Pharm experience in ny

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Hi, I am a pre-pharm student entering my senior year as an undergrad. I've been consistently applying to pharm. tech positions at retail stores in NY and am having no luck in finding a position. I've asked around to shadow pharmacists, but they lead me back to applying as a tech. To any New Yorkers or anyone who went through the same situation: how did you go about finding experience? Your advice is much appreciated! Thank you in advance!

Originally Posted by prepharm727

Hi, I am a pre-pharm student entering my senior year as an undergrad. I've been consistently applying to pharm. tech positions at retail stores in NY and am having no luck in finding a position. I've asked around to shadow pharmacists, but they lead me back to applying as a tech. To any New Yorkers or anyone who went through the same situation: how did you go about finding experience? Your advice is much appreciated! Thank you in advance!

I don't know about NY, but I find pharmacy experience through my professor and school program. You have to be persistent. Call hospital, clinic, homeless shelter, red cross and any organization you can think of that can provide you an opportunity to work with a pharmacist. Even if they dont have openings, ask if you can just observe them for a day or something. Once you get a foot in the door, you will have more chance.

As for retail, I know one friend got her tech position by continously going back to check for opening with the cvs pharmacy manager. Her persistence earned her the job.

I've been having the same problem in my area of California. It seems that most of the hospitals won't even let you in the door where I am, nor will the chain stores like CVS or Walgreens. I'm just trying to call around to every independent pharmacy and hospital and see if I can get in anywhere

Originally Posted by prepharm727

Hi, I am a pre-pharm student entering my senior year as an undergrad. I've been consistently applying to pharm. tech positions at retail stores in NY and am having no luck in finding a position. I've asked around to shadow pharmacists, but they lead me back to applying as a tech. To any New Yorkers or anyone who went through the same situation: how did you go about finding experience? Your advice is much appreciated! Thank you in advance!

Hey, I'm exactly at your position now. I live in NY and ive been constantly apply for pharm tech positions at retail chains and had absolutely no luck getting the job! However, I did land a job at Walgreens as a service clerk so I just took it and hopefully I will get close to the pharmacy staff and ask them if I'm allowed to shadow. I've asked to shadow before but they said most chain stores do not allow it. However, I used to volunteer at a hospital pharmacy but they just stopped the program because it was to risky for volunteers to make mistakes . All other hospitals have HUGE wait lists before pharmacy positions are available so I suggest you start applying NOW!! But ur best luck would be either a hospital or private shadowing

Thank you for your advice! I will definitely take persistency into account! Much appreciated

Originally Posted by FuturePharmD81

Hey, I'm exactly at your position now. I live in NY and ive been constantly apply for pharm tech positions at retail chains and had absolutely no luck getting the job! However, I did land a job at Walgreens as a service clerk so I just took it and hopefully I will get close to the pharmacy staff and ask them if I'm allowed to shadow. I've asked to shadow before but they said most chain stores do not allow it. However, I used to volunteer at a hospital pharmacy but they just stopped the program because it was to risky for volunteers to make mistakes . All other hospitals have HUGE wait lists before pharmacy positions are available so I suggest you start applying NOW!! But ur best luck would be either a hospital or private shadowing

Thanks for your advice/input! If you don't mind me asking, how did you get a position to volunteer at a hospital pharmacy? The hospitals that I've volunteered at didn't even have the pharmacy dept. as an option, so I was wondering if you knew of any hospitals or anything related? Thank you again!

Along with applying to hospitals and sending my resumes to HR (I never got a response from any of those), I was looking for part time position through craiglist and newspapers. I found a part-time position at an independent pharmacy, work there on Saturdays. Just don't give up and keep looking! Also try your network, may someone can refer you. Good luck!

hey prepharm727, i know exactly what you are talking about. trying to find pharmacy experience can be difficult, especially in a city. i assume you are from nyc so i'll tailor my advice to that. i volunteered at new york presbyterian hospital, theyre one of the few hospitals in nyc that has a pharmacy dept and will accept pharm volunteers. besides that, i find that you have to either know someone to get into a private retail pharmacy, or you will have to be very convincing as i've noticed most private pharmacies hire friends and family friends. if you're neither, you'll have to be persistent. first apply online then call a couple of days later to ask if they got the chance to look over your resume.

i also went to school in upstate ny so less people = less competitive pool so it was easier to get hired there. hope that helped!

Originally Posted by ilovenyc

Along with applying to hospitals and sending my resumes to HR (I never got a response from any of those), I was looking for part time position through craiglist and newspapers. I found a part-time position at an independent pharmacy, work there on Saturdays. Just don't give up and keep looking! Also try your network, may someone can refer you. Good luck!

Thank you! So far I haven't looked into independent pharmacies, but I definitely will search harder now. Networking would be easy if I had some experience already :/ & if I didn't search for a seasonal position. But I will keep trying, thank you for the encouragement!

Originally Posted by usechopstix

hey prepharm727, i know exactly what you are talking about. trying to find pharmacy experience can be difficult, especially in a city. i assume you are from nyc so i'll tailor my advice to that. i volunteered at new york presbyterian hospital, theyre one of the few hospitals in nyc that has a pharmacy dept and will accept pharm volunteers. besides that, i find that you have to either know someone to get into a private retail pharmacy, or you will have to be very convincing as i've noticed most private pharmacies hire friends and family friends. if you're neither, you'll have to be persistent. first apply online then call a couple of days later to ask if they got the chance to look over your resume.

i also went to school in upstate ny so less people = less competitive pool so it was easier to get hired there. hope that helped!

Thank you sooooo much!!! Yea, I'm from NYC and it's also difficult because I'm searching for a seasonal position since I dorm at my college, so I'm not a prime candidate. That's why I was searching for pharm volunteer position at a hospital and alot of them (like Coney Island Hospital) want you to be in a pharm program already. I will definitely look into NY presbyterian now, this gives me so much hope! Do you know of any other hospitals permitting pharm volunteering in NYC? I've applied online numerous times, but I feel like it's time to take charge and go in person. Thank you again I appreciate your help/advice!

Originally Posted by prepharm727

Thank you sooooo much!!! Yea, I'm from NYC and it's also difficult because I'm searching for a seasonal position since I dorm at my college, so I'm not a prime candidate. That's why I was searching for pharm volunteer position at a hospital and alot of them (like Coney Island Hospital) want you to be in a pharm program already. I will definitely look into NY presbyterian now, this gives me so much hope! Do you know of any other hospitals permitting pharm volunteering in NYC? I've applied online numerous times, but I feel like it's time to take charge and go in person. Thank you again I appreciate your help/advice!

Hey, I work at Beth Israel in Manhattan (not in the pharmacy though), and one of the pharm techs told me that the pharmacy takes volunteers.