Concerned with Lack of Experience

[PistonFan531]

Hi guys. I am currently a fourth year pharmacy student. I have been an intern at Meijer for almost a year now, and I can say that for the most part, this internship has not gone too well and I am worried as a result of that. With my availability, I only work one day a week (Saturdays). That is because I am on rotations on Monday through Friday and I take Sundays off because I feel that I need a day off for relaxation and to get away from everything.

Because of the fact that I only work one day a week, I feel like I am a low level tech everytime I am there. Pharmacy is repetitious, and since I am hardly there, I have not learned very much, even though I have been there for almost a year now. I feel like I know the basics and the workflow process well, but I feel as if I am so far behind in respects to the retail setting. I struggle with processing rxs that do not involve pills (like insulin and cream rxs), how to deal with insurance issues, what to do in certain situations or dilemmas, trying to read the doctor's handwriting, etc. And most of the time that I am there I am forced to do pickup, drive through, and fill since our pharmacy is always high volume and understaffed on the weekends and nobody has time to ever teach me much. That makes the situation worse since I am doing boring tech work and not nearly enough of the intern/pharmacist work.

I am very frustrated right now. It frustrates me that as a very soon to be pharmacist, I know so little in regards to the retail setting. I feel so incompetent, especially when I see a lot of my technician coworkers and colleagues who know so much more than I do. And to make matters worse, one of our new part time staff pharmacists makes me feel like a dumb*** at times. I fear that my job opportunities in retail will be limited since I know so little. And even if I do get a job, I fear that I may get fired or have a panic attack since I will not have a solid foundation and since the job is so stressful and fast paced.

Does anyone have any advice for me as to what I should do given my current situation? Are there any ways to better improve myself? Also, has anyone on here ever picked up a retail job right after graduation with little to no experience and still did well?

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[Estrace]

Hi guys. I am currently a fourth year pharmacy student. I have been an intern at Meijer for almost a year now, and I can say that for the most part, this internship has not gone too well and I am worried as a result of that. With my availability, I only work one day a week (Saturdays). That is because I am on rotations on Monday through Friday and I take Sundays off because I feel that I need a day off for relaxation and to get away from everything.

Because of the fact that I only work one day a week, I feel like I am a low level tech everytime I am there. Pharmacy is repetitious, and since I am hardly there, I have not learned very much, even though I have been there for almost a year now. I feel like I know the basics and the workflow process well, but I feel as if I am so far behind in respects to the retail setting. I struggle with processing rxs that do not involve pills (like insulin and cream rxs), how to deal with insurance issues, what to do in certain situations or dilemmas, trying to read the doctor's handwriting, etc. And most of the time that I am there I am forced to do pickup, drive through, and fill since our pharmacy is always high volume and understaffed on the weekends and nobody has time to ever teach me much. That makes the situation worse since I am doing boring tech work and not nearly enough of the intern/pharmacist work.

I am very frustrated right now. It frustrates me that as a very soon to be pharmacist, I know so little in regards to the retail setting. I feel so incompetent, especially when I see a lot of my technician coworkers and colleagues who know so much more than I do. And to make matters worse, one of our new part time staff pharmacists makes me feel like a dumb*** at times. I fear that my job opportunities in retail will be limited since I know so little. And even if I do get a job, I fear that I may get fired or have a panic attack since I will not have a solid foundation and since the job is so stressful and fast paced.

Does anyone have any advice for me as to what I should do given my current situation? Are there any ways to better improve myself? Also, has anyone on here ever picked up a retail job right after graduation with little to no experience and still did well?

Yes, I was hired by Walgreens 3 months after getting licensed without any retail experience. I did work for an independent pharmacy for that 3 months. The Independent experience didn't help when I joined WAG. I turned out fine.

 

[Mur7ay]

Hi guys. I am currently a fourth year pharmacy student. I have been an intern at Meijer for almost a year now, and I can say that for the most part, this internship has not gone too well and I am worried as a result of that. With my availability, I only work one day a week (Saturdays). That is because I am on rotations on Monday through Friday and I take Sundays off because I feel that I need a day off for relaxation and to get away from everything.

Because of the fact that I only work one day a week, I feel like I am a low level tech everytime I am there. Pharmacy is repetitious, and since I am hardly there, I have not learned very much, even though I have been there for almost a year now. I feel like I know the basics and the workflow process well, but I feel as if I am so far behind in respects to the retail setting. I struggle with processing rxs that do not involve pills (like insulin and cream rxs), how to deal with insurance issues, what to do in certain situations or dilemmas, trying to read the doctor's handwriting, etc. And most of the time that I am there I am forced to do pickup, drive through, and fill since our pharmacy is always high volume and understaffed on the weekends and nobody has time to ever teach me much. That makes the situation worse since I am doing boring tech work and not nearly enough of the intern/pharmacist work.

I am very frustrated right now. It frustrates me that as a very soon to be pharmacist, I know so little in regards to the retail setting. I feel so incompetent, especially when I see a lot of my technician coworkers and colleagues who know so much more than I do. And to make matters worse, one of our new part time staff pharmacists makes me feel like a dumb*** at times. I fear that my job opportunities in retail will be limited since I know so little. And even if I do get a job, I fear that I may get fired or have a panic attack since I will not have a solid foundation and since the job is so stressful and fast paced.

Does anyone have any advice for me as to what I should do given my current situation? Are there any ways to better improve myself? Also, has anyone on here ever picked up a retail job right after graduation with little to no experience and still did well?

Dude it sounds a lot like me. I work at Kroger and work one or two days a week also and the pharmacy is sooo busy that no one has anytime to show you anything and if they do show you it's for a second and they showed you so quick that when you come back the following Saturday it's forgotten

 

[boriqua]

Hi guys. I am currently a fourth year pharmacy student. I have been an intern at Meijer for almost a year now, and I can say that for the most part, this internship has not gone too well and I am worried as a result of that. With my availability, I only work one day a week (Saturdays). That is because I am on rotations on Monday through Friday and I take Sundays off because I feel that I need a day off for relaxation and to get away from everything.

Because of the fact that I only work one day a week, I feel like I am a low level tech everytime I am there. Pharmacy is repetitious, and since I am hardly there, I have not learned very much, even though I have been there for almost a year now. I feel like I know the basics and the workflow process well, but I feel as if I am so far behind in respects to the retail setting. I struggle with processing rxs that do not involve pills (like insulin and cream rxs), how to deal with insurance issues, what to do in certain situations or dilemmas, trying to read the doctor's handwriting, etc. And most of the time that I am there I am forced to do pickup, drive through, and fill since our pharmacy is always high volume and understaffed on the weekends and nobody has time to ever teach me much. That makes the situation worse since I am doing boring tech work and not nearly enough of the intern/pharmacist work.

I am very frustrated right now. It frustrates me that as a very soon to be pharmacist, I know so little in regards to the retail setting. I feel so incompetent, especially when I see a lot of my technician coworkers and colleagues who know so much more than I do. And to make matters worse, one of our new part time staff pharmacists makes me feel like a dumb*** at times. I fear that my job opportunities in retail will be limited since I know so little. And even if I do get a job, I fear that I may get fired or have a panic attack since I will not have a solid foundation and since the job is so stressful and fast paced.

Does anyone have any advice for me as to what I should do given my current situation? Are there any ways to better improve myself? Also, has anyone on here ever picked up a retail job right after graduation with little to no experience and still did well?

every one goes through those kinds of anxiety feelings when they first start practicing. my only advice is to work hard and learn as much as you can while you are there. there's no reason you can't make the most out of your one saturday there. as much as the schools try to make it seem like all the information they shove down your throats will help you in retail, it really doesn't. It all comes with experience.

 

[StellargalS]

DO NOT SWEAT IT. You were among the +/- 10% of applicants that got accepted to pharmacy school AND you are going to graduate. You earned your place. You are exactly where you are supposed to be.
Nobody knows anything in pharmacy. It is all monkey see monkey do.

Take each problem as it comes and retrospectively cover the unknowns as they occur. Insurance is learned by trial and error. The 1800 number is your best friend. You have a young brain and will retain stuff quickly.

The non pill quantity issue is a matter of the computer software "pack size" for the drug. The best way to figure out the input quantity is to "do a cash price" on the item. If you input the correct quantity the computer "cost" will be similar to the sticker cost/invoice/on-line order cost for the item. Example you have an rx for a month supply of Procrit 40,000 1 vial q week. How does it come? Comes in boxes of 4 vials. Is the quantity 1 or is it 4? Do a cash price inputting a quantity of 1 if too low, go again inputting quantity of 4. Bingo!

You'll get it. It's child's play. Jerks just act like it's rocket science. Let them.

And of course always carry mini-cheat sheet/pod for quick access of frequently encountered problems.
i.e. inputting coupons, rocket science group numbers, etc.

 

[PistonFan531]

Yes, I was hired by Walgreens 3 months after getting licensed without any retail experience. I did work for an independent pharmacy for that 3 months. The Independent experience didn't help when I joined WAG. I turned out fine.

How long did it take for you to catch on? Was it hard?

 

[sunakuma]

DO NOT SWEAT IT. You were among the +/- 10% of applicants that got accepted to pharmacy school AND you are going to graduate. You earned your place. You are exactly where you are supposed to be.
Nobody knows anything in pharmacy. It is all monkey see monkey do.

Take each problem as it comes and retrospectively cover the unknowns as they occur. Insurance is learned by trial and error. The 1800 number is your best friend. You have a young brain and will retain stuff quickly.

The non pill quantity issue is a matter of the computer software "pack size" for the drug. The best way to figure out the input quantity is to "do a cash price" on the item. If you input the correct quantity the computer "cost" will be similar to the sticker cost/invoice/on-line order cost for the item. Example you have an rx for a month supply of Procrit 40,000 1 vial q week. How does it come? Comes in boxes of 4 vials. Is the quantity 1 or is it 4? Do a cash price inputting a quantity of 1 if too low, go again inputting quantity of 4. Bingo!

You'll get it. It's child's play. Jerks just act like it's rocket science. Let them.

And of course always carry mini-cheat sheet/pod for quick access of frequently encountered problems.
i.e. inputting coupons, rocket science group numbers, etc.

I do have similar experience with the OP, thank you for your encouragement.

Often time I also felt the technician or pharmacist may feel that I am such a dumbxxxx. I have a hospital internship as well and only work one day a week at a busy retail, unlike someone work 2-3 days a week.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Would you be willing to volunteer an hour after rotations to shadow your tech? Retail is all about repetition, once you experience most of the issues the job becomes easy.

Oops old thread.

 

[ldiot]

The best thing you can do is just work more. You've worked a year but in reality I probably worked that much in my first month on the job. Do you think I was a good tech after 1 month? Hell no. I started working before pharmacy school... I remember I didn't even know what qd ment and some old lady pharmacy went off on me for it.

Ok and this thread is ancient...