Cali. PharmD looking for work question

[nguyennam]

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Hi all. I apologize before hand if this topic is discussed numerously. I recently graduated and got my license in California. Finding work is difficult hard. It should be expected because I am in southern CA. I am aiming to work in hospitals. Anyways I can't seem to get a straight answer searching online.

Can a Registered Pharmacist, in California, work as a technician? how about intern pharmacist? If yes, is the RPH license okay to fulfill requirements?

 

[MindGeek]

There was an entire thread about this from October in regards to Florida...
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/threads/pharmacy-jobs-need-advices.1165742/

Most said that even if it was legal because its not explicitly addressed in the statutes it's not a good idea.
Plus it looks bad unless it's for the company you were working for pre-RPh and they just haven't promoted you.

One big concern of mine that was not brought up in that thread was liability. Anyone suing you would argue that once you are licensed (in that state) you are a pharmacist and that pharmacist knowledge can't be separated from pharmacist actions, regardless of being payrolled as a tech. The chain's coverage would likely not cover you since you weren't on the rolls of pharmacists from HR. The pharmacist on duty and their personal malpractice insurance would likely take the brunt of it, but then they would just sue you for recovery. Too risky.

 

[gwarm01]

This board seems to be full of pharmacists that are willing to work as technicians. It's kind of worrying.

 

[steveysmith54]

This board seems to be full of pharmacists that are willing to work as technicians. It's kind of worrying.

Lol. Worries me too. When vocational schools are able to open pharmacy school, what can one expect

 

[deleted205891]

Seems like most of these threads are "I can't find a job, but I will only take the best jobs in the best locations". Yeah, maybe you should broaden your search to different settings and locations, or go part-time or per-diem.

 

[gwarm01]

Seems like most of these threads are "I can't find a job, but I will only take the best jobs in the best locations". Yeah, maybe you should broaden your search to different settings and locations, or go part-time or per-diem.

Willingness to move is a big thing. Different city, different state, different region. Whatever it takes. Sometimes you have to sacrifice to achieve your goals. Once you get experience it becomes a lot easier to find jobs.

 

[confettiflyer]

Hospital job in Southern California?

PGY-1 + experience or go home.

As for a licensed Rph working as a technician. Legally it could be allowed, but institutionally problematic as a hospital could take advantage of the situation with respect to tech:Rph ratio or utilize that person as a pharmacist without classifying them as such (working outside the job description, as it were). If an error were to occur, such scrutiny could bring to light a licensed Rph working in the capacity of an Rph but was failed to be brought to the institutional standard of Rph (standards and training).

Like hiring a licensed nurse as a janitor then having them care for patients without achieving local standards (yes, I know physicians are legally barred as employees of hospitals in CA).

As for the OP, that's useless. You'd be looked upon as a defective pharmacist and be continually passed over. You'd also make more money working at Dave and Buster's as a server by night and an Uber driver by day, if money is the issue.

So a situation like that would yield you the worst of both worlds...no money and useless work experience for your eventual goal.

Advice: move to Visalia

 

[Lnsean]

This board seems to be full of pharmacists that are willing to work as technicians. It's kind of worrying.

Like for real....what kind of thought process does that even entail? I don't get it.

 

[pharmgirl2440]

Hi all. I apologize before hand if this topic is discussed numerously. I recently graduated and got my license in California. Finding work is difficult hard. It should be expected because I am in southern CA. I am aiming to work in hospitals. Anyways I can't seem to get a straight answer searching online.

Can a Registered Pharmacist, in California, work as a technician? how about intern pharmacist? If yes, is the RPH license okay to fulfill requirements?

My friends who got hospital jobs as a new grad got them in South Texas in the valley near Mexico. You work a few years there and get experience and then maybe be able to move to a more desirable part of town. I know one girl who got a hospital job in a more desirable town by tailoring her resume to look more clinical and including her projects as a student. There are also temp jobs as a way to get your foot in the door and try to contact recruiters. The odds are stacked against you tho for hospital unless you wanna move.

 

[Doc Hawaii]

I will echo the above thoughts, seems like licensed new grads willing to move have been able to find full time hospital work in California without residency or much (if any) experience. Fitting into a team, surviving co-workers/corporate politics can be real challenges after landing a position.

Read this interesting article in the LA Times from this past week:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-obamacare-profits-20151209-story.html

 

[nguyennam]

Thanks for the reply and information. I am definitely trying to convince myself to go to other less desirable cities. It's just difficult because everything in my life, outside of pharmacy, is here.

 

[confettiflyer]

Thanks for the reply and information. I am definitely trying to convince myself to go to other less desirable cities. It's just difficult because everything in my life, outside of pharmacy, is here.

So is everyone else's, which is why you can't find a job.

 

[steveysmith54]

So is everyone else's, which is why you can't find a job.

I think if the income based repayment systems didn't exist we'd have less of these problems.

 

[confettiflyer]

I think if the income based repayment systems didn't exist we'd have less of these problems.

I think that's valid for outside of CA, where there's a sharp divergence with retail > hospital pay; but it's flip flopped here, or about even (maybe slightly less if you take into account discounted stocks or something + discount on retail items)... so given that compensation is even, there will be more pressure on the job with a better work environment, hence the extreme difficulty in obtaining hospital work right after graduation.

 

[BidingMyTime]

On a similar tangent--pharmacists wanting to work as technicians, what is with the fear of new grads not wanting to take the NAPLEX? I've seen several interns/externs over the past few years that were graduating in May and not planning to take NAPLEX for 6 or more months (or had graduated several months before and still hadn't taken NAPLEX.) Why would they want to keep working for tech/intern wages when they could take the test and move up to pharmacist (is is they are scared they won't be able to find a pharmacist job, and then they will lose their tech/intern job?)

 

[PharmtoCS]

On a similar tangent--pharmacists wanting to work as technicians, what is with the fear of new grads not wanting to take the NAPLEX? I've seen several interns/externs over the past few years that were graduating in May and not planning to take NAPLEX for 6 or more months (or had graduated several months before and still hadn't taken NAPLEX.) Why would they want to keep working for tech/intern wages when they could take the test and move up to pharmacist (is is they are scared they won't be able to find a pharmacist job, and then they will lose their tech/intern job?)

Many people that I know seem very nervous about passing the test and want to study for as much as possible before they take it.

 

[steveysmith54]

I think that's valid for outside of CA, where there's a sharp divergence with retail > hospital pay; but it's flip flopped here, or about even (maybe slightly less if you take into account discounted stocks or something + discount on retail items)... so given that compensation is even, there will be more pressure on the job with a better work environment, hence the extreme difficulty in obtaining hospital work right after graduation.

When I graduated, I took all and any of the jobs that I could find bc I had a 100+K plus loans starring at me. I didn't care about the location, shift, or type of pharmacy, I just needed money. I don't see motivation or urgency from a lot of the new grads. I wonder if it's bc of the income based repayment programs.

 

[confettiflyer]

When I graduated, I took all and any of the jobs that I could find bc I had a 100+K plus loans starring at me. I didn't care about the location, shift, or type of pharmacy, I just needed money. I don't see motivation or urgency from a lot of the new grads. I wonder if it's bc of the income based repayment programs.

I don't think it's the whole reason, maybe 10-20% of the decision making, at most. If you have a highly indebted student who has access to their parents' house (free rent), an old car that was probably gifted from undergrad (free transportation), that'll play a bigger role (it's a more immediate need, too). Remember students get 6 months post-graduation as a grace period so student loan payments don't come into play until ~January anyway.

I mean, I get it, if you have all three, that's a nice comfortable way to live...it'd drive me nuts though. I don't knock people for taking advantage of what they have available, but... 6 months of unemployment is a long time, in the meantime, the guy/girl who took the crap job is now 6 months ahead of you and looking to come back home, AND in another 6 months, new graduates with existing relationships with employers are starting to come through the pipe. Basically, the world passes you by!

 

[confettiflyer]

On a similar tangent--pharmacists wanting to work as technicians, what is with the fear of new grads not wanting to take the NAPLEX? I've seen several interns/externs over the past few years that were graduating in May and not planning to take NAPLEX for 6 or more months (or had graduated several months before and still hadn't taken NAPLEX.) Why would they want to keep working for tech/intern wages when they could take the test and move up to pharmacist (is is they are scared they won't be able to find a pharmacist job, and then they will lose their tech/intern job?)

I haven't seen this happening on my end, most of my graduates are jonesin' to take their test soon after graduation (though most are nervous because, well, it's their licensing exam).

It just doesn't make sense. Some employers won't even look at you without a valid RPh license.

 

[owlegrad]

Eh, if you have a job as an intern at half pharmacists salary with like essentially 0% of the responsibility, I can see not being in a big hurry to license up. (I took the soonest date after my ATT that was available though)