CVS Internship Question/Advice

[SClENCE]

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I have been working as a tech at CVS for about 1 year now and I am starting my first year of pharmacy school in August. The PIC told me that I needed to apply to the CVS internship program so I did.

Here's the situation. First of all the CVS that I'm at is close to my home but an hour from my pharmacy school where I'll be living. My intention was to just work through the summer as an intern and not work during school. I was willing to make the drive to my store to work a weekend each month through school to stay on payroll if necessary.

The problem is that the email I received states that I need to work 4-8 hours per week. This means that staying at my current store is not really feasible as I would be wasting study time every weekend to barely pay for my gas. I could transfer to a CVS closer to my school - but the whole point of me even working through school to begin with was just to stay on payroll for my summer position so when summer rolls around I would have to transfer back to the other CVS so this would just be a pain in the ass

So what should I do?

1. Quit and reapply every summer at my current store
-Would this mean I have to complete 10 million modules and go to training classes/get drug tested/finger printed and all that crap every summer?
2. Just ask my PIC if I can work 1 weekend a month and ignore the email
3. Transfer between the two CVS stores every summer basically to avoid quitting which I'm not doing

I'm not saying that I can't work through school, I simply don't think it's worth my time and I flat out don't want to. 4-8 hours a week is barely any money and eats into free time/study time - and seeing as I'v already been at CVS for a year I really wouldn't be learning a significant amount through the intern program.

 

[zelman]

2

Or find a store that needs 4 hours of help per week near school (maybe help putting truck away or whatever) and just work those hours. You don't need to transfer to work at another store.

 

[SClENCE]

That is what I was thinking. I'm going to talk to PIC tomorrow. Maybe just work the one weekend a month and if they decide to bi*** about my hours I can just pick up hours and not actually transfer. Good idea thanks!

 

[M0df]

I have not seen any sup enforce 10-15 hours a week rule. I would just do the transfer so the person doing the myschedule can schedule you appropriately. It takes 2 minutes for store manager to do it in the system. But if you want to do once a week thing, that would work too. Your problem is that some sups might take interviewing interns very seriously.

 

[SClENCE]

I know my DM and PIC don't really care and just wanted me to apply and not quit - but I am under the impression that the phone interview is with an "intern coordinator". No idea what this is all about.

 

[owlegrad]

The intern coordinators are all bark and no bite in my experience. I don't think it would be hard to find a store to do a few hours a week without transferring, but I also don't think you will be removed from payroll for "just" doing one weekend a month either.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Ask your PIC if you can work an 8 hour shift every two weeks, or a full weekend every month to meet your quota.

Seeing as you have yet to start pharmacy school, i think you overestimate what free time and study time you will need. If 4 hours a week takes a hit on your study and free time then you'll have a rough road ahead after 1st year.

 

[SClENCE]

I was told in the phone interview that I just needed to work 1 shift every 120 days so problem solved

 

[zelman]

I was told in the phone interview that I just needed to work 1 shift every 120 days so problem solved

You should try to work no less than 1 shift a week. Otherwise you get too out of practice.

 

[Old Timer]

I was told in the phone interview that I just needed to work 1 shift every 120 days so problem solved

You just need to work that little to stay on the payroll. You are rolling the dice your supervisor will be there when you graduate in 4 years. If so, you're in. If he/she is replaced by an a-hole supe. Well, you could be unemployed.

 

[NateRobinson]

You have to work while in pharmacy school. It will help in a multitude of ways, especially with getting familiar with drugs. Plus, the money helps as well.

If you work one shift every 120 days, you will be so lost that you wont know jack ****. I used to work 3 days a week as an intern and it kept me up to date with everything that was going on. So much **** changes on a daily, weekly basis that you'll be doing your store more harm than good coming in and working that infrequently.

 

[SClENCE]

I do not intend on working only once every 120 days, I was just only stating that that was the least you can work. Plus I will be taking 30 hours a week through the summer so I'm not too concerned about getting out of practice.

After a year in the pharmacy at 30 hours a week I am very familiar with the drug names and am looking forward to actually learning how they work in school.

 

[rxsurf23]

2

Or find a store that needs 4 hours of help per week near school (maybe help putting truck away or whatever) and just work those hours. You don't need to transfer to work at another store.

In NY the quota for interns was at least 8 hours per week from what I was told. So four hours might not be an option from where you are.