Pharmacy Experience Questions!

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What I did was just going around to all the pharmacys in town and ask if they were hiring. If they were, I just applied and got a position as a tech.
Or you can try calling up the local hospitals to see if you can volunteer in the pharmacy.
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When should you start? The sooner the better. That doesn't mean you have to do activities exclusively to pharmacy though. Volunteering, internships, job at a pharmacy, and possible research experience will make you an all-around candidate.
 
Pharmacies offer pharmacy experience.... Walk in and ask if they are hiring or accept volunteers. You do not have to have full time but the earlier you start the more time you will have to get a variety of experience.
 
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Being able to find a pharm job seems to depend on the place you live and the amount of pre-pharm kids around you. If you have a hard time finding a job close to your campus, move farther away where people will be less likely to apply. After you get some experience, you will probably be able to move somewhere closer. Try going to the chain pharmacies (like Walgreens, CVS, etc) because they will pay for your training and certification. These are obviously harder to get because of the incentives, but its worth a try.

If you are just starting college, I suggest taking the first semester to get used to the lifestyle and studying. Some people can really struggle that first semester so its better just to focus on school. After that go out and get experience as soon as you can!
 
well, i just called almost all the pharmacies around my area and none of them are hiring. there's only one community hospital nearby and i called and left a message asking for a volunteer positions but so far i haven't gotten a reply. what do i do now? :mad:
 
My problem is I have a decent job already and I cant exactly quit and go work as a pharm tech. Im just kinda doubting my chances vs people with years of experience in the pharmacy environment. Plus im a bit older, 28. I do have a 4.0 GPA and a 97 composite on my Pcat but is that enough to make up for it?
 
Why do you want to be a pharmacist? Why not a doctor or a lawyer? What kind of research did you do to decide to be a pharmacist? What happens a year after you graduate if you suddenly dislike the profession? If you don't get in to pharmacy school what's your back up plan?

Expect these sorts of interview questions. Having never worked in the field they'll be expecting well thought out answers.

Also, you dont need to work in a pharmacy 40 hours a week to get 'experience'. Have you tried volunteering at a hospital? Shadowing a retail pharmacist? Part time work at a mail order pharmacy? Don't assume experience means full time tech job for years and years. They just want you to be exposed to the job so you're sure this is what you want to do.
 
People do get in w/o experience and your high numbers will help you out with that. Getting experience can only help though, even a little as azPharmD said.
 
Thanks for the advice. I have been planning on volunteering at a hospital here, just waiting on a second TB test. Hopefully that helps me out.
 
Bluth said:
My problem is I have a decent job already and I cant exactly quit and go work as a pharm tech. Im just kinda doubting my chances vs people with years of experience in the pharmacy environment. Plus im a bit older, 28. I do have a 4.0 GPA and a 97 composite on my Pcat but is that enough to make up for it?
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I honestly don't think pharmacy experience is super necessary before starting pharmacy school. However, students who do have some experience have the opportunity to convey their motivation in their essay or at an interview for what drives them to pursue a career in pharmacy. I think what schools want to know is if you know what type of career you're heading into. And to some schools, they might weigh this as something particularly important.

A 4.0 and high PCAT scored definately proves you're capable of learning...but I think the key for you would be, as long as you can truly convince the adcoms that pharmacy is the right career for you, and that you're ready to learn and commit to becoming one, you're good to go. Some work experience, whether paid or non-paid, in pharmacy is just one way to talk about your exposure to the field.

Your stats are excellent, by the way. :)
 
Although a 4.0 GPA at a CC and no degree can hurt you at some schools, if you have a 4.0 GPA at 4 year university and a BS/BA then you should be set without any experience. Really depends on the school like if you applied to UOP you won't get in since pharm experience is a requirement or atleast a LOR from pharmacist (i believe). But if the schools you looking at accept a good percentage of students without degrees and don't require experience then I wouldn't be too worried (assuming you don't have BS/BA)
 
I also think you can talk refer to your high GPA and PCAT as a way of saying you're committed to pharmacy school. Clearly you worked VERY hard to earn those high marks so you can mention that you studied very hard because you were dedicated to the field and going to a good school. I'm not sure if you worked full time at the same time as getting those good grades, but if the adcom asks about pharmacy experience you can talk about how you worked full time to support yourself through school and that you are in the process of applying for a volunteer position at a hospital. (or are already volunteering depending on when they interview you). I think for you with those high grades, lack of pharmacy experience will not be a big deal at all. Also mention how you did a lot of research before starting the prereqs, how you had lengthy conversations with your pharmacist at your drug store, or whatever thought process you went through before deciding on doing pharmacy. I think that would show your committment to the profession as well. Good luck!
 
Well I was required to interview 5 pharmacists and do a ton of research on the job for my voc rehab package. Im trying to get the VA to pay for pharmacy school. :D My biggest worry was if I got an interview the people in my group would be talking about all their experience as pharm techs and the specific issues they faced while I would be sitting there with nothing to say.
 
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A high PCAT will confirm that a high GPA wasn't due to excessive curving. Ivy league schools are notorious offenders in that regard. Wealthy parents often call up and threaten to take legal action if sonny doesn't get an A. My friend at Columbia often points this out.

The exams at my community college are departmental with no curve. In the end you get the grade your deserve, no matter how laid back or draconian your professor is. You can't BS your way out of a calculus exam.
 
It depends on the school. My class is about 50/50 for students who have experience and those who don't. The school puts time aside to make sure that everyone before they graduate is comfortable in the pharmacy setting through experiential learning assignments.

Other programs may not want to emphasize this in their curriculum and would prefer to have people who have gone out on their own to gain pharmacy experience as pre-pharms.

The best thing to do is call up the programs you're interested in and ask them what they're looking for.
 
Bluth said:
Well I was required to interview 5 pharmacists and do a ton of research on the job for my voc rehab package. Im trying to get the VA to pay for pharmacy school. :D My biggest worry was if I got an interview the people in my group would be talking about all their experience as pharm techs and the specific issues they faced while I would be sitting there with nothing to say.
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It's okay! There's always a first to everything. :D
 
I volunteered ONCE in a pharmacy, for four hours.
That experience certainly helped on my application, and I would'nt have gotten into pharm school without it. They might not necessarily ask how long or how often you volunteered. Just make sure you have some insights to share about what you learned or discovered during your experience, no matter how short or insignificant (time-wise) it might be.
 
For the people who shadowed a pharmacist, did you already know the person? How would I go about doing it?
 
I shadowed a pharmacist at the hospital I was volunteering at. I volunteered in the pharmacy, and after being there a few weeks, getting a feel of the situation and people, I asked one of the younger clinical pharmacists if I could tag along for a shift. Sure helped me decide that clinical wasn't my thing!
 
In terms of experience in a pharmacy, does it make any difference if you are volunteering, shadowing, or actually employed as a tech or cashier? What kind of lenght of experience do ADCOMS want to see? weeks? months? And does it matter when the experience happens ie does it need to be closer to the time you enter pharmacy school (for me 2 years from now) or could it be sooner? THanks,

Ryan
 
You need to have enough to be able to explain the profession to adcoms through the form of a PS and/or an interview. I was offered multiple acceptances despite not even stepping foot in one pharmacy because I was able to articulate my knowledge about the profession while not making crap up. Of course, zero pharmacy experiences is not the way to go for anybody; it just worked out for me.;)

You don't want to spend so little time that your experience looks like a token experience nor do you want a full-fledged job to inhibit doing well in classes and/or the PCAT. Consistency and balance are the keys to finding the optimal length of experience. For the adcoms' sake, you just have to show that you learned a lot and that you applied that experience to solidifying your desire to enter the profession of pharmacy.
 
lee0539 said:
I find it hard to believe that all pharm techs are trying to be pharmacists. I'm sure a large amount of them do want to be pharmacists, but there are a lot of pharm techs that have been working for 8+ years. Also do hospital pharm techs get paid a bit more or have increased wage with experience?
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I have worked in retail for over four years... i started at 6.50 / hr. n 2003, within the same chain today, i make 12.00 About a year ago i decided to get some hospital experience so I applied and was started at 15 / hr. Since i only work the weekends, it gets bumped up to 18.6 / hr. (differential).

I'm trully grateful for the experience i have gained, but i refuse to work for less than 11 / hr. Tech work is not laid back... and for those of us who are independent students, we depend on a decent salary to make ends meet. Once you factor in knowledge, experience, dependability and work ethics.... you should be do for a salary increase.
 
Knickerbocker said:
This is the same guy who said that he is only applying to the top 15 schools (as listed by US News & World Report).

M-O-O-N, that spells 'TROLL.'

I think that this might be the same guy who posted a while back about having to fight off female customers because they'd want him so badly (I forget what name he used then).
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What does TROLL mean.... when refering to this forum on SDN?

Thanks.
 
handsome pharm said:
I never worked as a tech or shadowed a pharmacist, nor do I plan to. After reading many posts on this forum it seems the overwhelming majority of applicants have pharmacy experience. My reason for not working at the local CVS is mostly on moral grounds. I refuse to work at a slave wage of $8 an hour.

On the plus side my GPA is 3.8 and PCAT 97. I attend community college and concede that admissions may discount my GPA, even though the stereotype is false.

Will my lack of experience hurt me dearly when applying to pharmacy schools?
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i feel the same way, i don't even know why i took that job at the pharmacy....i quitted after 6 months....i graduated college with a double major in computer engineering and business yet i had to lower myself to $9/hr, listen to all the BS, learn absolutely nothing about drugs and pharmacy related stuffs(but I did learn to be an excellent cashier, :laugh:)........i quitted my $25/hr job as a network security administrator for this job thinking i could gain valuable experience observing the Pharmacists.........people, dont make the same mistake i made........if you're just starting, go volunteer and shadow a pharmacist instead but i doubt any pharmacists would let u do that and schools look down on volunteering experience in contrast to a paid one.........
 
Make sure you mention in your interview that you won't work for $8/hour and that the money is the most important part to you. Forget a love for the job, wanting experience, or wanting to help people. You are too valuable for that ****! The admissions committee will understand and love you for it.
 
^=^ said:
Yes it matters. If you get in with zero experience, let me know where you applied. Thanks :sleep:
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i know some students who got in to NOva without having experience, but i recommend everyone whos going to pharmacy school to have a pharmacy experince because it helps you to see what the job looks like.You get familiar with a lot of drugs and what they do like for blood pressure, axienty, and ... So when go to a pharmacy and learn about how the drugs work, you already know what they do i think you just have to learn how a drug works on people.There alot of blood pressure medications, so as a pharmacy tech. , you might wonder why the patients take a lot of BP medications, i think das why you have to go to a pharmacy school to learn about ...
i have been working in pharmacy almost for 2 yrs and im loving it, i love to help people and its amezing to see how drugs save people lives'. So if someone really wants be a pharmacist they difinitly have to work in a pharmacy, its not only about the money, you trully have to show you love the career.
 
AngelaCL said:
Make sure you mention in your interview that you won't work for $8/hour and that the money is the most important part to you. Forget a love for the job, wanting experience, or wanting to help people. You are too valuable for that ****! The admissions committee will understand and love you for it.
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and people wonder how students with 3.8 GPA and 97 PCAT can get rejected to schools.
 
lee0539 said:
and people wonder how students with 3.8 GPA and 97 PCAT can get rejected to schools.
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Yup. Remember, if schools didn't care about anything other than GPA and PCAT scores, they wouldn't even ask for letters of recommendation, interviews, etc.
 
This guy sounds like a total prick. Hope you eat crap and die
 
He does bring up the idea that if you have other things that are constructive, do it. Don't just be a tech for the sake of the experience if you already know what you're getting yourself into. Not everyone who applies to pharmacy school that is successful had several years of tech or volunteering experience; it's about seeing your passion manifest itself into malleable ambition - not something that would perceivably look 'good' on paper. We're not all clones, nor do we want to strive to be that: dare to be different!
 
I recently started working at a pharmacy and have found it to be a great decision on my part. I did take a pay cut going to work as a pharmacy tech but I think that working in a pharmacy will make you a better pharmacist in the end especially if you work retail. The education and drug information you need will be taught to you in pharmacy school, but the environment and pressure of filling over 500 scripts a day will force you to learn and improve upon many of your talents.
 
handsome pharm said:
I never worked as a tech or shadowed a pharmacist, nor do I plan to. After reading many posts on this forum it seems the overwhelming majority of applicants have pharmacy experience. My reason for not working at the local CVS is mostly on moral grounds. I refuse to work at a slave wage of $8 an hour.

On the plus side my GPA is 3.8 and PCAT 97. I attend community college and concede that admissions may discount my GPA, even though the stereotype is false.

Will my lack of experience hurt me dearly when applying to pharmacy schools?
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First of all, if you are Certified Pharmacy Tech, you can make more than $8, I make $10.50 at a independant Pharmacy. However, that isn't my motivation.. I do it because I love it... which is why I am working toward making it my Proffessional career. Maybe you should look at your motives for going to pharmacy school, because if you're only doing it for the money, you'll end up hating it. The money will get old after a while... so work toward what you WANT TO DO, not what you want to make.
 
I got into three schools with zero pharmacy experience, but that is not the optimal route to take. During the three interviews that preceded my acceptances, I could instantly sense an "Uh, oh" look in my interviewers' face when I answered that obligatory "Describe your pharmacy experiences" query. I really had to convince them that I had enough knowledge of the pharmacy profession so that they wouldn't have to kick me out during pharmacy school. I made my case and they agreed.

Even if you can only shadow a pharmacist, that is a vital experience for reflection to convey your knowledge and desire for the field.
 
Hi everyone

Seems like I am bumping a semi-old post, but I have to say thanks to all those who posted a reply.

I ended up staying at the outpatient pharmacy and was mainly designated the role of counting pills and stocking up medicine. Now that I look back on my experience, it wasn’t that bad after all.

Back then, I felt I was slow because during the first week it took me forever to find the right bottle of pills and to stock them back while other technicians did it sooo quickly.

Now looking back I understand that it was alright for me to be slow because everything was so new to me. I started at first to write down drug names that I remembered from my day volunteering and when I was at home I started to search them up on the internet.

Then I bought "The Pharmacy Technician's Pocket Drug Reference" and started to memorize the drugs (especially the top 100 drugs) on there along with other books to learn more. I noticed that when you know the drug name and their function, it makes finding medicine fun!

I volunteered only a few hours per week (4-6) and toward the end of the month the technicians told me that I learn very quickly. Some techies even wanted the day off when I was there :scared:

One funny thing to mention is that a second volunteer came in and I started to explain things to her. When it came to the bottle of oxycodone, I told her where they stashed it and explained to her what it was used for (narcotics). The following week I came back to volunteer I noticed they locked the cabinet (when it was always opened when I worked there). I guess they didn’t know that I knew what this stuff was for, so they locked it up in case I took some?

Due to the fact that I was a volunteer, I couldn’t do many things. Counting pills was considered “taboo” for a volunteer already. After doing my required hours, I left because I had to study for the PCAT. Now that I am done with the Oct PCAT, I’m going to try and find myself a technician job and this time around, one that pays me.

Wish me luck!! :luck:
 
Hey everyone, I was just wondering if you all could help me with something. I have already applied to pharmacy school and currently waiting for my interviews (if I even get one), but I have no pharmacy experience yet except for shadowing a couple of pharmacist. Right now, I live in the Berkeley/Bay Area and it is so hard to find a job as a pharmacy clerk. I even offered my volunteer services and they won't even accept.

Any of you have advice on how I can gain some pharmacy experience or ways to effectively get a Pharmacy clerk job or volunteer experience? I need this experience ASAP so that if I get an interview within the next month, I have something job related to talk about.

thanks so Much everyone:luck:
 
Shadowing should be good enough to get into school, at least I think. I went through what you are now, with the frustrations of not being able to get anything. I finally turned toward networking and wrote letters/sent resumes to everyone I or my parents knew in any medical/pharmacy related field-there were a lot of dead ends, but finally, somebody knew somebody and we were able to work something out.

Just keep at it and something should become available. Good luck.
 
maybe finding experience that is outside of the bay area. like the point that you might have to travel?
Bugslife32 said:
Hey everyone, I was just wondering if you all could help me with something. I have already applied to pharmacy school and currently waiting for my interviews (if I even get one), but I have no pharmacy experience yet except for shadowing a couple of pharmacist. Right now, I live in the Berkeley/Bay Area and it is so hard to find a job as a pharmacy clerk. I even offered my volunteer services and they won't even accept.

Any of you have advice on how I can gain some pharmacy experience or ways to effectively get a Pharmacy clerk job or volunteer experience? I need this experience ASAP so that if I get an interview within the next month, I have something job related to talk about.

thanks so Much everyone:luck:
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veyep said:
personally the best place i think is the hospital pharmacy. hospitals always want volunteers.
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very true I easily got a spot volunteering at the hospital in my area
 
Retail always need people. Yes it could be very hectic but at least you get familiar with drugs name and group. Good luck!
 
thanks everyone, I'll definitely try asking around at hospitals and try harder for those retail positions.
 
I was rejected by two hospitals when I applied for volunteering in the pharmacy. They said that they keep their spots for pharmacy students and in the other hospital that it is against their policy. :( So, I did what KTZ53 said – had to pull some strings in my family and found a guy who owns a retail pharmacy. He let me to come and work on weekends and, also, recommended me to get certified (which I gonna do next year) and it will help substantially in getting a job. :)
 
get off your butt and ask anybody and everybody! Perseverance is the key... i don't have any hook-ups or cousin's dad's uncle's wife's stepkid working in a pharmacy so i just dropped my resume off w/ all the retail pharmacies within a driving distance to my house!
 
I live in Denver and am looking to apply for pharmacy school, class of 2009. I've been trying to get experience, either by volunteering or as a pharm tech, but I'm getting really discouraged. The places I call either don't need more volunteers, or if it's a pharm tech position, they want experience and certification. Any help here? How did everyone else get there experience?
 
My first exposure to pharmacy was volunteering in my university pharmacy. They always needed more help and I was glad for the experience. :)
 
Don't worry! Keep looking. I had a hard time finding a place to work too. Have you tried Longs? From my experience, Longs needs a lot of people to work for them. Try working as an ancillary!
Hope this helps and good luck! :)
 
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