Pharmacy Experience Questions!

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Some schools absolutely do require pharmacy experience, either volunteer or employment. It doesn't necessarily have to be hospital either, pretty much anything pharmacy related. Why? Because just like other's have mentioned, the schools don't want someone to get into the college of pharmacy or graduate and go "what the heck was I thinking, this sucks!"
 
One more thing that I forgot to mention, if you want to sign-on with a company, your sign-on bonus will be better if you've worked for that company for a significant amount of time. So if you show the company your loyalty (continuous time served), you should get a better bonus.

This is not true at all! Most sign on bonuses have to do more with location...i.e. you get more if you sign on to work in a hard to staff area.
 
I was accepted into 4 pharmacy schools (MWU, UIC, UNC, USC) with no experience. I did not start working in a pharmacy until after my first year of school. While yes, pharmacy experience is a great thing to have, you can get into pharmacy school without it.

Disclaimer: I would still though recommend getting as much exposure to the profession as you can through working or volunteering at a pharmacy.
 
I was accepted into 4 pharmacy schools (MWU, UIC, UNC, USC) with no experience. I did not start working in a pharmacy until after my first year of school. While yes, pharmacy experience is a great thing to have, you can get into pharmacy school without it.

Disclaimer: I would still though recommend getting as much exposure to the profession as you can through working or volunteering at a pharmacy.

I was accepted into three schools without experience either (Creighton, Iowa, Wingate).

Still, I agree that pharmacy experience makes the applicant stand out, appear more knowledgeable, and have a better application package. The point that I like to get across is that pharmacy experience is significant, but it does not cover up for mediocre stats and personality alone.
 
This is not true at all! Most sign on bonuses have to do more with location...i.e. you get more if you sign on to work in a hard to staff area.
Yes, it is true. Ask around, and you will find that loyalty can make a big impact. For example, my co-worker just graduated and didn't get a sign on offer from our company b/c his time there wasn't considered significant. My other co-worker got a sign on offer, which was directly correlated with how long she had worked for the company. Companies would be crazy to give up loyal employees just b/c they want to staff in other places.
 
I was accepted into a pharmacy school without prior pharmacy experience, but did show interest in pharmacy by other means (school fairs, projects, etc). Pharmacy experience would help, but don't limit yourself to thinking you need to work in a pharmacy in order to show your interest. Do other things too!
 
Yes, it is true. Ask around, and you will find that loyalty can make a big impact. For example, my co-worker just graduated and didn't get a sign on offer from our company b/c his time there wasn't considered significant. My other co-worker got a sign on offer, which was directly correlated with how long she had worked for the company. Companies would be crazy to give up loyal employees just b/c they want to staff in other places.

I've interviewed with a variety of retail pharmacies and the majority of them were only offering sign on bonuses if you were willing to move to a different part of the state. Maybe it is different in other parts of the country. Chicago is not a hard to staff area so the sign-on bonuses usually require that you commit to them a certain number of years and are very small...the biggest in this area I've heard of was 5K for a 1 yr commitment at Osco. Now if I wanted to move to Southern IL, Walgreens would give me 15-20K.
 
What schools require pharmacy experience?

I don't know of any that specifically say they do, but my class at Mercer had a bit over 80% of the entering class with some sort of prior pharmacy experience. That says to me that applicants who have no experience are most likely at a disadvantage. I also felt that the interview process there favored an applicant who had already been working in a pharmacy.
 
I know Pacific University requires 40 hours. It could be working, shadowing, or volunteering.

The 40 hours is a base requirement let Rubin said - additionally - you will be questioned about pharmacy related ethics questions - and it is expected that you utilize your experiences to answer the questions...

~above~
 
it isn't required. But if you have a less than average GPA or PCAT, then this experience, as well as extracurricular activities/clubs act as boosters. (i know it did for me!) I would assume when comparing two identical students, the one with pharmacy experience will be given preference over the other guy. Also, the admissions committees know that pharm school is a HUGE commitment, and how do they know you will stick through with it? what if you see half way through pharmacy isn't for you? or half way through rotations you realize you hate your major, and opt out? with experience in pharmacy, the admissions committee can more clearly see your dedication and thoughtfulness in your decision to pursue pharmacy as a career. If you don't have experience, it isn't the end of the world. I know plenty who have been accepted without it. but it is a HUGE boost to your application.
 
Yeah I'm having difficulty finding a CLERK position of all things out of the multitude of pharmacies in the area. I mean...I don't mean to sound stuck up, but I have a B.S. in Biology with about 3 years retail/customer relations experience and this is a freaking glorified cashier MONKEY JOB! (Don't flame me, I said clerk...NOT pharm tech or pharmacist!)

It's just annoying...but who knows, I'll be following up more in the coming weeks.

I unfortunately won't have any appreciable pharmacy experience upon applying, but I WILL have experience by the time interviews roll around (if I do get invited to one). Hopefully that will be where it counts.
 
Well it partly depends on where you live too.

If you live in an area with a pharmacy school or a strong pre-pharmacy program in proximity, chances are you're going to be hard pressed to find openings. On the other hand, if you live in an area where the density of individuals seeking such positions is much lighter, then you won't have a problem. Jobs, like all things involving money, are the result of supply and demand.
 
It really depends on the school. Most schools seem to rely VERY VERY VERY heavily on previous or current pharmacy experience. A pharmacy school just opened up in my area, and now you can't touch any sort of job in a pharmacy around here to get any sort of experience, and I fear that it will seriously hurt my application to not have any - I keep applying and talking to pharmacy managers, etc., and think I have a shot but then I just get shot DOWN! Sigh.

"They" say that shadowing or volunteering at a pharmacy is just as favorable, but none of the pharmacies I've been to have been OK with such practice...I usually get the response that "insurance doesn't cover" that sort of thing. Bleh.

Best of luck to both of us, eh? lol.

The easiest place to find shadowing experience is really the independent pharmacy. You are more likely to find a pharmacist owner who is more flexible and willing to accomodate a learning atmosphere. That's where I started off before branching out to gain more shadowing experience armed with the first pharmacists' recommendation and network.
 
What schools require pharmacy experience?

Arizona requires at least 50 hours of experience before you apply or your application is automatically rejected.

Looking through PharmCAS I am sure I have seen others.
 
I do not have any pharmacy experience when my admission was confirmed. I began working after I started my program. So....
 
I was just wondering what am I really suppose to be doing at a Pharmacy, I have been volunteering for 2 months at a Hospital Pharmacy now and I have done nothing except order their sales in numberical order for the day, also put meds back, cleaning shelves. They don't even show me how to answer the phone or work the register. I seriously think I should be doing something more. I am getting certified in september and at this point I have not been exposed to how a pharmacist work or what a pharm tech do. They just ask me if I have any questions, seems like more busy work. What should I do?? Should I ask them, I feel that most of the time I am in the way of the Pharmacist or Tech?? Suggestions.😕
 
I was just wondering what am I really suppose to be doing at a Pharmacy, I have been volunteering for 2 months at a Hospital Pharmacy now and I have done nothing except order their sales in numberical order for the day, also put meds back, cleaning shelves. They don't even show me how to answer the phone or work the register. I seriously think I should be doing something more. I am getting certified in september and at this point I have not been exposed to how a pharmacist work or what a pharm tech do. They just ask me if I have any questions, seems like more busy work. What should I do?? Should I ask them, I feel that most of the time I am in the way of the Pharmacist or Tech?? Suggestions.😕

If you're a volunteer, you do what they ask you to do. Often, that will be the mundane, tedious things that don't require a tech, thereby freeing the tech to do other tech-ly work.

It's not their concern whether you are doing what you feel you "need to be doing," you're there to help them out. It's not their responsibiliy to expose you to how a pharmacist works or what a pharmacist does. If you're volunteering there, it's up to them how they want to use you.
 
Good pharmacists/techs should be trying to teach/show you aspects (good or bad) of their duties. To try and create a learning/nurturing environment. Unless, they completely hate their jobs and want nothing to do with it or helping out volunteers who are interested in the profession. By now you should have a pretty good feel for the staff, I would have asked the friendly ones tons of questions by now. There may be certain limitations on what you can legally do without the proper/required training. See if you can get that training.
 
I was wondering how you when about lookinh for pharmacy volunteer or work openings. I know you don't need it but I want to make sure I get into Pharmacy school since I am only doing my pre -reqs at a CC then applying.

The problem I have is that there are know pharmacies or hospitals near where I live. I job listing at stores like cvs usually don't say anything about the pharmacy. any advice?
 
I was wondering how you when about lookinh for pharmacy volunteer or work openings. I know you don't need it but I want to make sure I get into Pharmacy school since I am only doing my pre -reqs at a CC then applying.

The problem I have is that there are know pharmacies or hospitals near where I live. I job listing at stores like cvs usually don't say anything about the pharmacy. any advice?

Unless you live in the middle of the desert, there ARE pharmacies in your area and probably a hospital somewhat close by.

Advice? Walk into the pharmacy/store and ASK! They will not bite.
 
Apply to all the pharmacies, including hospitals, either online or in the store, and make sure to follow up with them. Ask to meet the pharmacy manager and speak directly to the hiring pharmacy manager about possible job openings and positions available. Look nice and professional when you go to see them, that's a major thing!! It's better when you follow up with them in person than on the phone; that way they see you. Even if they don't ask you for an interview right there and then, just make sure when they see you, you look your best. Good luck!!
 
I have a quesition about pharmacy experience. The schools that I'm interested in mention that pharmacy experience is not required but is recommended. My question is about how pharmacy experience is defined? Is it mainly retail and hospital pharmacy that counts towards this experience?

I worked for 6 years in an analytical laboratory for a pharmacuetical manufacturer, testing finished dosage forms and raw materials and eventually developing test methods for drugs in our new product development pipline. I also did some QA audits on running manufacturing processes. Will this count at all towards pharmacy experience?

My ultimate goal is be a retail pharmacist and so I think some experience will be helpful in retail but I was wondering if my lab experience will be looked at in considering pharmacy experience.
 
I have a quesition about pharmacy experience. The schools that I'm interested in mention that pharmacy experience is not required but is recommended. My question is about how pharmacy experience is defined? Is it mainly retail and hospital pharmacy that counts towards this experience?

I worked for 6 years in an analytical laboratory for a pharmacuetical manufacturer, testing finished dosage forms and raw materials and eventually developing test methods for drugs in our new product development pipline. I also did some QA audits on running manufacturing processes. Will this count at all towards pharmacy experience?

My ultimate goal is be a retail pharmacist and so I think some experience will be helpful in retail but I was wondering if my lab experience will be looked at in considering pharmacy experience.

i consider it pharmacy experience because you work for a pharmaceutical manufacturer. Even though your goal is to become a retail pharmacist, never tell them that. That's tip #1.
 
Why can't you say you want to be a retail pharmacist? Maybe I'm naive, but I thought that's what most people who go to pharmacy school become.
 
dumbguy - are you saying I shouldn't reveal my goals of being a retail pharmacist because it doesn't fit with my experience or are you talking in general?
 
Just saying the word "retail" in your interview might burn you. Most people in the profession refer to "retail" as "community." It's perfectly fine to state that you want to be a community pharmacist... and your reasons?

1. you enjoy the interaction with those in your "COMMUNITY!"
2. you feel like a respected citizen, being the person a sick individual can trust with their medication issues.
3. you enjoy building strong relationships with the customers that you see most often. they feel comfortable discussing their medical history with you and you feel good knowing they are comfortable around you.


The list goes on... but like one guy in my interview group said, "i want to be a retail pharmacist because they make awesome money and it's fairly redundant work...." he was mocked by the assistant dean in the group activity and i'm pretty sure was rejected!
 
Yeah, so I just started to volunteer at a hospital and on my first day I was brought to the inpatient pharmacy. I felt like an alien as I don't have any experience and was assigned to a technician to watch them. Within the hour, it seemed as they were very busy and I ended up being alone by myself. Clueless on what to do I asked if I can help do anything (I know that I am new, but I was left alone and didn't know what to do). A certain person heard me and decided to tell me that they no longer needed any volunteers and told me to leave. It was an electric shock. That was just one hour into my first volunteering experience there. Thankfully a nice lady took pity in me and sent me to outpatient pharmacy to stay. The people at outpatient there are very nice and started right away to let me do some things.

I would like to know your first experience in the pharmacy. Like, how did you learn? Truthfully, I feel kind of like a baggage as my speed is very slow compared to others there when doing the same thing (I am a noob and have no experience, remember). I know I am new, but I want to improve and help them out (they are nice to train me). Should I start to memorize drugs? Any suggestions on what a non-experienced person should do? Thanks!
 
I'm surprised that nobody has answered this yet....

I can attest to your "baggage" concern as I am often "shellshocked" every time I start a new job. I can understand not wanting to hinder other people's progress but it's a necessary evil. There's really no way to avoid this so all you can really do is to do the best job you can and try to keep up. Hopefully, your superiors can be kind like in your outpatient pharmacy but not all real life people are as generous.🙂
 
My first day was retail, not hospital, but with only having been able to watch someone do it for a minute, I was thrown into filling scripts for a couple hours then had to type new scripts for awhile.

If you're a slow-paced person, I wish you good luck in finding a position suited to you. I haven't found any.

The only suggestions I have are to keep a list of how to do something once you ask. If you ask once, get shown once and can then repeat it, you will spend a LOT less time asking how to do things.
 
Yeah, so I just started to volunteer at a hospital and on my first day I was brought to the inpatient pharmacy. I felt like an alien as I don't have any experience and was assigned to a technician to watch them. Within the hour, it seemed as they were very busy and I ended up being alone by myself. Clueless on what to do I asked if I can help do anything (I know that I am new, but I was left alone and didn't know what to do). A certain person heard me and decided to tell me that they no longer needed any volunteers and told me to leave. It was an electric shock. That was just one hour into my first volunteering experience there. Thankfully a nice lady took pity in me and sent me to outpatient pharmacy to stay. The people at outpatient there are very nice and started right away to let me do some things.

I would like to know your first experience in the pharmacy. Like, how did you learn? Truthfully, I feel kind of like a baggage as my speed is very slow compared to others there when doing the same thing (I am a noob and have no experience, remember). I know I am new, but I want to improve and help them out (they are nice to train me). Should I start to memorize drugs? Any suggestions on what a non-experienced person should do? Thanks!

What day did you first volunteer at the hospital pharmacy? Tuesdays through Fridays are usually the busiest days in a hospital pharmacy while weekends and Monday are the slowest. If you can, try volunteering on Mondays. If they partner you with a technician, try to stay with them and closely observe what they are doing. Also, ask questions. People don't usually like having someone hover over them while they do their work but if you strike up a conversation with them (about the job) they might be more than willing to answer your questions. Hospital pharmacy is somewhat different from retail. Each technician is usually assigned a different function each day (i.e. charge tech, iv tech, new order tech, etc). For starters you can maybe ask the tech assigned to you what particular function he/she is doing that day then take it from there. Hospital pharmacy can get crazy busy as you probably saw but most people work at their own pace. Unlike retail there is no "production quota" to worry about, as long as the nurses get their patients' meds in a timely and accurate manner.
Also, when you have volunteered long enough ask if you can observe the IV technicians while they are doing the admixing. Depending on the design of the room, you may have to put on a gown, mask, shoe covers and head covers before you enter the iv room or you can just walk in with your scrubs on. Do not enter the IV room without any permission because some hospitals have strict policies for the IV room to comply with JCAHO standards.
You can learn a lot from volunteering in a hospital pharmacy so don't let your first day experience discourage you.
 
I shadowed a pharmacist for about a month. My experience was discouraging as well.

It was a very small, very slow, privately owned retail pharmacy. They had few customers come in. I went in to get a feel for what pharmacy was like but I didn't feel I got that.

I stopped going there because I didn't feel I was learning anything; the pharmacist only told me to memorize all the drug information. He didn't teach me anything much, and he also highly discouraged me from retail stating that women do not have the stamina and the ability to work in a fast-paced environment that retail pharmacies have. He did say that hospital pharmacists tend to make more money, and have better benefits. He also said that men make better doctors than women. The day he said that was the day I was last there. 😎
 
I learned a lot as a pharmacy clerk at Longs Drugs. After a while, you begin to pick up drug names and learn how to read sigs and type Rx's. In an inpatient setting, it's harder because when things get busy, there's really not much you can do legally. In most pharmacies, they just throw you in and let you learn by yourself. Nobody really has time to train you but they do what they can. I would suggest working as a pharmacy clerk in a retail store first.
 
Almost a year ago a shadowed a Pharmacist at Walgreens. It took a while for me to catch up with her. When I was there I first looked around and then I was filling in no time at all. I knew then I wouldn't mind working there. I asked the Pharmacist and she said she would probably be hiring in a few months. I filled out my application and got called (it took a while) at first I didn't take the job and then I decided I needed the money. I already work full time during the day and got to school. I worked there for about a month and then decided I couldn't keep working 2 jobs and going to school full time. I had to change something. I know I shouldn't have but I gave up the tech job since my day job pays better and works around my school schedule. About 3 months ago I applied to volunteer at a hospital. I called all of them around here and finally got it. When I first went to the hospital pharmacy I noticed it was very different from retail. I am volunteering everyother Saturday. I stay with the same tech everytime I am there. Saturday is a slow day. I started unpacking the order and then she showed me where to put everything. It was not hard. Then I was pulling meds to put in the machines for the nurses on each floor. Another tech showed me how to put the meds on each of the floors. The next week I pulled expired meds from the shelves and filled the orange emt boxes with all of their supplies. I do have to say, i like the hospital setting better. I don't think we have had a walk up person at all. The only walk up people we have are the ones asking us where ICU is since we are next to them. In the hospital you don't have all the rude customers like you do in the retail (my store was a 24 hr store so we did a lot more business). I think I am going to try to take the PTCB test and become certified so I can do more in the pharmacy. Maybe if I am certified I can get a job at the hospital when one comes available. Just hang in there with the volunteering remember those techs have been doing it for a while im sure. Just ask if there is anything you can do and I'm sure they will find something for you to do.

Sorry for the long post
 
My first day at retail pharmacy was amazing. I was so excited about being there! I tried to work as fast as possible because I didn't want to be in the way. I had a lot of trouble multitasking. Answering the phone, talking to patients that come in, ringing up prescriptions, and filling, seems to go on all at the same time! But after awhile, I got the hang of it. Everyone was very helpful and supportive!

My first day at the hospital was not so good. I was shadowing/volunteering. At first, they didn't know what to do with me. They made me shadow one of the pharmacists, but she was busy and didn't teach me much. I tried o read her scripts but I didn't know the medication names, and the doctor's handwriting was horrible! I later got moved to just help in getting medications and putting them w/ their labels...
--------------
From my limited experience at the hospital, the doctor's there complain a lot when you call them about their scripts...as if the pharmacists should never question their judgment. The nurses there are demanding, and don't give enough respect to those who deserve it. But I can also understand that my experience was very limited and I'm still very willing to learn more about it and try again!

If you ever work retail, try to not just count pills. Ask them to teach you how to fill prescriptions, you will learn A LOT more that way!!
 
Any kind of pharmacy can be overwhelming at first. I know my first couple days in retail were. You have to adapt to the speed though, if not, you're not going to be a very good pharmacist. Stick with the job for a little bit, see if it pans out for you, if not, you may have to think about your career aspirations.
 
Any kind of pharmacy can be overwhelming at first. I know my first couple days in retail were. You have to adapt to the speed though, if not, you're not going to be a very good pharmacist. Stick with the job for a little bit, see if it pans out for you, if not, you may have to think about your career aspirations.

I agree - adjusting to the fast pace environment of retail is necessary. You don't have to work FAST, but be able to mulit-task, remain accurate, and not feel overwhelmed. It takes time and practice, so don't stress too much about it.
 
I'm looking for some advice from CANADIAN* students on how to go about obtaining pharmacy experience and if you feel that it was/is an important part of your application.

These days it seems that pharmacy experience is a major asset on your application even though most schools say that it is "not necessary/required", but lets face it, any edge over the competition helps, and a reference letter from a pharmacist couldn't hurt (Waterloo requires a ref from a pharmacist, in fact).

So today I hit the pavement with resumes in hand hoping to find a volunteer or job shadowing opportunity in a community pharmacy. 3 turned me away saying they just don't do that sort of thing, and 2 took my resume but said they didn't have anything available at the moment (one told me they were actually getting a pharm STUDENT next week).

Unfortunately this was pretty much what I was expecting. I can totally understand that they don't want to commit the time and have someone basically in the way of their work at a busy pharmacy, but on the other hand, it's part of the profession (hands on training) and basically required to get in to pharm school.....so I'm kinda frustrated

So how did you guys go about getting pharmacy experience? Through a connection? Did you find it was a valuable experience and gave you an edge on your application? Any advice or words of encouragement are appreciated! 🙂

*I'm asking for Canadian students specifically, since telling me to walk into a Walgreens/CVS/blahblahblah and get a job as a pharm tech isn't helpful and not and option, thanks!
 
You're unlikely to be able to shadow a pharmacist in a retail setting being a pre-pharmacy student. Have you tried volunteering at your local hospital? You'll likely be limited in what you're allowed to do, but just being in the pharmacy gives you good exposure to procedures, common drug names, policies, etc. Make sure they know ahead of time you're a future pharmacist. I did this and most of the pharmacists at the hospital I volunteered at were more than happy to answer my questions or explain things to me.
 
Thanks for your input. I guess I'll have to look into volunteering at a hospital pharmacy, but somehow I though that would be more difficult.
 
Working as a tech is, but you aren't applying to work. Most hospitals have volunteering departments. Go talk to them, and tell them you're interested in volunteering in the pharmacy. At the very least its a start. And if they do let you in, act as if it were a job. Show up looking sharp, be friendly and polite, always be willing to help, and ask intelligent questions. They'll likely have you doing grunt work, but just being there should help you learn. One of my references this year is the pharmacist supervisor at the hospital I volunteered at. Once you get some exposure to the pharmacy and have done some ample sucking up, find out if they'd be interested in hiring you as a technician floater, someone who comes in on short notice if someone else calls in sick.

And I have no doubts that pharmacy experience provides a definite advantage here in the states. The last thing a pharmacy school wants is someone who gets half way through the program and decides they want to be an engineer or a music instructor.
 
i'm almost done with all my pre-reqs and planning to take the pcat soonn and the only thing i'm missing is job experience... what should i do??? i tried calling all the pharmacies around me since may and still no one is hiring !!!!! is there anything else i can do???? wat would be my chances of getting accepted if i have no experience???? GPA 3.3 PCAT lets say abt 80% ????
 
Try volunteering or job shadowing at hospitals or independent pharmacies. If all else fails, try to at least read some pharmacy publications and do as much research about the profession as possible.
 
If you find it difficult to get job experience, do extra research on what the career entails and where you think you'd best fit. I got in with no job experience, but I also knew what I had in mind and potential problems associated with it. I also had received some job education in the form of Pharmacy tech classes at CC. So if you have difficulty, try to compensate in other areas.
 
Hey guys, it seems that most people work as pharm tech to get some pharm experience before applying. But doesn't that position require you to take classes of some sort before you can apply?

Also, are most pharmacist incline to let you shadow them? How do you go about volunteering in a pharmacy?

Also, is it better to work/volunteer in a retail store pharmacy or one in hospital?

I just got a research position at school and now i'm trying to find some pharm experience to expand my extracurricular activities.


Thanks!
 
Trying going to a hospital to see if they will let you volunteer in the pharmacy. That is what I am doing to get pharmacy experience.
 
Yea, I'm also volunteering, in a inpatient pharmacy. Later this year I'm going to get tech certified. A lot of the time at my hospital if you volunteer for about 6 months and get certified when you are there they will hire you as a tech. I'm working towards that!!!!

So check your local Hospital
 
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