Best way to find a volunteer job or pharm clerk position in Southern California?

[prepharmnoob84]

Hello helpful prepharm & pharm students

I know this is the most repetitive question ever but all the past threads related to this question was from 2-4 years ago and I know much has changed since then.

I am also a prepharm student living in the south bay so. cal, trying to get their feet in the door. At first I wanted to find the best way to find a pharm clerk position/cashier at a hospital/indep or retail pharmacy but it seems as though that is near impossible so I'd have better luck just trying to volunteer, although I really need a paying job due to living expenses!

What is the best way to go about finding a volunteer job at a local hospital/independent pharmacy/retail pharmacy? And also, when I go to a hospital, do they require a resume as well or no? Thanks guys!

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[PrePharmi]

I am in the same boat...would really appreciate some guidance on this as well. I've tried to volunteer at Kaiser recently, and was told that they usually admit people based on internal requests. Definitely makes it really hard to get in so I'm not sure what to do or where to start.

 

[Beet Pharmer]

Hey, I'm in socal too. I was in the same boat as you guys and I'll share some things that I learned.
Retails stores will generally not let you volunteer/shadow at their pharmacy. The only way you can accomplish that is if you know a pharmacist that can kinda sneak you in there. The biggest thing here is liability. The stores don't want to be held responsible if anything goes wrong while you're there.
Hospitals are similar when it comes to these liability issues. They want to keep away as many people from the drugs as they can. If you have time (More than a few months) you can start volunteering at a hospital in any area. Once you're settled and the staff more or less knows you you can request a transfer to the pharmacy. They are usually pretty good with the requests. The most important thing is having some volunteer time under your belt.
Also keep in mind that nearly all big hospitals (Kaiser, Cedars, UCLA, etc.) have volunteer application deadlines and orientation dates. You can't just show up and expect to start volunteering. If you miss the deadlines you generally have to wait a few months before the next application cycle begins.

The next best thing I can suggest is getting your Pharm Tech license and applying for PharmTech/Pharmacy Clerk positions.

 

[prepharmnoob84]

Thanks so much for your responses guys~

if you dont mind me asking beet, did you obtain your pharm tech certif?
and are you about to apply soon?

 

[Beet Pharmer]

Applying to pharm school you mean? I'm applying this summer yes
I do not have my tech license yet but I'm studying for it and going to take it in a few weeks. Just gotta get my conversions and protocols down and should be good to go.

 

[cjflahave]

Thanks so much for your responses guys~

if you dont mind me asking beet, did you obtain your pharm tech certif?
and are you about to apply soon?

You can buy a study guide and take the test. The test is held by the Pharmacy Tech Certification Board (PTCB). You sign up and take the test like you would for the PCAT.

 

[JJVmom]

If you are near Camp Pendleton, talk to the American Red Cross. I volunteered there and loved it. It did take a while to get processed though b/c you have to go through ARC orientation, offered monthly, get processed, get shots cleared... Good luck!