Pharmacists with no pharm tech experience?

[crossurfingers]

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The way things are going lately, this is how I'm going to end up. Is it pretty common? Do you think it would be more difficult adjusting to a job after graduation or do you think that rotations alone are enough to familiarize yourself with working in a pharmacy?

 

[rxforlife2004]

i personally think it's be struggling at first....

 

[aurovon]

Good question. I'd like to see the replies too. I don't think it is THAT big of a deal, otherwise it would have been a requirement to be a tech for a specific amount of time before entering into pharmacy school. Atleast volunteer I guess?

 

[ZpackSux]

Most State Board of Pharmacy mandate a set hours of Intern Hours before you can take the NAPLEX. School rotation alone won't be enough to satisfy the required Intern Hours.

Then again, maybe your state is different.

I believe the OP's question relates to "working during pharmacy school" rather than "working in the pharmacy" before applying to RX school.

 

[Jeddevil]

At MWU-CPG, we will get enough intern hours on rotation to satisfy the state boards requirement. We will have 8 five week rotations, so about 1600 hrs. I know some students who have wanted to work, and others who say that interning is good enough and don't plan on working at all. I am torn on it, as I havn't worked in pharmacy at all, want to do so a bit, but not more than one night a week. I am guessing that 1600 intern hours will teach me enough about being a tech also so am not too worried about it.

 

[Caverject]

It's not going to take much more adjustment after you graduate. However, as a tech myself for 7 years, I can tell the difference between a pharmacist with tech experience and a pharmacist with no tech experience, even if the pharmacist has been on the job for years. It's all in how they treat their technician. Usually, they have such a big head about how clinical they are, and they have a tendency to treat their help like crap. There are exceptions to this as with anything. Im sure Baggywrinkle could add to this.

 

[spacecowgirl]

In SC you need 500 hours outside what you earn during rotations. Honestly, I would recommend working first, I have learned way more at work than I have in class. A lot goes into retail pharmacy beyond what you learn in therapeutics and it's not for everyone. I know more than one person who has changed careers because of the rude awakening they received after graduation, having limited retail experience. I have worked as a tech for years and years so I think I have a better feel for what I will face. Having finished my first 2 intro rotations, they do not prepare you for "real" work.

I would highly recommend working, even if it's just one day/week. You will get more out of school if you understand what's going on in the industry. And vice versa. You will also be more confident in and get more out of your rotations if you have a little experience. Rather than worrying about the basic ins and outs, you'll be able to focus on more of what a pharmacist (not a tech) does.

Just my two pennies.

 

[spacecowgirl]

However, as a tech myself for 7 years, I can tell the difference between a pharmacist with tech experience and a pharmacist with no tech experience, even if the pharmacist has been on the job for years. It's all in how they treat their technician. Usually, they have such a big head about how clinical they are, and they have a tendency to treat their help like crap. There are exceptions to this as with anything. Im sure Baggywrinkle could add to this.

Agreed!!! 🙂

 

[BTB]

There's a special term for "pharmacists with no pharm tech experience".

I can't remember it, but it basically means "the kind of pharmacist with whom I hope I never have to work."

 

[aaron31981]

At MWU-CPG, we will get enough intern hours on rotation to satisfy the state boards requirement. We will have 8 five week rotations, so about 1600 hrs. I know some students who have wanted to work, and others who say that interning is good enough and don't plan on working at all. I am torn on it, as I havn't worked in pharmacy at all, want to do so a bit, but not more than one night a week. I am guessing that 1600 intern hours will teach me enough about being a tech also so am not too worried about it.

I work a little bit each week. The first 3 quarters here were pretty easy. This quarter blows for me. But there is also something nice about making $180 in one day. Won't touch what our tuition is, but it does give some spending money.

 

[no-see-um]

Looks like I'm on the road to being a pharmacist with no pharm tech experience... Never got the chance to do it. Would surely be a beneficial. I'll try to get pharmacy intern experience after P1 yr.

 

[Caverject]

Knowing you personally, I doubt you will be like the people I described above. Like I said, there will be excpetions

 

[bananaface]

How you turn out with no prior tech experience depends on the quality of your internship and what you make of it.

 

[museabuse]

How you turn out with no prior tech experience depends on the quality of your internship and what you make of it.

I agree with that but no one can deny the more experience you have the better off you will be.

I found that somepeople are just not cut out for retail. No matter how much experience. Some people can't handle angry customers and take it personally. Some people cannot handle the fast paced stressfulness of busy situations... like when help calls in sick. Some people can't take standing on their feet all day. Some people can't take the fact that they stand in a grocery store between produce and liquor all day long.

I actaully found that my 4 years of retail experience I had while in high school and community college really prepared me with pharmacy and how to handle customers and busy situations. Thanks, KFC, Service Merchandise, and Walmart! 👍

 

[trishias]

There are a couple of pharmacists here that did not have much tech experience prior to and during pharmacy schools. I think the only difference here is that the pharmacists without tech experience tend to segregate the workload. For example, if there are no orders to verify they sit and twidle (sp?) their thumbs instead of filling the order they just processed or they cant make an IV if im on a delivery and the patient has to wait until i get back so i can make it. For me, it makes us as a team less efficient when its hectic, which is usually the case.