Advice for new grads with minimum retail experience! Don't Panic.

[Modest_anteater]

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At the University of Texas at Austin I noticed that a large percentage of 6th year grads have minimal experience in retail pharmacy outside of their IPPE and APPE experiences. I would put this at at least 40% of the new grads. I think it will make them less competitive compared to grads that have worked as grad interns or people that have worked in pharmacys as a technician for many years.

Here is my advice:

1. Concentrate on passing school / APPEs
2. After school is over in May immediately start working as a pharmacy tech in a pharmacy ideally as a Pharmacist Intern but any tech job is good.
3. Work this job full time as you study for the NAPLEX
4. Delay your NAPLEX test date by 6 months so that you can gain experience as a tech / pharmacist intern
5. when you pass your NAPLEX in December 2019 you will be in a better spot for an FE pharmacist job
6. if you fail the NAPLEX sign up for it in another 6 months and continue working full time as a technician.
7. Consider switching around the big three companies to get additional networking experience and exposure to different pharamcy systems.


Anyone else have any advice for these new grads with literally zero experience in retail? I'm just worried as I witnessed a new grad that did not even know how to change a NDC on a pulled drug to match the actual drug in stock.

Anyone else with advice for new grads with no experience please feel free to help out. Please keep it positive only and keep the trolling to a minimum. THanks everyone.

 

[mentos]

Why would you delay your test date by 6 months? They should get licensed ASAP and make as much as possible cause the juice is running on those loans. Plus don't the chains require you to be licensed or have your test date within 3 months now?

 

[Sine Cura]

My advice is don't think you are too good for retail.


I find it pretty rare to come across an intern I would actually hire based on their lack of alacrity and inability to foresee/mitigate commonly encountered problems before they occur. That would include myself when I was doing APPEs. When it's your ass on the line you tend to work with more accountability.

 

[Pharmacy is a Scam]

At the University of Texas at Austin I noticed that a large percentage of 6th year grads have minimal experience in retail pharmacy outside of their IPPE and APPE experiences. I would put this at at least 40% of the new grads. I think it will make them less competitive compared to grads that have worked as grad interns or people that have worked in pharmacys as a technician for many years.

Here is my advice:

1. Concentrate on passing school / APPEs
2. After school is over in May immediately start working as a pharmacy tech in a pharmacy ideally as a Pharmacist Intern but any tech job is good.
3. Work this job full time as you study for the NAPLEX
4. Delay your NAPLEX test date by 6 months so that you can gain experience as a tech / pharmacist intern
5. when you pass your NAPLEX in December 2019 you will be in a better spot for an FE pharmacist job
6. if you fail the NAPLEX sign up for it in another 6 months and continue working full time as a technician.
7. Consider switching around the big three companies to get additional networking experience and exposure to different pharamcy systems.


Anyone else have any advice for these new grads with literally zero experience in retail? I'm just worried as I witnessed a new grad that did not even know how to change a NDC on a pulled drug to match the actual drug in stock.

Anyone else with advice for new grads with no experience please feel free to help out. Please keep it positive only and keep the trolling to a minimum. THanks everyone.

I would defer on my loans as long as possible while signing up for a coding bootcamp. I’m actually seriously considering doing this myself because:
1. Job security
2. No additional debt burden
3. Able to move anywhere I want because this gives you transferrable skills across multiple industries, unlike pharmacy which is a super niched profession
4. The longer you wait post-graduation to make a switch like this, the harder. So for the new grads who are feeling the full effect of saturation in 2018, you have to look at yourself deep in the mirror, accept that the trends in this profession will not reverse itself for the next 20+ years, pull the plug and get out altogether instead of trying to explore alternative/non-traditional routes in pharmacy.

 

[BC_89]

At the University of Texas at Austin I noticed that a large percentage of 6th year grads have minimal experience in retail pharmacy outside of their IPPE and APPE experiences. I would put this at at least 40% of the new grads. I think it will make them less competitive compared to grads that have worked as grad interns or people that have worked in pharmacys as a technician for many years.

Here is my advice:

1. Concentrate on passing school / APPEs
2. After school is over in May immediately start working as a pharmacy tech in a pharmacy ideally as a Pharmacist Intern but any tech job is good.
3. Work this job full time as you study for the NAPLEX
4. Delay your NAPLEX test date by 6 months so that you can gain experience as a tech / pharmacist intern
5. when you pass your NAPLEX in December 2019 you will be in a better spot for an FE pharmacist job
6. if you fail the NAPLEX sign up for it in another 6 months and continue working full time as a technician.
7. Consider switching around the big three companies to get additional networking experience and exposure to different pharamcy systems.


Anyone else have any advice for these new grads with literally zero experience in retail? I'm just worried as I witnessed a new grad that did not even know how to change a NDC on a pulled drug to match the actual drug in stock.

Anyone else with advice for new grads with no experience please feel free to help out. Please keep it positive only and keep the trolling to a minimum. THanks everyone.

1) Absolutely

2) No on tech, yes on graduate intern up ‘til passing the NAPLEX.

3) Work as a graduate intern and apply for NAPLEX ASAP.

4) Never. Take that test so as to quickly work as a licensed pharmacist. Even if anyone did take you on as a tech (terrible investment), your bound by limited roles and duties as a tech. No counseling, no verifying. Thus is ripening for an unsuccessful transition of being hired in a competitive market (6 months of NOT demonstrating the role of a pharmacist).

5) You’ll be in a better spot even working prn for lower wages than waiting after a holiday season with 6 months of not reinforcing your degree and studies (referring to being limited with role as a tech).

6) If you fail, you best brush up, reevaluate your study habits, and take it again ASAP while retaining your job as an intern (Not a tech).

7) Exposure means nothing if the hiring DM realizes your a graduate that has spent over 6 months not experiencing your role as a pharmacist but as a tech. Your prone to mistakes and jeopardize the company unless you can come up with a better excuse than “decided to gain experience as a tech because I didn’t before school.”

Solid Advice for those graduating with no experience. Too late. Should’ve done all this before school as a tech and in school as an intern. Just pass the state MPJE with your NAPLEX and get a job anywhere to get experience. Show your worth then as time goes, meet your metrics and transfer to an area with a built resume reflecting your experience with your license in hand.

 

[Modest_anteater]

My advice is don't think you are too good for retail.


I find it pretty rare to come across an intern I would actually hire based on their lack of alacrity and inability to foresee/mitigate commonly encountered problems before they occur. That would include myself when I was doing APPEs. When it's your ass on the line you tend to work with more accountability.

My advice is don't think you are too good for retail.


I find it pretty rare to come across an intern I would actually hire based on their lack of alacrity and inability to foresee/mitigate commonly encountered problems before they occur. That would include myself when I was doing APPEs. When it's your ass on the line you tend to work with more accountability.

"alacrity " Good vocab word!

 

[Modest_anteater]

My advice is don't think you are too good for retail.


I find it pretty rare to come across an intern I would actually hire based on their lack of alacrity and inability to foresee/mitigate commonly encountered problems before they occur. That would include myself when I was doing APPEs. When it's your ass on the line you tend to work with more accountability.

I agree there is a difference between liking an intern or APPE student and actually hiring them as a pharmacist. When you are directly responsible for their work as a PIC, i feel like they are a lot more selective to who they hire. This is why I think new grads should seek employment in less competitive environments such as rural/remote areas far from pharmacy schools and high crime areas.

 

[Modest_anteater]

1) Absolutely

2) No on tech, yes on graduate intern up ‘til passing the NAPLEX.

3) Work as a graduate intern and apply for NAPLEX ASAP.

4) Never. Take that test so as to quickly work as a licensed pharmacist. Even if anyone did take you on as a tech (terrible investment), your bound by limited roles and duties as a tech. No counseling, no verifying. Thus is ripening for an unsuccessful transition of being hired in a competitive market (6 months of NOT demonstating the role of a pharmacist).

5) You’ll be in a better spot even working prn for lower wages than waiting after a holiday season with 6 months of not reinforcing your degree and studies (referring to being limited with role as a tech).

6) If you fail, you best brush up, reevaluate your study habits, and take it again ASAP while retaining your job as an intern (Not a tech).

7) Exposure means nothing if the hiring DM realizes your a graduate that has spent over 6 months not experiencing your role as a pharmacist but as a tech. Your prone to mistakes and jeopardize the company unless you can come up with a better excuse than “decided to gain experience as a tech because I didn’t before school.”

Solid Advice for those graduating with no experience. Too late. Should’ve done all this before school as a tech and in school as an intern. Just pass the state MPJE with your NAPLEX and get a job anywhere to get experience. Show your worth then as time goes, meet your metrics and transfer to an area with a built resume reflecting your experience with your license in hand.

"4) Never. Take that test so as to quickly work as a licensed pharmacist. Even if anyone did take you on as a tech (terrible investment), your bound by limited roles and duties as a tech. No counseling, no verifying. Thus is ripening for an unsuccessful transition of being hired in a competitive market (6 months of NOT demonstating the role of a pharmacist). "

Well the issue i have with this is say someone has ZERO experience in retail and they rush to take the NAPLEX pass it. Now they have a PharmD degree with ZERO experience and have just screwed themselves from getting a tech or intern position bc I don't think any pharmacy is going to hire a licensed pharmacist to work as a intern, ya know?

"Just pass the state MPJE with your NAPLEX and get a job anywhere to get experience."

so you think there are pharamacies that will take a chance on a new pharmD with literally zero experience in a pharmacy?

 

[BC_89]

so you think there are pharamacies that will take a chance on a new pharmD with literally zero experience in a pharmacy?

They’d have to (hence lower wages) presuming no experienced “licensed” pharmacist applied. This is because of the ability to counsel and verify that a tech never will do. That’s what the NAPLEX is testing. The ability to counsel, verify drug interactions, and make adjustments as need be. Someone who failed a minimum comp test cannot do it.

I’d rather take a brand new pharmacist that passed the NAPLEX than a pharmacist that had to work as a tech for 6 months and failed the NAPLEX at least once after graduation to get where there at. To each their own, but my license would be on the line if I kept them as an intern and they failed the test. I’d avoid them altogether due to options of applicants.

That’s the other issue as well. A lot of grads that never stepped in a pharmacy until IPPE / APPE rotations. I’ll pick my poison because in the end, saturation will claim what they’ll claim.

 

[TheBlaah]

"
Well the issue i have with this is say someone has ZERO experience in retail and they rush to take the NAPLEX pass it. Now they have a PharmD degree with ZERO experience and have just screwed themselves from getting a tech or intern position bc I don't think any pharmacy is going to hire a licensed pharmacist to work as a intern, ya know?

so you think there are pharamacies that will take a chance on a new pharmD with literally zero experience in a pharmacy?

If I saw a applicant with a 6 month employment as a grad intern, my first thought would be they probably failed the NAPLEX or MPJE, possibly multiple times based on that length of time. Although there's no way to know for certain, at least with a brand new PharmD, the possibility that they didn't fail the NAPLEX multiple times diminishes.

All in the meanwhile, if you even manage to get a grad intern position (which no company wants to give anyway unless you've already worked for them previously and have recommendations), you're getting paid at 50% pay, while the company has to pay nearly double a technician's pay for a glorified technician. Neither party is happy. Really, it's pretty terrible advice.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Get licensed as quickly as possible.

Don't wait 6 months and lose out on $50 to $60 an hour. Horrible advice.

Get retail experience before graduating, you had 6 years, plan ahead.

 

[Modest_anteater]

Get licensed as quickly as possible.

Don't wait 6 months and lose out on $50 to $60 an hour. Horrible advice.

Get retail experience before graduating, you had 6 years, plan ahead.

I'm not talking ideally. I'm talking about grads with zero experience, what to do to help them. I disagree with you that you should get licensed as fast as possible because you will be screwing yourself as you will be unable to get an intern position and I don't think many Corps. are hiring externally anymore...

 

[wagrxm2000]

I'm not talking ideally. I'm talking about grads with zero experience, what to do to help them. I disagree with you that you should get licensed as fast as possible because you will be screwing yourself as you will be unable to get an intern position and I don't think many Corps. are hiring externally anymore...

Again plan ahead

 

[Modest_anteater]

Again plan ahead

This is advice for current new grads not for people to find a time machine.

" If you are a new grad with no pharmacy experience prior then nobody will hire or put the energy unless you have connection."

 

[wagrxm2000]

This is advice for current new grads not for people to find a time machine.

" If you are a new grad with no pharmacy experience prior then nobody will hire or put the energy unless you have connection."

What part of plan ahead don't you understand? No one should be in this position.

 

[Pharmacy is a Scam]

I'm not talking ideally. I'm talking about grads with zero experience, what to do to help them. I disagree with you that you should get licensed as fast as possible because you will be screwing yourself as you will be unable to get an intern position and I don't think many Corps. are hiring externally anymore...

If the intent of this thread is to target new grads with no experience, then I have some advice as well: join a 3-6 month coding bootcamp and change careers to become a computer programmer. The opportunity cost of $12/hr is well worth the opportunities that lie ahead at the end of 6 months of bootcamp vs. 6 months of tech+NAPLEX.

 

[Modest_anteater]

What part of plan ahead don't you understand? No one should be in this position.

Did you even read my post. About 40% of students are in this position. So it's pretty inane when you say no one should be in this position when a large and significant amount of students are.

 

[Modest_anteater]

I think it would be better to get hired on as a grad intern and take the NAPLEX as late as the company will let you. They’ll say they want you licensed by September, for example, so test in August instead of June if you’re desperate to build some experience before becoming a licensed pharmacist. I'm pretty sure you can't work as a tech if you have a PharmD. You're a grad intern and pharmacies are required to insure you as such, which is a lot more expensive. It's kinda a catch 22. Delaying the NAPLX will run the juice on your loans but will get you time to get Pharm Intern status if you take the NAPLX then you get pharmD but may have screwed yourself with permanent unemployment due to not having ANY pharmacy experience.

Obviously the best way to get a job anywhere is to network.It’s so important to network during rotations and tap into those resources. I think that for the most part retail will hire new grads without experience if pharmacists are in demand in that area. But i'm not sure about this as stores seem to be not hiring externally anymore.

 

[BC_89]

This is advice for current new grads not for people to find a time machine.

" If you are a new grad with no pharmacy experience prior then nobody will hire or put the energy unless you have connection."

They will.

Mandated IPPE/APPE is still something (though doesn’t say much about the applicant). Again it all boils down to passing the min competent test in order to verify and counsel.

Many places would love to take advantage of these individuals on two factors:

1) They can mold them to what they want them to do like a robot.

2) Wages. Lower salary vs a seasoned pharmacist.

Plenty of graduates get prn and part time work without ever stepping foot in a pharmacy. However, as wagrxm2000 stated, there’s no excuse for graduates to be in this situation yet it happens. They still get jobs and should not push back taking the NAPLEX.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Did you even read my post. About 40% of students are in this position. So it's pretty inane when you say no one should be in this position when a large and significant amount of students are.

Where at any point did I say no one has in this situation?

I simply said plan ahead, no one should be in this situation.

Don't be a fool

 

[Modest_anteater]

They will.

Mandated IPPE/APPE is still something (though doesn’t say much about the applicant). Again it all boils down to passing the min competent test in order to verify and counsel.

Many places would love to take advantage of these individuals on two factors:

1) They can mold them to what they want them to do like a robot.

2) Wages. Lower salary vs a seasoned pharmacist.

Plenty of graduates get prn and part time work without ever stepping foot in a pharmacy. However, as wagrxm2000 stated, there’s no excuse for graduates to be in this situation yet it happens. They still get jobs and should not push back taking the NAPLEX.

Solid advice BC89 thanks

 

[JustFillIt]

Anyone else have any advice for these new grads with literally zero experience in retail? I'm just worried as I witnessed a new grad that did not even know how to change a NDC on a pulled drug to match the actual drug in

I’m curious... what exactly confused him about this?

Did he completely not understand that sandoz lisinopril 10mg is the same thing as mylan lisinopril 10mg?

Or - did he just not know how to do it in a computer system? The first would be pretty concerning, however the second scenario would be a simple lack of experience on a computer system.

I,myself, have had to have someone show me how to change an ndc in the system before. I did not think it reflected poorly on me at all. In fact if I was working on a new system and i was treated like an idiot for not knowing how to interchange an ndc I would think the opposite party are the dicks not me. Now if I did not think switching manufacturers was ok then I would expect a few crooked looks.

 

[JustFillIt]

At the University of Texas at Austin I noticed that a large percentage of 6th year grads have minimal experience in retail pharmacy outside of their IPPE and APPE experiences. I would put this at at least 40% of the new grads. I think it will make them less competitive compared to grads that have worked as grad interns or people that have worked in pharmacys as a technician for many years.

Here is my advice:

1. Concentrate on passing school / APPEs
2. After school is over in May immediately start working as a pharmacy tech in a pharmacy ideally as a Pharmacist Intern but any tech job is good.
3. Work this job full time as you study for the NAPLEX
4. Delay your NAPLEX test date by 6 months so that you can gain experience as a tech / pharmacist intern
5. when you pass your NAPLEX in December 2019 you will be in a better spot for an FE pharmacist job
6. if you fail the NAPLEX sign up for it in another 6 months and continue working full time as a technician.
7. Consider switching around the big three companies to get additional networking experience and exposure to different pharamcy systems.


Anyone else have any advice for these new grads with literally zero experience in retail? I'm just worried as I witnessed a new grad that did not even know how to change a NDC on a pulled drug to match the actual drug in stock.

Anyone else with advice for new grads with no experience please feel free to help out. Please keep it positive only and keep the trolling to a minimum. THanks everyone.

I am still curious about my previous question