Does working as a hospital pharmacy technician count as clinical experience?

[nchop28]

I have had no luck finding jobs as a medical assistant, medical receptionist, or medical scribe. The most accessible position in a hospital that I can definitely obtain is a job as a hospital pharmacy technician. I've worked as a retail tech from age 16-19, and I'm also certified.

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[907914]

I have had no luck finding jobs as a medical assistant, medical receptionist, or medical scribe. The most accessible position in a hospital that I can definitely obtain is a job as a hospital pharmacy technician. I've worked as a retail tech from age 16-19, and I'm also certified.

Retail side of things? I would likely call this clinical as you are dealing with patients in person. I call my outpatient phlebotomy clinical and that is the same type of interaction as a pharmacy tech.

 

[nchop28]

Retail side of things? I would likely call this clinical as you are dealing with patients in person. I call my outpatient phlebotomy clinical and that is the same type of interaction as a pharmacy tech.

The retail side of being a pharmacy tech is considered clinical (is that what you said?) Would working as a tech at a hospital be a lot better than working as a tech at a store?

 

[907914]

The retail side of being a pharmacy tech is considered clinical (is that what you said?) Would working as a tech at a hospital be a lot better than working as a tech at a store?

I would personally assign more clinical value to the retail store as you are working directly with patients. In the hospital you make the drugs they tell you to and there is not much if any patient contact. Just as I do not count my medical lab tech work as clinical (Save for the phlebotomy and lab manager parts) as clinical because, even though I would be in a hospital or private practice, there is no patient or physician contact.

I will tag @LizzyM to see if this is accurate.

 

[nchop28]

I would personally assign more clinical value to the retail store as you are working directly with patients. In the hospital you make the drugs they tell you to and there is not much if any patient contact. Just as I do not count my medical lab tech work as clinical (Save for the phlebotomy and lab manager parts) as clinical because, even though I would be in a hospital or private practice, there is no patient or physician contact.

I will tag @LizzyM to see if this is accurate.

Thank you for the help. One more thing- do you think my previous 3 years of tech experience should be capped at that? Would it be unwise to keep working as a pharmacy tech, and I should be looking for a more "typical" pre-med job?

 

[907914]

Thank you for the help. One more thing- do you think my previous 3 years of tech experience should be capped at that? Would it be unwise to keep working as a pharmacy tech, and I should be looking for a more "typical" pre-med job?

Do what you like that makes the most money.

If you need clinical hours, don’t sacrifice what you know/what pays well just to check the box. Find a clinical volunteering gig to get the clinic hours if needed.

 

[ciestar]

I would personally assign more clinical value to the retail store as you are working directly with patients. In the hospital you make the drugs they tell you to and there is not much if any patient contact. Just as I do not count my medical lab tech work as clinical (Save for the phlebotomy and lab manager parts) as clinical because, even though I would be in a hospital or private practice, there is no patient or physician contact.

I will tag @LizzyM to see if this is accurate.

Most adcoms on here will tell you retail pharmacy doesn’t count. Unless they’ve changed their minds after telling me it didn’t four years ago. I argue it is for the same reasons you highlighted.

 

[LizzyM]

Retail pharmacies don't care for patients. You deal with customers, some of whom have a prescription from a health care provider, but I've never heard a retail pharmacist or pharm tech say, "a patient is waiting" or "can I help the next patient?".

Stay in a job that pays well or leave it for something that pays better or is more fulfilling. Get your clinical experience through volunteerism if you aren't employed in a setting where you are close enough to smell patients.

 

[nchop28]

Retail pharmacies don't care for patients. You deal with customers, some of whom have a prescription from a health care provider, but I've never heard a retail pharmacist or pharm tech say, "a patient is waiting" or "can I help the next patient?".

Stay in a job that pays well or leave it for something that pays better or is more fulfilling. Get your clinical experience through volunteerism if you aren't employed in a setting where you are close enough to smell patients.

Thank you for helping me out, LizzyM. If you don't mind me asking one more question- it's rather silly- but would working in a hospital pharmacy be a more ideal situation for me? Would this be getting my foot in the door, and would this create a more accessible opportunity for shadowing a physician in the same hospital?

 

[Dr. Anonymouss]

No, it is not clinical experience. Hospital pharmacy technicians work in an excluded part of the hospital where their only interaction is with other hospital employees. The majority of their job is to send medications to different floors of the hospital via a tubing system. It is a medically related job, but it doesn't help your cause towards patient interaction. Look for a job as a PCA, Scribe, MA, Phlebotomist, etc.

 

[LizzyM]

Thank you for helping me out, LizzyM. If you don't mind me asking one more question- it's rather silly- but would working in a hospital pharmacy be a more ideal situation for me? Would this be getting my foot in the door, and would this create a more accessible opportunity for shadowing a physician in the same hospital?

No, it is not clinical experience. Hospital pharmacy technicians work in an excluded part of the hospital where their only interaction is with other hospital employees. The majority of their job is to send medications to different floors of the hospital via a tubing system. It is a medically related job, but it doesn't help your cause towards patient interaction. Look for a job as a PCA, Scribe, MA, Phlebotomist, etc.

I concur with @Newyear. A hospital pharm tech is not going to get you closer to patients or, frankly, closer to physicians. Get yourself a volunteer opportunity with sick children or adults. Use contacts you have in your community and at school to make connections to physicians.

One resource that I think is underutilized is the alumni office at your school. These offices are always looking for ways to engage alumni in the life of the school. Monetary donations are one way but alumni can help in other ways too. Ask if they can reach out to alumni who are practicing physicians and identify some who work in the area (or in the area where you'll be for the summer) and set up a shadowing opportunity for you. Some docs might be hesitant to agree to have just anyone shadow them but might say yes when asked to help out a student, or alumnus, from their alma mater.

If you still live near the HS you attended this is another option... alumni of the school and/or parents of current students/alumni can also serve as a resource.