PHARMACY SCHOOL & INTERNSHIP REQUIREMENTS

[xner37]

Hello all,
I am a bit confused on the whole pharmacy school process in general. I am not enrolled in a program for pharmacy right now, rather I am attending a 4-year university majoring in chemistry, which I regret not applying for 6 year pharmacy programs straight out of high school (now there's the PCAT, grades, extracurriculars to worry about). In general my question is how would I go about getting an CVS internship next summer? Are there any licenses and such that I have to get? Since I will be applying to pharmacy school later, I do not have those credentials right now, however next year will be the summer before senior year and I wish to boost my resume next summer hopefully with an internship related to pharmacy. (I am currently working at hospital pharmacy and planning to work during the school year at another pharmacy in my school out of the state). Any experience with getting a CVS internship or getting an any internships related to pharmacy that I should do next summer? Thank you guys!

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[Sugoi Travis]

You'll most likely have to go through your school's internship program (if they have one) and volunteer to work at a pharmacy. If you're talking about being licensed as a pharmacy intern, you're going to need to be in pharmacy school. Also depending on the state you're in, some states require you to have finished your first year of school before you get your intern license and other states allow you to get your intern license on the first day of your P1 year.

 

[xner37]

You'll most likely have to go through your school's internship program (if they have one) and volunteer to work at a pharmacy. If you're talking about being licensed as a pharmacy intern, you're going to need to be in pharmacy school. Also depending on the state you're in, some states require you to have finished your first year of school before you get your intern license and other states allow you to get your intern license on the first day of your P1 year.

So in order to get an CVS internship I would have to get an license? I currently live in New York. What would be other options for working experience for pharmacy school if I can't get a license? My school does not have a pharmacy program sadly, so I am just finishing my bachelors degree and getting my prerequisites done as of now. I am currently volunteering at hospital pharmacy.

 

[Kelp103]

So in order to get an CVS internship I would have to get an license? I currently live in New York. What would be other options for working experience for pharmacy school if I can't get a license? My school does not have a pharmacy program sadly, so I am just finishing my bachelors degree and getting my prerequisites done as of now. I am currently volunteering at hospital pharmacy.

Get a technician license. Volunteering in a hospital is okay. Chains won't normally let you volunteer, but an independent might.

 

[xner37]

Get a technician license. Volunteering in a hospital is okay. Chains won't normally let you volunteer, but an independent might.

Is it hard to get a technician license? Would undergraduate research acceptable/ good if I am not able to intern at a chain pharmacy?

 

[Kelp103]

Interning is while you are actually in pharmacy school. Before that you can only work or volunteer in a pharmacy (as a technician or just a volunteer). 'Intern' is an actual license from your state (for the majority of states, a couple do not require a license), which again you can only get once in pharmacy school (some states you can't even be an intern until after so many hours/completing the first year). It depends on your state law how to become a technician (just register, tear PTCE, have to do tech school, etc). You can get in without experience, but I would want to make sure what I was spending so much money going to school for was what I actually wanted to do. Most pharmacists work in retail so I think you should know what that is like.