Who PREFERS RETAIL pharmacy over hospital/non-traditional settings, and why?

[SClENCE]

Hospital is MORE competitive AND has less pay. And on top of that you have to have more drug knowledge and clinical skills. The obvious disadvantage in retail is dealing with ******* customers, district managers pushing metrics, and low tech hours.

If you enjoy retail and/or are able to find a good store/company with good techs I see no reason to pass up the higher pay. Plus with most companies I believe it's mainly the PIC who has to deal with metrics anyways, not so much the staff pharms.

I'v only had experience in retail, and honestly the only aspects that I really hate are ringing up customers which you shouldn't have to do much anyways as the pharmacist

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[confettiflyer]

Hospital is MORE competitive AND has less pay.

Not always, for both.

 

[SClENCE]

Not always, for both.

In general. I remember on my interview day at pharmacy school... EVERY single student that I spoke to says they plan on doing a residency and going into hospital. This suprised me considering that... what... 70% of jobs are in retail? (or as the pharmacy schools like to call it... "community pharmacy")

 

[confettiflyer]

In general. I remember on my interview day at pharmacy school... EVERY single student that I spoke to says they plan on doing a residency and going into hospital. This suprised me considering that... what... 70% of jobs are in retail? (or as the pharmacy schools like to call it... "community pharmacy")

Haha, well what do you expect from a bunch of wide-eyed bushy tailed not-even-1st-year-pharmacy-students?

 

[Digsbe]

I like interacting with patients, helping them with their health needs and of course the money is better on average for retail. I'm more clinically focused right now as a student but if I had to pick between retail or a hospital job in the basement with no patient interaction I'd prob go with retail.

 

[awval999]

Not always, for both.

Minus your NorCal Republic, average retail > average hospital RPh salary in the rest of the good ole' USA.

 

[FarmD711]

Minus your NorCal Republic, average retail > average hospital RPh salary in the rest of the good ole' USA.

And it's often not even close. I work retail full time and per diem at a hospital. I was offered full time at the hospital and declined because it was a 35k/year difference.

 

[Dred Pirate]

And it's often not even close. I work retail full time and per diem at a hospital. I was offered full time at the hospital and declined because it was a 35k/year difference.

agreed retail is almost always more, but when you figure in some of the "extras" it is closer. I made an additional 8% in shift differential/holiday pay last year. Plus I get 7 weeks PDO compared to 3 weeks I would get in retail with same experience (7 years).

I took a 15% pay cut to go to a hospital - in reality about 7% - but figure an extra month of paid time off - and thant makes up the difference.

 

[confettiflyer]

Minus your NorCal Republic, average retail > average hospital RPh salary in the rest of the good ole' USA.

Thank the kale gods for California.

 

[awval999]

agreed retail is almost always more, but when you figure in some of the "extras" it is closer. I made an additional 8% in shift differential/holiday pay last year. Plus I get 7 weeks PDO compared to 3 weeks I would get in retail with same experience (7 years).

I took a 15% pay cut to go to a hospital - in reality about 7% - but figure an extra month of paid time off - and thant makes up the difference.

Totally agree. I get 5.6 weeks of PTO in hospital. And since this year is my 5 year anniversary I will soon by earning 6.6 weeks. Work only two holidays a year. So averages out to ~6 weeks PTO and 4 holidays off this year. AMAZING.

 

[confettiflyer]

Totally agree. I get 5.6 weeks of PTO in hospital. And since this year is my 5 year anniversary I will soon by earning 6.6 weeks. Work only two holidays a year. So averages out to ~6 weeks PTO and 4 holidays off this year. AMAZING.

Sweet deal. My first year I started with 4 weeks/yr and it'll rise again at year 3. Same set up with holidays but because of differential, people tend to fight for those holiday shifts and take vacations during off-season time...except Christmas.