About working at a Pharmacy

[Snoopy0717]

I know that most Pharmacy students usually work at a Pharmacy but i was wondering is it really a requirement? I know a few people that do work at a Pharmacy but they work about 30 hrs a week and for me personally i am unable to work that much. I was wondering if anyone has heard of a pharmacy that takes part timers about 20 hrs. a week?

Also when do you guys suggest applying and taking the PCAT before you plan to go to Pharmacy school?

Thanks

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[mattc_85]

Working in a pharmacy is not an absolute must have. It is good to have in order to get an idea of what pharmacy is really like. However, you can get this from volunteering or shadowing.
While I was doing pre-reqs I worked part time at a hospital for about 24 hours a week. I would suggest actually going in and talking to the pharmacists rather than just submitting an application.
As far as applying, do it early! The earlier the better, especially if your schools do rolling admissions.
I don't know the current format of the PCAT but when I took it in 04 I hadn't had Organic or Micro yet and did fine on it. I would recommend taking it after organic and pre-cal or calculus, that's just me though. Everyone recommends something different!
Good Luck!

 

[Scrubs Fan]

I know that most Pharmacy students usually work at a Pharmacy but i was wondering is it really a requirement? I know a few people that do work at a Pharmacy but they work about 30 hrs a week and for me personally i am unable to work that much. I was wondering if anyone has heard of a pharmacy that takes part timers about 20 hrs. a week?

Also when do you guys suggest applying and taking the PCAT before you plan to go to Pharmacy school?

Thanks

i'm gonna assume you're talking about Pharmacy students as in currently enrolled in a program. With that said, You don't necessarily have to work in a pharmacy (could vary w/ school) while in a program. However, students choose to work in a pharmacy b/c they need to rack up a certain number of hours interning before taking their board exams. How many hours you want to work while you go to school is up to you, but you'll have to find some time to get in those intern hours before you take your boards.
if a pharmacy hires you as an intern, i'm sure they will be flexible w/ you since you are a student too.

 

[mike36]

i'm gonna assume you're talking about Pharmacy students as in currently enrolled in a program. With that said, You don't necessarily have to work in a pharmacy (could vary w/ school) while in a program. However, students choose to work in a pharmacy b/c they need to rack up a certain number of hours interning before taking their board exams. How many hours you want to work while you go to school is up to you, but you'll have to find some time to get in those intern hours before you take your boards.
if a pharmacy hires you as an intern, i'm sure they will be flexible w/ you since you are a student too.

I think it will depend on what state you are in. In Texas, we have to complete 200 hours in a pharmacy AFTER P1, but BEFORE P4 years. It's called early practice experience.

 

[mattc_85]

Yeah, if you are talking about working while in school you will have to check with the schools you are interested in. At UK our practice ours required for licensure are built into rotations that we during the 4 years.

 

[Snoopy0717]

Oh okaii i understand better..Thank you everyone for your opinion. The schools i am interested in are in Florida since i live there..but i will definitely look into it.

Oh also what study programs do you suggest to study for the PCAT?

 

[mattc_85]

I bought the Barron's and Kaplan book. i didn't really use them though. I just went through old class notes and that was plenty of information.

 

[Snoopy0717]

Also to get into Pharmacy school does anyone know exactly what they are looking for? Like job experience, extracurricular activities, grades in particular subjects?

Also do all Pharmacy schools have the same pre req's?
What kind of questions do you actually get in the PCAT because I know someone who studied for it a lot and totally failed it but don't know why he did so bad. So i was just wondering if it was difficult.

 

[deutsch]

you have to check each specific pharmacy school prerequisites. i believe they differ in a couple of courses.

 

[Scrubs Fan]

Oh okaii i understand better..Thank you everyone for your opinion. The schools i am interested in are in Florida since i live there..but i will definitely look into it.

Oh also what study programs do you suggest to study for the PCAT?

i used a friends old kaplan book (2005 i think) and just plowed through the material. give yourself lots of time to study, and do lots of practice questions (esp when you time yourself)
i did fairly well, just had one bad section,

 

[choylifut]

I didn't want to create a new thread and thought my question would best fit under this thread, although there's no relation to the original question.

I've been volunteering at a teaching hospital and I know I can't do very much hands-on, but I feel soooo bored being there. It was fun shadowing the pharmacists the first couple of times and I did go on rounds with one pharmacist was who gracious enough to show me around, but I feel like I'm just taking up space in the pharmacy.

I'm wondering for those who have had a good shadowing experience at the hospital, what do you suggest I do when I'm volunteering at the hospital. Should I focus on something particular besides how the operation is run. I just see Techs filling cassettes and pharmacist verifying them before they're delivered to the individual floors throughout the hospital. I also watch pharmacists enter orders and do a weekly inventory count on narcotics.

I sometimes feel like I'm their supervisor watching over their shoulders. Some pharmacists have rumored to claim that they feel uncomfortable with me watching them, even though I've told them I'm ONLY shadowing.

Any advice is great! thanks!