Accepted now my next worry....

[cutiger]

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I just got accepted last week to start pharmacy school in August. I've never worked in a pharmacy before, does anyone recommend working as a pharm tech during school? It'd be nice to make some money while being in school, just didn't know how time consuming both would be.

 

[BlueCrayon]

I just got accepted last week to start pharmacy school in August. I've never worked in a pharmacy before, does anyone recommend working as a pharm tech during school? It'd be nice to make some money while being in school, just didn't know how time consuming both would be.

I was wondering the exact same thing myself...I've been at the same job doing research for a long time and am planning on quitting in July to start school in Aug, but I was also thinking it might be a good idea to try to work as a pharm tech or something to get some experience. I was one of those people that got accepted with only having a few dozen hours of retail shadowing experience.

 

[SpirivaSunrise]

By all means, yes! The amount you'll be able to work during the school year will depend solely on you and how much you can handle. Some can only take on a few hours, some a lot more. But regardless of whether you need the cash, I would strongly suggest working during pharmacy school. Find something that interests you and challenges you...whether it be community, an IV tech, home infusion...anything. What you learn in the classroom is good stuff...but nothing beats the experience you get in the real word.

 

[BlueCrayon]

By all means, yes! The amount you'll be able to work during the school year will depend solely on you and how much you can handle. Some can only take on a few hours, some a lot more. But regardless of whether you need the cash, I would strongly suggest working during pharmacy school. Find something that interests you and challenges you...whether it be community, an IV tech, home infusion...anything. What you learn in the classroom is good stuff...but nothing beats the experience you get in the real word.

(not to hijack this thread cutiger, but...sorry)
I'm not yet sure exactly how UB does things, but I thought someone told me that you were required to do various rotations throughout the whole program to get so many hours of work experience...not to sure how to mix together classes, rotations AND a job too! Maybe the first summer off I could try to work in a pharmacy.

 

[WVUPharm2007]

Yeah, get a job. Interns get paid rather well...

 

[Sevarious]

Definitely try to work, at least during the summer. Now that you are enrolled in a pharmacy school you should be able to start accruing intern hours. You'll need a certain amount (it varies by state) in order to take your board exams. Make sure you apply for an pharmacy intern license. Check your state's Board of Pharmacy website to see what you have to do, its usually not very hard.

Other then that, good luck finding a job. The difficulty of pharmacy technician/intern job hunting varies depending on your locale. Generally the farther away from a pharmacy school you are looking the easier it is to get a job.

 

[S_R_N83]

In PA for instance, you can start working towards your 750 hours before you start pharmacy school, as long as you are accepted and have an agreement between the work place and the school.

In this case, since you haven't started school yet, do you just do typical tech work, or are you going to also do some things an "intern" would do even though you haven't learned anything in school yet?

 

[rxlynn]

In PA for instance, you can start working towards your 750 hours before you start pharmacy school, as long as you are accepted and have an agreement between the work place and the school.

In this case, since you haven't started school yet, do you just do typical tech work, or are you going to also do some things an "intern" would do even though you haven't learned anything in school yet?

In my experience this varies depending on two things: 1) state law where you are in terms of what techs/interns can and can't do and 2) the comfort level the pharmacist has with your skills

I had been a tech for >5 years before I started pharmacy school, so as soon as I was an intern my pharmacist started letting me transfer and take Rxs over the phone. However, he worked with another of my classmates who had no tech experience, and that intern wasn't allowed to do some of the things I did, at least initially.

 

[patmcd]

In PA for instance, you can start working towards your 750 hours before you start pharmacy school, as long as you are accepted and have an agreement between the work place and the school.

In this case, since you haven't started school yet, do you just do typical tech work, or are you going to also do some things an "intern" would do even though you haven't learned anything in school yet?

How much you can do as intern really depends on your state. Im sure your school could help you with that.

 

[KARM12]

I would say that the majority of students work during school. Some may only do 4 hours/wk and some all the way up over 20 hours/wk. It all depends on what you can handle with your school work and job...and every one is different. I think my second year I only worked like 4-6hrs/week....and my 3rd/4th year I was working like 18 hrs/wk.

I would recommend working somewhere even if only a few hrs a week. You will learn a lot to supplement your education. This will make it easier for when you start rotations because you will have been assisting a pharmacist for a few yrs already so you are at least comfortable with being in that setting. Experience is experience regardless if it is retail or hospital. They are different practices, but it is good to experience at least one before you start rotations.

 

[evilolive]

I just got accepted last week to start pharmacy school in August. I've never worked in a pharmacy before, does anyone recommend working as a pharm tech during school? It'd be nice to make some money while being in school, just didn't know how time consuming both would be.

Welcome to the club, sister. It's not fun when everyone else knows the name of 100 drugs when you are still asking how to pronounce it 🙁

 

[Alby]

I am in the same situation.

I got a job as a technician (in training) to help my application... a week later I found out I was accepted to pharmacy school. However, I kept the job- even though I work 40+ hours elsewhere. While in training, I have been working 21 hours a week, but hope to turn that down a notch now. I am really glad that I kept the job... I will be able to work as an intern as soon as I start pharmacy school which will give me great experience- even though I do not plan on a career in community pharmacy. I can't imagine working as an intern in retial without any experience- talk about being thrown to the wolves!

I say go for it!

 

[Hels2007]

I definitely recommend working during school... not only will it help financially, it will help you do better at school (if you make an effort to get something out of it, of course - but I counseled all my patients, having worked in a very upscale area with mostly elderly patients, and they were very willing to discuss their side effects and whether the drug worked for them, and I had the regulars who came during my shifts, and it's a great experience wiht OTC counseling, OTCs are something you would not study much at school). It will also give you real world experience that will make classes like US healthcare system, pharmacy management, etc. make a lot more sense for you; for someone who is just studying them as a theory they seem like a waste of time - but if you have some real-world prior knowledge, it's actually useful. It will also give you an edge when on rotations and when applying for a job, even if the job is in a different area.

Good luck, and congratulations on your acceptances, everyone!

 

[Pianopooh]

I wouldn't work during school year because I think it's more important to do well and focus with school. But by all means, do work and get a taste of the pharmacy. It'll help you get ready for pharmacy school and future classes. A lot of the drug generics, chemical and brand names come in handy when you get into pharmacy classes. Grats and good luck!

 

[labrat024]

I was also accepted to pharmacy school without previous pharmacy experience. I thought it would be a good idea to start working at a pharmacy to gain experience and exposure to drug names and their generic equivalents, pharmacy calculations, sig codes, etc. So I have been working at Walgreens for a couple of months now for two days a week (while working my full-time job).....that means 7 days of work a week. There is always new things to learn everyday....it doesn't stop. I figured that the tech experience will help me be a much more efficient pharmacist when I graduate....that is if I choose to pursue retail in the end. Personally, I think clinical sounds like the way to go if you want to be challenged and actually use the knowledge gained from your extensive education. I figured this experience will provide some basic pharmacy skills and perhaps seal my thoughts on NOT pursuing retail pharmacy. So far retail isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I just think that the pharmacists don't really do much more than verify scripts and stuff like that.....not a whole lot of counseling or brain using.....sad.

 

[BelowTheMean]

My advice is GO TO WORK FAST and see how much you like this because all isnt what it appears to be. You might be like the many classmates I have that find out pharmacy is pretty much bs to what they thought and so they quit and do something else. If I did work at a pharmacy before I got accepted, I would definitely say that I would not apply and be a pharmacist. I do regret not doing other things but since I'm pretty much done by this summer, I just have to remain on course. So PLEASE, do yourself a great favor and see what REAL pharmacy is like before you devote your whole life to it. OUT.