Anyone else love working as a pharmacist for Wal-mart?

[Dysic]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

I've been working as a staff pharmacist for Wal-mart for about 1 month. Before that, I was hired as a grad intern and worked for about 1 month before transitioning to a pharmacist position. My store recently opened June 2012 and so the script count is still relatively low (~80-100/day)...but we are increasing our business at a rapid rate.

Here's a concise pro's/con's list of the job from my perspective.

Pro's
* competitive pay ($65/hour for a new hire pharmacist...although I am in a relatively hard to hire area)
* Connexus is the best pharmacy system I've used (very intuitive)
* Great tech/clerk help (we have 2 full time techs, 1 part time tech, 1 part time clerk)...and we will increase staff as needed
* $4 generics for 1 month, $10 generics for 3 months (it's nice to work for a company with this kind of buying power (no insurance? no problem!) -- although that will change soon with the new healthcare reform
* 1 hour lunches
* pharmacist-only bathroom in the pharmacy
* 12 hour shifts (but pharmacists get overtime pay after working 8 hours)
* forfeit 2nd lunch (but pharmacists can eat/drink in the pharmacy)

Con's
* wal-mart is known for attracting a lot of "trashy" customers (I personally have no problem with them)
* wal-mart underpays front end employees (also techs/clerks) = unsatisfied coworkers
* pharmacist get sent to HQ for training in Arkansas if you make too many mistakes

I love my job and I look forward to going into work every morning. Of course, there are busy/stressful moments...but for the most part it is pretty easy going and I have a great time socializing with my coworkers. I'm not naive enough to believe the job will be like this forever. Eventually script count will increase, but I think we will still be staffed well with the ancillary support (relative to other major retailers).

If you work for wal-mart, I would love to hear your input/experience! If you work for another retailer....also let us know your experiences thus far!

 

[Jibby321]

I've been working as a staff pharmacist for Wal-mart for about 1 month. Before that, I was hired as a grad intern and worked for about 1 month before transitioning to a pharmacist position. My store recently opened June 2012 and so the script count is still relatively low (~80-100/day)...but we are increasing our business at a rapid rate.

Here's a concise pro's/con's list of the job from my perspective.

Pro's
* competitive pay ($65/hour for a new hire pharmacist...although I am in a relatively hard to hire area)
* Connexus is the best pharmacy system I've used (very intuitive)
* Great tech/clerk help (we have 2 full time techs, 1 part time tech, 1 part time clerk)...and we will increase staff as needed
* $4 generics for 1 month, $10 generics for 3 months (it's nice to work for a company with this kind of buying power (no insurance? no problem!) -- although that will change soon with the new healthcare reform
* 1 hour lunches
* pharmacist-only bathroom in the pharmacy
* 12 hour shifts (but pharmacists get overtime pay after working 8 hours)
* forfeit 2nd lunch (but pharmacists can eat/drink in the pharmacy)

Con's
* wal-mart is known for attracting a lot of "trashy" customers (I personally have no problem with them)
* wal-mart underpays front end employees (also techs/clerks) = unsatisfied coworkers
* pharmacist get sent to HQ for training in Arkansas if you make too many mistakes

I love my job and I look forward to going into work every morning. Of course, there are busy/stressful moments...but for the most part it is pretty easy going and I have a great time socializing with my coworkers. I'm not naive enough to believe the job will be like this forever. Eventually script count will increase, but I think we will still be staffed well with the ancillary support (relative to other major retailers).

If you work for wal-mart, I would love to hear your input/experience! If you work for another retailer....also let us know your experiences thus far!

I have worked as a tech for the past 2 years at wm and it has been awesome. I currently am a 1PD and my market manager was very helpful in transitioning me to intern status since I still work once a week while in school.
Although you are a slow store when your script count increases they will give you more tech help and if you get high enough you will get pharmacists help. A few stores in my area have 3 to 3.5 phamacists.

You forgot to mention the bonus structure for pharmacy managers and how it's awesome when you make your metrics.

I worked for cvs for 1 year and that company is horrible to both techs and pharmacists.

 

[thephoenician88]

i should apply to walmart

 

[ThunderThighs]

I've been working as a staff pharmacist for Wal-mart for about 1 month. Before that, I was hired as a grad intern and worked for about 1 month before transitioning to a pharmacist position. My store recently opened June 2012 and so the script count is still relatively low (~80-100/day)...but we are increasing our business at a rapid rate.

Here's a concise pro's/con's list of the job from my perspective.

Pro's
* competitive pay ($65/hour for a new hire pharmacist...although I am in a relatively hard to hire area)
* Connexus is the best pharmacy system I've used (very intuitive)
* Great tech/clerk help (we have 2 full time techs, 1 part time tech, 1 part time clerk)...and we will increase staff as needed
* $4 generics for 1 month, $10 generics for 3 months (it's nice to work for a company with this kind of buying power (no insurance? no problem!) -- although that will change soon with the new healthcare reform
* 1 hour lunches
* pharmacist-only bathroom in the pharmacy
* 12 hour shifts (but pharmacists get overtime pay after working 8 hours)
* forfeit 2nd lunch (but pharmacists can eat/drink in the pharmacy)

Con's
* wal-mart is known for attracting a lot of "trashy" customers (I personally have no problem with them)
* wal-mart underpays front end employees (also techs/clerks) = unsatisfied coworkers
* pharmacist get sent to HQ for training in Arkansas if you make too many mistakes

I love my job and I look forward to going into work every morning. Of course, there are busy/stressful moments...but for the most part it is pretty easy going and I have a great time socializing with my coworkers. I'm not naive enough to believe the job will be like this forever. Eventually script count will increase, but I think we will still be staffed well with the ancillary support (relative to other major retailers).

If you work for wal-mart, I would love to hear your input/experience! If you work for another retailer....also let us know your experiences thus far!

wow that sounds amazing. but do you really need a 1 hr lunch break? sounds like a waste of time, especially if you're not even busting your ass. and it gets taken out of your paycheck, I assume.

 

[e92 M3]

wow that sounds amazing. but do you really need a 1 hr lunch break? sounds like a waste of time, especially if you're not even busting your ass. and it gets taken out of your paycheck, I assume.

Not sure if this is across the board but as a per diem rph for Wal-Mart i get the hour lunch paid. Also get paid extra for working Sundays.

Another pro is we don't have to do flu shots, at least not yet.

 

[trailerpark]

What's the hard to hire area you're in?

 

[sosoo]

what are some employee benefits? like 401k, espp, vacations, etc.??

also i believe theres employee discounts for shopping at walmart at already low price. and they have everything.