Confused about definition of "pharmacy intern"

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bacillus1

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I was applying to walgreens today and before I applied for a tech job since I didn't see "pharmacy intern" as an option. I was in the store today when I saw it and applied. Then when I was done it said "third-year pharmacy intern". Walgreens told me that you had to be P3 to be considered a pharmacy intern. I am P1, so I just ended up applying for the tech job. Then I called Kmart (I recently landed an interview there which is Tues...it was easy, the site just prompted me to pick an interview time right after I submitted my app.) and they said that for them a P1 is considered a pharmacy intern (there are just different pay grades for different years).

So confused. What is actually a pharmacy intern? Does it vary by pharmacy? I also applied to hospitals (HUP and Jefferson in Philly) for intern positions and they aren't responding. Is this because I applied for the wrong position? Should I have applied for a pharmacy tech job? The job description didn't say anything about P3, but maybe they assumed that I knew that already...

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I was applying to walgreens today and before I applied for a tech job since I didn't see "pharmacy intern" as an option. I was in the store today when I saw it and applied. Then when I was done it said "third-year pharmacy intern". Walgreens told me that you had to be P3 to be considered a pharmacy intern. I am P1, so I just ended up applying for the tech job. Then I called Kmart (I recently landed an interview there which is Tues...it was easy, the site just prompted me to pick an interview time right after I submitted my app.) and they said that for them a P1 is considered a pharmacy intern (there are just different pay grades for different years).

So confused. What is actually a pharmacy intern? Does it vary by pharmacy? I also applied to hospitals (HUP and Jefferson in Philly) for intern positions and they aren't responding. Is this because I applied for the wrong position? Should I have applied for a pharmacy tech job? The job description didn't say anything about P3, but maybe they assumed that I knew that already...

Probably varies by state, according to what they define as an "intern." Tech or intern, either way it means you lie at the bottom, not sure I would make any more of it.
 
Probably varies by state, according to what they define as an "intern." Tech or intern, either way it means you lie at the bottom, not sure I would make any more of it.

Well considering Delaware has very relaxed laws for licensing for most professions (we don't even need hrs. above rotations for licensing), I doubt it's more strict than PA (where I'll be working) in that way. Walgreens said that "intern" was basically just a different pay grade for them than "tech". I actually looked up all the hospitals and for them "intern" just means P1. I think it's just a Walgreens thing.
 
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Well considering Delaware has very relaxed laws for licensing for most professions (we don't even need hrs. above rotations for licensing), I doubt it's more strict than PA (where I'll be working) in that way. Walgreens said that "intern" was basically just a different pay grade for them than "tech". I actually looked up all the hospitals and for them "intern" just means P1. I think it's just a Walgreens thing.

If you qualify as an intern, you probably get paid more than most techs (when I was an intern (in Nevada), I made less than the senior techs, and that was how it should have been), and have more privileges as well.
 
Bacillus1,
I don't know what state you're from, but I worked for Walgreen's in Kentucky and got accepted to Mercer for this fall. They gave me intern status when the class of 2008 graduated at the beginning of May. My status transfers to Georgia as well. I'm a P1, and they have different pay grades as you go along.
Maybe the person you talked to was referring to the 4
th
year of residencies? Not sure. At any rate, you should be able to get hired on as a P1 intern no matter what they call it.
Good luck with the search.:luck:
 
So confused. What is actually a pharmacy intern? Does it vary by pharmacy? I also applied to hospitals (HUP and Jefferson in Philly) for intern positions and they aren't responding. Is this because I applied for the wrong position? Should I have applied for a pharmacy tech job? The job description didn't say anything about P3, but maybe they assumed that I knew that already...

Walgreens considers an intern those that are P3 or higher.. in other words they have been accepted into a school of pharmacy. If you are below that, you will likely be a technician until applying for and getting accepted to a school.
 
Walgreens considers P3 as the first professional pharmacy year on a P1-P6 scale. So if you are starting on a four year program you are a P3.
 
Pharmacy Student = Pharmacy Intern = Intern Pharmacist once license is issued by the State Board.
 
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I started getting intern pay once I got my intern license which was several months before pharmacy school started.
 
Alright thanks guys. The pharmacist at Walgreens told me tho that "pharmacy intern" refers to 5th year and above, but I guess he may have not had a clue about what he was talking about. Oh well, I submitted apps both for a tech and an intern, so I guess I'm safe either way. Otherwise I guess me applying as a pharm. intern everywhere else was fine.
 
I'm currently a manager at a Walgreens. Not sure what state you are in, but here in Illinois, all the interns we hire are interviewed by the district pharmacy supervisor, not a local pharmacist. As for the licensing question (in Illinois at least) anyone working in the pharmacy must at least have a tech license which is issued by the state. All you have to have is a high school diploma.
 
I live in California, and I just started working for Walgreens a few months ago. I was hired as a pharmacy intern even when I was still in my first year. My pay started out at $16.00 an hour, and then it's increased a dollar every pharmacy year. Interns can do almost anything a pharmacist can do technically right? Techs are a lot more limited than interns. Lol, though I'm quite unexperienced so I wouldn't say I'm doing more than the techs ^_^' It's also up to the discretion of the pharmacist you're working with.
 
Alright. Yeah here the interns are also hired by the district people (I am from DE applying to stores in PA).

And I'm pretty sure to be a tech here (DE anyway, not sure about PA), you don't need a license. Intern licenses I'm not sure about, but I guess I'll find out about those once I'll start my P1 next week.

16 bucks is really good money. I don't think they pay as well in Philly. I'll be satisfied with 12 or so.
 
I
nterns can do almost anything a pharmacist can do technically right? Techs are a lot more limited than intern

Legally (at least in IL), an intern and a tech are the same and have the same limitations by law. In practice, however, some pharmacists will give interns more responsibility than technicians (and allow things such as counseling, which are technically illegal)
 
I have been working as a PharmTech for walmart ( IL )for about two years and now that I am starting my P1 next week, they are saying that they will give me the intern pay only after I complete my P1 year!!! They made me work the entire summer telling that I will be an intern starting the first day of my P1 year!! Anyone getting intern pay being a P1 at a walmart pharmacy? I know that other chains give the intern status rightaway. It does not make sense to me. Help me please.
 
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