Pharmacy Jobs in LA & NYC

[BetseyJohnson]

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I'm graduating in two years &, at this point, am really interested in moving to LA or NYC (leaning more toward LA) upon graduation. Anyway, what sort of steps do I need to take to obtain a job in one of these areas? I'm currently working for CVS but would be open to working for other companies. I also like the idea of working the graveyard shift, so I can have my days free. I know CA (like FL) has additional licensing requirements? Anyone care to elaborate? Thanks a bunch!

 

[pinkpillowzz]

good luck

 

[grizzlesgrizzlies]

you're not the first person who wants to do that...

although having the willingness to work 7 on 7 off night shifts will only help your case

 

[confettiflyer]

CA: CPJE (CA does not accept the MPJE) + transfer 1500 intern hours via your state's BoP. Be prepared to work in not-so-great areas of LA.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

I'm graduating in two years &, at this point, am really interested in moving to LA or NYC (leaning more toward LA) upon graduation. Anyway, what sort of steps do I need to take to obtain a job in one of these areas? I'm currently working for CVS but would be open to working for other companies. I also like the idea of working the graveyard shift, so I can have my days free. I know CA (like FL) has additional licensing requirements? Anyone care to elaborate? Thanks a bunch!

As long as you are working for CVS, you are a step above other people in your class in getting a job. Companies for now are still hiring ALL of their "store bred" pharmacists. If you really want to be safe, you can contact your intern coordinator and ask to volunteer for community outreach events.

 

[grizzlesgrizzlies]

CA: CPJE (CA does not accept the MPJE) + transfer 1500 intern hours via your state's BoP. Be prepared to work in not-so-great areas of LA.

kind of studying for that right now as i type lol

(stupid 1 year rule says I can't sit for their board until i am licensed for at least 1 year in another state since i dont have 1500 hours lol)

btw PNW is also an appealing location besides all the non-sunny and damp weather...

dunno if you have been in the northeast lately but its been raining like crazy!

 

[confettiflyer]

kind of studying for that right now as i type lol

(stupid 1 year rule says I can't sit for their board until i am licensed for at least 1 year in another state since i dont have 1500 hours lol)

btw PNW is also an appealing location besides all the non-sunny and damp weather...

dunno if you have been in the northeast lately but its been raining like crazy!

I actually like gloom and rain...weird huh, haha. I'm in CA now and it's june gloom and i like it.

yeah, worst time to visit so-cal if you're looking for sun is June oddly enough, many tourists don't realize this...lots of coastal clouds cause LA/OC/SD to get socked in most of june.

 

[grizzlesgrizzlies]

I actually like gloom and rain...weird huh, haha. I'm in CA now and it's june gloom and i like it.

yeah, worst time to visit so-cal if you're looking for sun is June oddly enough, many tourists don't realize this...lots of coastal clouds cause LA/OC/SD to get socked in most of june.

yeah good info, hopefully if there's no hitch in the paperwork i'll be flying out to take the test sometime in sept/oct... i want to pass the CPJE like Kobe wants his 4th title... and he just got it

 

[Quiksilver]

new york has a law exam and a compounding exam that includes IV products

 

[BetseyJohnson]

Hey, thanks everyone for the replies. Based on what you've heard/experienced, is it easier (or maybe less difficult is a better term) to secure a job in LA (Burbank area) or NYC at this time? It would definitely need to be in a safe area for young white females.

Also, since I'm from out-of-state, would it be possible for me to get a job in NY or CA directly out of school? I am SO ready to get out of my hometown, lol. Also, how do I begin preparing for the IV compounding exam, btw? How much time do you consider adequate to prepare for the exam?

Thanks, muchos!

 

[Priapism321]

It would definitely need to be in a safe area for young white females.

Maybe Compton??

 

[Praziquantel86]

Also, how do I begin preparing for the IV compounding exam, btw? How much time do you consider adequate to prepare for the exam?

Thanks, muchos!

It's not just an IV compounding exam, an IV is one of the three prescriptions that you'll be required to compound. Typically, you'll have a capsule and another non-sterile preparation (ointment, solution, suspension, chart, etc.). This isn't always the case though, this years was not pretty. The solution was something similar to Domeboro (make a solution such that when 3 teaspoonsful are added to a gallon, a 1:20000 solution is made).

UB offers a "boot camp" of sorts to help prepare people for the exam, run at one of the official compounding sites. It's not cheap though, I think it was around $500 for a three day course. UBs students take a full year of wet lab and lecture plus an additional elective semester.

 

[atticus27]

Maybe Compton??

Sure, only if said safety excludes kidnap, sodomy, murder, and being a forced drug mule. Try Stockton instead.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

It's not just an IV compounding exam, an IV is one of the three prescriptions that you'll be required to compound. Typically, you'll have a capsule and another non-sterile preparation (ointment, solution, suspension, chart, etc.). This isn't always the case though, this years was not pretty. The solution was something similar to Domeboro (make a solution such that when 3 teaspoonsful are added to a gallon, a 1:20000 solution is made).

UB offers a "boot camp" of sorts to help prepare people for the exam, run at one of the official compounding sites. It's not cheap though, I think it was around $500 for a three day course. UBs students take a full year of wet lab and lecture plus an additional elective semester.

I would advise anyone who wants to get licensed in NY after graduating (you dont have to take compounding if you already practiced pharmacy for one year in another state) to take a review course. The wet lab is a lot harder than it sounds and people fail for stupid reasons (failure to put do not refridgerate on label, etc).

If you are assigned to an afternoon session, be sure to come in early so you can find out what questions are on the exam. The questions are the same except they change the numbers.

 

[BetseyJohnson]

Ha-Compton is basically the most dangerous part of LA. Is it really THAT difficult to find a pharmacy job in a decent part of LA?

Would I have a better chance of getting a pharmacy job in LA/NYC, if I worked in someplace like ATL or Nashville for a year before moving out to LA/NYC, and would this eliminate my having to prepare for extra exams, aside from the law exams? I already took the law class for my state, but for some reason, I remember our instructor saying something about how the only other two states where one has to take additional exams are FL and CA. I might be confusing this bit of info with something else. Pharmacy classes start to get a bit blurry after a while. I've had a year of compounding classes, but we didn't really learn much about IV compounding, except for the very basic asceptic technique.

 

[grizzlesgrizzlies]

Ha-Compton is basically the most dangerous part of LA. Is it really THAT difficult to find a pharmacy job in a decent part of LA?

Would I have a better chance of getting a pharmacy job in LA/NYC, if I worked in someplace like ATL or Nashville for a year before moving out to LA/NYC, and would this eliminate my having to prepare for extra exams, aside from the law exams? I already took the law class for my state, but for some reason, I remember our instructor saying something about how the only other two states where one has to take additional exams are FL and CA. I might be confusing this bit of info with something else. Pharmacy classes start to get a bit blurry after a while. I've had a year of compounding classes, but we didn't really learn much about IV compounding, except for the very basic asceptic technique.

LA, or southern california in general, is a desirable part of the country. i can't vouch for the current job market there since i don't live there, but as other posters that live in that area have said, finding a job there is not that easy. it makes a lot of sense because you have to realize that you're probably not the only pharmacy student/pharmacist who has ever thought about relocating there.

if you want to practice pharmacy in the state of CA, you have to take the CPJE no matter what. It's basically their version of the law exam, except that most of their questions are clinically based (pretty much like the NAPLEX).