CVS Specialty Pharmacy or Walmart Pharmacy

[FuturePharmD7]

I have been working as a Walmart pharmacist for the past five years full time and I got an offer for CVS Specialty pharmacy mail order. Is it time to jump ship?

CVS Specialty pharmacy mail order is a better commute, better schedule, and office job so that’s the positive. The huge negative is the pay cut about 20 percent in yearly salary than Walmart pharmacy but I guess there are OT opportunities from what I hear (time and a half too). Also I don’t really have significant loans.

What would you do in my case? Thanks for your help. Any input is appreciated.

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[firework]

I have been working as a Walmart pharmacist for the past five years full time and I got an offer for CVS Specialty pharmacy mail order. Is it time to jump ship?

CVS Specialty pharmacy mail order is a better commute, better schedule, and office job so that’s the positive. The huge negative is the pay cut about 20 percent in yearly salary than Walmart pharmacy but I guess there are OT opportunities from what I hear (time and a half too). Also I don’t really have significant loans.

What would you do in my case? Thanks for your help. Any input is appreciated.

Don't do mail order, that's what we are fighting against, remember?

 

[FuturePharmD7]

Don't do mail order, that's what we are fighting against, remember?

What do you mean?

 

[BMBiology]

I have been working as a Walmart pharmacist for the past five years full time and I got an offer for CVS Specialty pharmacy mail order. Is it time to jump ship?

CVS Specialty pharmacy mail order is a better commute, better schedule, and office job so that’s the positive. The huge negative is the pay cut about 20 percent in yearly salary than Walmart pharmacy but I guess there are OT opportunities from what I hear (time and a half too). Also I don’t really have significant loans.

What would you do in my case? Thanks for your help. Any input is appreciated.

What state is this? It is not all about the money but 20% cut is a lot.

 

[FuturePharmD7]

What state is this? It is not all about the money but 20% cut is a lot.

IL. What would you do?

 

[BMBiology]

IL. What would you do?

I would probably take it.

 

[FuturePharmD7]

I would probably take it.

Thanks for your input, I appreciate it.

 

[angelsplight]

Probably depends on how stressful you find your job. Mail order, from word of mouth, is a lot more relaxed as the workload is less and you don't have that 1 person at the counter who came in with 16 paper scripts and angry that everything isn't filled within 5 minutes and their copay isn't $0. For the most part, you're just verifying scripts, answering the phone because it involves something the technician can't do and once in a blue moon, counseling.

 

[FuturePharmD7]

Probably depends on how stressful you find your job. Mail order, from word of mouth, is a lot more relaxed as the workload is less and you don't have that 1 person at the counter who came in with 16 paper scripts and angry that everything isn't filled within 5 minutes and their copay isn't $0. For the most part, you're just verifying scripts, answering the phone because it involves something the technician can't do and once in a blue moon, counseling.

Thank you for your input. I feel like it’s just getting worse in retail year by year and this year has been the worst by far. I’m sure you all are aware that Walmart had a lot of layoffs pharmacist wise and not only that but they cut our hours too. With flu season underway, it’s pretty stressful I must admit. I’m sure I can manage for the time being but I’m trying to look in the future 5-10 years from now will I be able to deal with it then.

 

[projektreverb]

My only concern is the level of turnover at cvs specialty. Postings keep showing up for the mail order in Illinois when I check.

 

[FuturePharmD7]

My only concern is the level of turnover at cvs specialty. Postings keep showing up for the mail order in Illinois when I check.

Thank you for your insight. I did notice that as well. When I went in for the interview, the interviewer did mention that ironically that they do always have openings due to growth rather than turnover but who knows. Im sure there is turnover too. However I know they merged with Aetna too so Im sure they are growing in that sense.

 

[projektreverb]

Thank you for your insight. I did notice that as well. When I went in for the interview, the interviewer did mention that ironically that they do always have openings due to growth rather than turnover but who knows. Im sure there is turnover too. However I know they merged with Aetna too so Im sure they are growing in that sense.

Interesting. Was it mostly new/newish employees? That would be somewhat of a giveaway to their turnover rates.

 

[FuturePharmD7]

Interesting. Was it mostly new/newish employees? That would be somewhat of a giveaway to their turnover rates.

The interviewer didn’t go into detail and specify. Honestly believe it’s a mix of both though. What would you do in my position?

 

[projektreverb]

The interviewer didn’t go into detail and specify. Honestly believe it’s a mix of both though. What would you do in my position?

It depends. How are the hours? What vibe did you get off of the people there? As long as those aren’t terrible, I feel like it would be worth the jump for quality of life improvement over WM.

 

[FuturePharmD7]

It depends. How are the hours? What vibe did you get off of the people there? As long as those aren’t terrible, I feel like it would be worth the jump for quality of life improvement over WM.

Hours are good not as many nights and not till 9 or later either. Also no weekends which is better than every other weekend. I got a pretty good vibe from everyone I spoke too. Thanks for your input.

 

[projektreverb]

Hours are good not as many nights and not till 9 or later either. Also no weekends which is better than every other weekend. I got a pretty good vibe from everyone I spoke too. Thanks for your input.

Interesting. I might apply next time I see an opening just to scope it out. Best of luck either way you decide to go 🙂

 

[quickpic007]

Take it, but be sure you gain skills you can use as stepping stone to something even better.

 

[dreamer28]

Hello, I just interviewed with CVS specialty pharmacy. What did you decide to do? Do you enjoy working there more than retail?

 

[trailerpark]

Honestly 20% salary cut does sound a lot. Are you willing to say how much in loans you have remaining?

 

[BidingMyTime]

Financially, if you can handle the 20% pay cut, I would go for the CVS QOL job. I would try to find out more about the turnover rate, and consider how hard would it be for you to go back to Wal-Mart if you were fired at CVS?

 

[apple212]

I worked retail at CVS for 4 years, until they wanted/forced me to be a PIC for a trouble store... because of that, I switched over to CVS Specialty on the east coast. worked at CVS Specialty for about 10months, then I decided it wasnt for me. It is a desk job really, you are basically either tasked to enter in prescriptions coming in via electronically or fax, that is triaged to a particular disease state. Or you are either getting verbal prescription over the phone from doctors' offices. There are telephone reps that handle all the insurance, billing and posting of the medications. But what got me was how OLD AND ANCIENT their computer systems where. It reminded me of the old school computers I had in elementary school that used the MS-DOS systems..

CVS SPECIALTY system was sooooo hard to figure out and inputting data into the computer was sooo hard and TIME CONSUMING.. it really stressed me out cause you really need to master their computer system that is directly from the 90s.

At CVS Specialty there are departments and OFFICE GOSSIP like NO OTHER... I really experienced the work/office environment of the backstabbing and gossips. What made it worse, was that fact that at this particular CVS Specialty there was a lot of nepotism and unprofessional and undeserving people being promoted within and even into management positions just because they were the bosses's kid.

You will probably need to brush up on medications that you probably never really dispensed in retail like biologics, immunosuppressant, antivirals, hepatic, kidney meds, COPD, hormornal therapys..