in their hospitals. I also talked with a few pharmacists in retail pharmacies who told me they're not hiring at the moment, and to just fill out an application, which I've done. Summer's coming up, and I'm having a hard time finding a place to volunteer. Can you guys tell me some places where I could volunteer at?

 

[gdk420]

LA county/USC pharmacy area.
USC norris Cancer hospital

 

[SynergeticSteve]

Westside LA
Santa Monica-UCLA Hospital (Wilshire and 16th street)
CARE Extender Program

I was a department coordinator for the pharmacy volunteers at Santa Monica-UCLA hospital through the CARE extender program. I also volunteered in the pharmacy about 500 hours on top of my leadership duties. The CARE extender program is a great program and they have a bunch of UCLA, USC, and other LA college students apply about every three months (i think the next application cycle starts in august). I think they accept about 1 in 3 people who apply (depends on number of applicants). The program had an email address at [email protected], I believe. You can probably find out more info about the program on the internet. Hope this helps.

 

[tao08244]

I'm really interested in that program at UCLA. Thanks for the suggestions!

 

[tao08244]

I'm just curious, when's the best time to turn in applications to pharmacy schools?

I've heard from friends at school, that for med school, the best time to submit applications is right in the middle. Those who apply early are normally the really "smart" people. By having an average GPA and application, and turning it in the same time as the highly academic, causes the school to just overlook your application.

Is this also true for pharmacy school?

 

[Trancelucent1]

It seems the earlier the better. At UF, they accept applications in September but don't decide or send letters until late January, early February. I turned in my app in early January and had an above average GPA and average PCAT scores for my school and was accepted rather quickly. My friend with the same stats submitted her app late february (march 1st was the deadline), and was denied. I've seen this happen with a few other people as well, so I think the earlier the better.

~Pam

 

[farmgrl00]

Hey guys!

I have a quick simple question, When i was in High School, I did some volunteering for UCSF.. That was a while ago.. (1999) do you think i should list it as one of my volunteer experiences even though it was so long ago?.. it wouldn't be very high up on my list but it Is related to healthcare..
What do you think?

 

[bananaface]

Anything medical related is fair game even if it is from 1999.

 

[28657]

I don't think there is any kind of protocol for listing volunteer and extracurricular activities. But personally, I didn't list anything from my high school years.

 

[off2skl]

I'd think of it this way: it can't hurt your application. But, you may want to try to get some more recent volunteer experience as well to show something more current.

 

[farmgrl00]

oh yes i have other much more recent volunteer and present volunteer work i just wasn't sure to put the other one or not, i mean it looks good it just seems such a long time ago.

 

[crossurfingers]

I've tried to apply to the CVS's and Walgreens around here but none have been hiring (me, at least) for the past year. I'll be a first year pharmacy student in a couple of weeks and I'm getting nervous about the transition. Are the clinical rotations really difficult for people without any previous pharmacy experience?

 

[laura_mideon]

I've tried to apply to the CVS's and Walgreens around here but none have been hiring (me, at least) for the past year. I'll be a first year pharmacy student in a couple of weeks and I'm getting nervous about the transition. Are the clinical rotations really difficult for people without any previous pharmacy experience?

I don't know about rotations, but if you're really needing experience and you're not getting hired you should call around and try to get a volunteer position, it may be easier.

 

[raindrop]

For what it's worth, I didn't have any pharmacy experience until 5th year of pharmacy school. It was impossible for me to find an intern job. When I did my 5th year clinicals, part of it was a retail externship. I volunteered for a local chain and eventually they hired me as an intern. The rest is history.

If you're only in the 1st year, you should be fine. Try to teach yourself brand/generics, because that was the hardest part for me as a student with no experience.

Good luck!

I've tried to apply to the CVS's and Walgreens around here but none have been hiring (me, at least) for the past year. I'll be a first year pharmacy student in a couple of weeks and I'm getting nervous about the transition. Are the clinical rotations really difficult for people without any previous pharmacy experience?

 

[Caverject]

For what it's worth, I didn't have any pharmacy experience until 5th year of pharmacy school. It was impossible for me to find an intern job. When I did my 5th year clinicals, part of it was a retail externship. I volunteered for a local chain and eventually they hired me as an intern. The rest is history.

If you're only in the 1st year, you should be fine. Try to teach yourself brand/generics, because that was the hardest part for me as a student with no experience.

Good luck!

It should be noted that you went to Ohio Northern University, a 6 year program. Don't want to scare anyone!

 

[dgroulx]

I tried before pharmacy school and could never find a job, either. I was able to get an internship during the summer between my 1st and 2nd year. Getting an internship will really depend on the area where you live and finding the right company for you. Our campus had a job fair in February, where students could get interviewed for summer internship positions.

During our 2nd year, we are assigned to a retail site for one semester and a hospital site for the other semester, where we must work 2 hours a week and complete a project. This will allow everyone to get their feet wet before starting rotations during year 3. I'll be working at Publix (supermarket) this semster.

 

[crossurfingers]

Thanks for being so encouraging! I'll look into volunteering at a pharmacy somewhere, although I don't know how I'll fit that into my schedule of school and work.

 

[LVPharm]

If it helps any, back in the day I asked volunteer coordinators at local hospitals if they allowed volunteers in the inpatient pharmacies. One volunteer coordinator was nice enough to talk with the pharmacy manager and she agreed to let me come in and volunteer. They were always falling behind with getting outdates done, and needed the extra help packaging oral unit doses (not sure that was entirely "legal" for me to do ), restocking shelves, etc. They appreciated the help, and in exchange, allowed me to shadow the pharmacists who had clinical duties in addition to their distributive functions. I did it for almost a year, and got a good LOR from it.

 

[laura_mideon]

I'll look into volunteering at a pharmacy somewhere, although I don't know how I'll fit that into my schedule of school and work.

That's the good thing about volunteering, is they only usually want you like 1 - 2 days a week so it doesn't take up as much time as a part-time job would.
Even if it's hard to find a volunteer position, just be persistent, I spent a week calling everywhere and everyone already had, or else didn't take, volunteers. So I gave up, then the other day I was bored, so I re-called a bunch of them, and a guy hired me to be a volunteer just like that, over the phone....I start tonight.
So just keep trying, and trying, right now is a good time because they lose lots of people in the fall to school.
Good luck!

 

[npp71681]

Hi!
crossurfingers,

Don't give up looking for Pharmacy experience. Call the Hospitals around your area and start Voluteering, so that way you can atleast put your foot into Pharmacy setting. Hospitals usually requires around 2-4 hrs/wk to work. And I am sure that Hospitals are more likely to accept you because you're in Pharm.D program.

I Hope this helps!

 

[laura_mideon]

Hello. I just started volunteering at a pharmacy last week. Obviously I want to learn all that I can about the profession, but this pharmacy is pretty much willing to let me do anything.....so what do you think is the most important thing to concentrate on? Like learning all of the drug names and brand names? Or learning how to compound? Learning the ins and outs of using the computer system? Or should I just relax and learn everything equally?

Thanks!

 

[OSURxgirl]

Relax and take it as it comes. You're in a great position to be in. Most places don't give their volunteers a whole lot to do. If you've never been in a pharmacy before, take it one step at a time. Make sure to ask questions, and always offer to help when you see people working on something. Talk to your supervisor and make sure he or she knows you're willing to work hard and that you wish to get a lot from this experience. A lot of times volunteers aren't given a lot of direction...so your experience will be what you make of it. Good luck and enjoy. It's good that you're getting experience!

 

[laura_mideon]

That's true. I do feel like this is a great opportunity. I will try and get the most out of it for sure....maybe even a good reference from a pharmacist too (I hope)!

 

[tupac_don]

Hello. I just started volunteering at a pharmacy last week. Obviously I want to learn all that I can about the profession, but this pharmacy is pretty much willing to let me do anything.....so what do you think is the most important thing to concentrate on? Like learning all of the drug names and brand names? Or learning how to compound? Learning the ins and outs of using the computer system? Or should I just relax and learn everything equally?

Thanks!

Expereience prior to pharmacy school is overrated. I mean yea it may help you some, but not a lot. Where expereince comes in handy however is if you worked in a hospital or a retail pharmacy for say 4-5 years during your pharmacy and pre-pharm years and then you apply for a job there. One you will have signority, two you will accrue vacation time and three you will know the ins and outs of that hospital or retail store, so it will be much easier to pick up things. However, I wouldn't say you would be at a huge disadvantage without having expereince. You tend to get hospital expereince during your rotations anyhow. But compounding is probably the most useless skill, u would need, cuz unless you are in a compounding pharmacy, u will never compound. Although it might be nice to learn it. Thats my two cents. Good luck.

 

[laura_mideon]

Expereience prior to pharmacy school is overrated. I mean yea it may help you some, but not a lot.

So do you mean, the experience doesn't really help you with the program, but just helps you to get in? That makes sense.

But compounding is probably the most useless skill, u would need, cuz unless you are in a compounding pharmacy, u will never compound. Although it might be nice to learn it.

Really? I didn't realize that. I guess it was just by fluke that the job shadow I did the tech had to compound twice in 2 hours. And it wasn't a compounding pharmacy. Since that job shadow and my first day volunteering is all the exposure I've had, it just looked like that was common thing to do. I still have TONS to learn

 

[baggywrinkle]

But compounding is probably the most useless skill, u would need, cuz unless you are in a compounding pharmacy, u will never compound. Although it might be nice to learn it. Thats my two cents. Good luck.

Don't believe it for a second. Take your compounding labs **very**
seriously. Just when you think the skills are useless and you chuck them
away you will find yourself wishing you had a Remington's. Trust me on that.
You cannot swing a bat without hitting a therapeutic clinician of one sort or
another. They are a dime a dozen. Only the pharmacist has training in how
things go together. No other practitioner has those bragging rights.

Now if it is COMPLEXITY you are speaking of you are correct. The esoteric
gels and sustained release formulations will only be found in a compounding lab (including hospitals btw), but simple compounding is done everywhere and should not be trivialized. You will realize this the first time you don't have enough cough syrup of one generic brand so you top it off with generic brand B and you get floaters. Or you forgot to add the active ingredient powder to the benzamycin gel and your customer lives thirty miles out in the country so you tell them to throw some water in it and mix it in. Then you wonder later why the product burned the customers face as she is nailing your hide to the wall...

Without compounding you cannot call yourself a pharmacist.

 

[laura_mideon]

Without compounding you cannot call yourself a pharmacist.

Well then I better get started on learning how to compound!

 

[dontworry]

My pharmacy school has emphasized the importance of working in a pharmacy during school and getting experience. Im not very far into my schooling yet, but it seems that if you are familiar with the procedures, names and just general pharmacy setting it would help you in some of the advanced classes/labs. It would help you to learn the top 200 drugs names and generics, maybe some of their purposes, You can observe the pharmacist counseling patients on proper usage and answering questions, become familiar with sigs and reading prescriptions. Plus if you are going to be a pharmacist, gaining as much experience in your chosen profession can only be helpful. Imagine 2 new licensed pharmacy graduates just starting to work in a pharmacy, if one of them has worked in a pharmacy for the past 3 years they are gonna know alot about the procedures and just general flow, than a pharmacist who just got their pharmacy experience during their rotations. I would rather have that 3 year experience before i start working and the employer would probably prefer it as well.

 

[laura_mideon]

I would rather have that 3 year experience before i start working and the employer would probably prefer it as well.

That's very true. I'm grateful at even having this opportunity and I want to make the most out of it.
Do you think it would be a good idea to get this top 200 drug list and start learning it? People seem to be talking about that alot. Do you have to know just the brand name and generic name? What else do you have to know about them?