SoCal retail pharmacists out there:

[jawnly211]

this is a regional question for any socal current or prospective retail pharmacist:
how is your experience or what "rumors" have you heard about these major chains?
(my opinions and what i have heard are in parenthesis)



Ralphs (not too busy - long shifts - how's the computer system?)


Vons (a lot of paperwork and company audits - long shifts)


Costco (decent system - are they even hiring??????)


Target (lunch break - slow stores)


Albertson's/Savon (you can utilize your clinical skills with MTM, diabetes mgmt, vaccines - very slow stores - about 800/week - 12 hour shifts)


Walgreens (typical retail pharmacy sweatshop - pump out rx's - great computer system - 8 hour shifts - float for grad interns - no sign on bonus)


CVS (long shifts - typical retail setting - float - sign on bonus)


Longs Drugs (sign on bonus - very old computer system - not many locations)


Wal-Mart (no sign on bonus - 30 minute lunch - great computer system - split shifts - how is that $4 rx plan working?)






also, if anyone works at one of these in LA area, how many scriptsdo you guys do a day or week?

thanks for the help!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Farmercyst]

Albertson's/Savon (you can utilize your clinical skills with MTM, diabetes mgmt, vaccines - very slow stores - about 800/week - 12 hour shifts)



also, if anyone works at one of these in LA area, how many scriptsdo you guys do a day or week?

thanks for the help!

My first IPPE rotation was at a Albertson's/Sav-on in Arcadia. They were doing ~150/day (at least on Wed/Thurs when I was there). The MTM is in the early stages. I spoke to a regional manager in San Diego area about it at the beginning of the school year. She does MTM one day/week at designated stores. Usually she does the med review, goes over OTCs, interactions, proper timing, etc. Then she and a dietician go through the store and discuss foods, product labels, what to look for in proper management of whatever condition. Things like Sat fat, TFA, cholesterol for people on HTN meds/statins. Vitamin K for anticoags and so on. I don't know what their timeline is for a more general roll out. I wouldn't count on being hired and going immediately into MTM.

Hope this is what you were looking for.

 

[jawnly211]

thanks farm

anyone else with their thoughts?

 

[cal687]

Well, I'm still a tech, but I know that Vons stores do a lot of immunizations and health screenings. Right now it's only at certain pharmacies, but in my district, they are trying to make all pharmacies "Health and Wellness" stores by end of this year I think. If you are interested in doing immunizations and health screenings, it's a good place to work. The only problem is that there sometimes isn't enough time to do those "extras" plus your regular job. At our store, there's only one pharmacist at a time, so if they are off doing a shot, the techs have to cover everything and sometimes it creates a backup of people waiting to see the pharmacist when he/she's done.

There definitely is a lot of paperwork, but I've never worked at a different chain so I don't know how it compares. The computer system is sort of old, but it works okay. At least now I'm used to it!

I'm considering working for them as an intern during pharmacy school, so hopefully I'll get a chance to help with the immunizations and things. But I guess that depends where I end up for school. I don't know if Safeway and the other divisions of the company are as good with "Health & Wellness".

Hope that helps!

 

[jawnly211]

thanks cal

albertsons/savon is also doing the health and wellness thing

too bad Vons around my area isnothiring any new grads.....

i also did a rotation there and their computer system is really really old......ancient.......

are they union?

 

[cal687]

thanks cal

albertsons/savon is also doing the health and wellness thing

too bad Vons around my area isnothiring any new grads.....

i also did a rotation there and their computer system is really really old......ancient.......

are they union?

Yes, Vons is union. From what I have heard the pharmacists say, the pay is a little lower than other chains in the area, but I guess they do match 401(k) a bit, so that helps. The only bad part about Vons is the secret shopper program. They come every week, and so you end up having to offer to show everyone where an item is ALL THE TIME, even when you are super busy. If not, your secret shopper of the week might catch you and take away your "points". And then your store manager will get on you about it. There's something to be said for having good customer service, but the secret shoppers seem to catch you at the worst times, and like when you are on the phone even, you can miss points for not saying hi to someone. I just think that's ridiculous. You are trying to be a pharmacist, not a clerk at McDonalds!

Yah, their computer system is definitely ancient. I will be excited to do some of my IPPE/APPEs somewhere else to see how cool other systems are compared to ours!

Vons isn't hiring huh? I guess we are actually full in my district right now too, but just a few months ago that was not the case. I guess if you want it, you could always hold out. I didn't know Albertson's/Savon did health & wellness too, that's great! More chains should do more of this I think.

 

[jawnly211]

vons, albertsons, and ralphs are all UFCW members

anyone have a clue how much union fees are/month?

i think they may vary locally.......but anyone with experience or heard of the dues?

 

[ScarlettDarke]

vons, albertsons, and ralphs are all UFCW members

anyone have a clue how much union fees are/month?

i think they may vary locally.......but anyone with experience or heard of the dues?

CVS formerly Sav-on is also part of the UFCW union

When i was hired in June 2006, the membership fee was a one-time $150. But since i couldn't pay it all at once, they took out only $10-15 (i don't remember exact amt) from my paycheck every MONTH. I REALLYYY liked this bc it didn't feel like i was paying union fees at all This was for the west LA area.

 

[jawnly211]

bump for all the socal pharm students who just had their career fairs

oh.........also, vons/safeway i know you have internet access........hahahahah

anyone have any idea if you have internet access at other chains? albertsons? i know walgreens andcvs have the intranet.........how about ralphs?

not a deciding factor.........but would be nice to know

 

[jawnly211]

bueller?

 

[jawnly211]

back to the top you go!

 

[jawnly211]

where's all my angelenos at?

 

[Epic]

I hear retail jobs in OC and LA are hard to come by...

 

[steveysmith54]

rite Aid- stuck in the shadow of CVS- grave yard shift offers 7 days off every 7 days of work, company is being cheap after stock being at an all time low.

 

[jawnly211]

all the major companies seem to be getting cheap, cutting hours

i guess the companies who can afford to be a little cheap (wal-mart, costco, groceries) can do so since they can rely on "joe customer" buying 50 bucks of toilet paper, vitamin water, and twizzlers as they walk out

 

[jawnly211]

the silence is deafening