Pharm tech job

[sunnys]

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So I just started working in a pharmacy a month ago. I've shadowed at a on campus clinic pharmacy and thought I would really like this job. I work two to three days a week...anywhere from 4 to 8 hours. I have to say I think I really dislike working in a retail pharmacy. noisy, Cranky customers, standing on my feet the whole time because "sitting on a stool makes us seem unapproachable", not knowing how to do things (since I'm new), getting told different things from different people I work from so I don't know what to do. Example: today I was told that we don't get breaks even though other people have told me that we do....turns out we do get breaks. Anyways the example above really got me frustrated today...I was like we have to stand here the whole time without breaks?! I did take a 15 minute break after it was figured out. For the past few weeks, every time I come home I feel like crying...today when I got off work I cried in the car. i don't really want to quit, because I want to learn more about the drugs and such. Anyways I'm starting to realize that retail pharmacy is not for me. Pharmaceutical science is so interesting, I still want to go to pharmacy school and do anything besides retail pharmacy. What should I do, stick through this for the learning experience and application boost...hope that it gets better? Maybe just stick through it till the end of summer?...when I was hired I told them I would be available for a year, but I doubt I will make it. I've never felt this way about a job before. I feel bad for not wanting to stick through it for a whole year because I know they will have to put in the work to find someone. Also, I want to leave on a good note.

I need some genuine advice here.

 

[pharmschooler]

So I just started working in a pharmacy a month ago. I've shadowed at a on campus clinic pharmacy and thought I would really like this job. I work two to three days a week...anywhere from 4 to 8 hours. I have to say I think I really dislike working in a retail pharmacy. noisy, Cranky customers, standing on my feet the whole time because "sitting on a stool makes us seem unapproachable", not knowing how to do things (since I'm new), getting told different things from different people I work from so I don't know what to do. Example: today I was told that we don't get breaks even though other people have told me that we do....turns out we do get breaks. Anyways the example above really got me frustrated today...I was like we have to stand here the whole time without breaks?! I did take a 15 minute break after it was figured out. For the past few weeks, every time I come home I feel like crying...today when I got off work I cried in the car. i don't really want to quit, because I want to learn more about the drugs and such. Anyways I'm starting to realize that retail pharmacy is not for me. Pharmaceutical science is so interesting, I still want to go to pharmacy school and do anything besides retail pharmacy. What should I do, stick through this for the learning experience and application boost...hope that it gets better? Maybe just stick through it till the end of summer?...when I was hired I told them I would be available for a year, but I doubt I will make it. I've never felt this way about a job before. I feel bad for not wanting to stick through it for a whole year because I know they will have to put in the work to find someone. Also, I want to leave on a good note.

I need some genuine advice here.

It sounds like this place doesn't have good management. A lot of your complaints have less to do with the job itself and more to do with how you're being treated as an employee. The stuff I highlighted above shouldn't really be happening; management isn't training you well if this is occurring.

I'd stick it out through summer at least though. Do your best, and maybe speak with the manager about your concerns and confusion (phrase it as though you're concerned the conflicting info you're getting will compromise your ability to do your job well; don't blame them, even if it's their fault!). After summer, stay if you like it, but if not...go back to school and maybe look for a different opportunity in pharmacy so you can see a different side of things.

 

[owlegrad]

Wow.

I am torn. Without knowing you and the exact circumstances it's hard to give good advice.

You shouldn't be crying after work or be frustrated by getting different stories from different people. That is just unacceptable. But on the other hand, it may not really be that bad - once you get the job down you may find that you actually like it. I guess I would recommend trying to stick it out. DO NOT just quit one day by walking out! If you decide to quit, try to line up your next job first - for whatever reason, it is easier to find a new job when you already have one.

Good Luck

 

[sunnys]

I'll stick it out!....at least till the end of summer... hopefully it gets better as I learn more things.

 

[whatbout2morrow]

If you work for a large retail chain, try finding a slower pharmacy with a helpful pharmacist in charge. I was hired at a fairly busy store but truly learned nothing (except ringing customers up at the register) till I worked at the store down the street which did half as many scripts per week. The pharmacist there showed me easy ways to do alot of things, the right way to deal with customers, and I even was able to occasionally listen in on advice he gave to customers and instructions on how to use certain drugs.

 

[atpsynthase]

I would like to chime in and say that I started working for a chain about a month ago and they had a very good training program that I had to go through that taught me all the aspects of the retail pharmacy setting including computer systems, insurance, safety, laws, etc. in addition to just ringing up customers. Overall, a great experience even though this pharmacy is very busy as there is a regional medical center across the street.

 

[sunnys]

It's getting better since I know how to do more things now. It's gone from "I hate this job" to "It is sort of okay"...still I have no desire to work in retail or hospital pharmacies so I look forward to exploring other pharmacy job options.

 

[Passion4Sci]

It's getting better since I know how to do more things now. It's gone from "I hate this job" to "It is sort of okay"...still I have no desire to work in retail or hospital pharmacies so I look forward to exploring other pharmacy job options.

Well, if you don't like hospital or retail, there's always MTM "private pharmacy" as a choice. Or teaching CC chemistry / biology perhaps... something like that. The Pharm.D is wonderfully flexible.

 

[Notecard]

The only thing I hate about retail is that I cant figure out insurance rejects to save my life. I've been there for a few months and it seems every other day I get a one a new one that I can't fix.