Research vs. Pharmacy tech experience

[djpharmacy]

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Hey everyone, I just found this board. It's gonna be really helpful as I am applying to pharmacy school this fall and I look forward to contributing whenever i can. I'm a junior in college majoring in chemistry.

Will pharmacy schools prefer summer research experience (in either chemistry, biochemistry or pharmacology) or summer work experience as a pharmacy technician in retail??

I'm going to apply to the top programs in the country (UNC, UCSF, USC, UWash, UT)

Also, is it difficult to get a job as a pharmacy tech as an undergraduate non-prepharmacy major??

Thanks

 

[Passion4Sci]

Will pharmacy schools prefer summer research experience (in either chemistry, biochemistry or pharmacology) or summer work experience as a pharmacy technician in retail??

It's hard to say. Is there any way you could do both? Perhaps take the undergraduate research, but volunteer also in a pharmacy? It'd be really great for you to have at least stepped foot into a pharmacy at some point, but I personally think research is more rare (And speaks to a high academic prowess) and thus, if I HAD to choose, I'd go with research especially if you can score the pharma. gig.

Also, is it difficult to get a job as a pharmacy tech as an undergraduate non-prepharmacy major??

We're in a recession. It's hard for anyone to get a job, and employers would probably like to keep people around longer than a few mos., so if you are going to be applying for clerk/tech jobs (And if you get certified) then I'd leave out the immediate plans to apply for pharmacy school.

 

[UES Girl]

Hey everyone, I just found this board. It's gonna be really helpful as I am applying to pharmacy school this fall and I look forward to contributing whenever i can. I'm a junior in college majoring in chemistry.

Will pharmacy schools prefer summer research experience (in either chemistry, biochemistry or pharmacology) or summer work experience as a pharmacy technician in retail??

I'm going to apply to the top programs in the country (UNC, UCSF, USC, UWash, UT)

Also, is it difficult to get a job as a pharmacy tech as an undergraduate non-prepharmacy major??

Thanks

Top programs like well rounded applicants and want to see you having an experience in both areas. Try to do both.

 

[holymolys]

depends on the school, there are some research based schools, and then there are some that are not really into them, i was at an interview, and the interviewer very openly told me that the school doesn't do alot of research stuff... but tech experience is useful everywhere, majority of the pharmacists are retail/clinical

 

[jet1]

I would recommend, IF POSSIBLE, to get a research opportunity during regular hours like monday to friday 9 to 5, then get retail experience like on the evening shifts and weekends.

My friend she did that one summer, and was accepted that following year. She was stressed from all the traveling, but she did it.

Also, it depends on what you want to do. If you want to really stand out, GET THE RESEARCH IN. A lot of people have years of retail experience because it is everywhere. Research spots are limited and the only way to get one sometimes is the connections you have.

If having 2 jobs hard for you, maybe do research this coming summer, then do retail during school.

If worst comes to worst, just volunteer at a hospital, nursing home, or indp. pharmacy and when a pharmacy spot is available, you can grab it. I suggest to talk to other people in pharmacy tech positions to see if there are openings they know of. I will gladly give you my position as a tech once I leave for Pharmacy School if I could.

 

[thephoenician88]

either way would do, but pharm tech experience would help you MORE in your first few years in pharmacy school

 

[MrMeowphers]

I'm biased since I already went to graduate school.

Some universities like UCSF are HUGE on research experience. That university as you know is only a graduate/professional school (e.g. they do not have undergrads). If you can put 1-2 years of actual research in with a summer of volunteering in the pharmacy, you'll have a good shot granted you have the stats and such to do it.

I got into UCSF thanks to my two graduate degree's and the interesting reason why I went from PhD/MS degrees into PharmD program. 👍

Also, why do you care whether you go to the US NEWS ranked pharmacy school? As mentioned many time on this forum by highly regarded members like Passion4Sci, the ranking of pharmacy schools is still very murky and unclear. US NEWS ranks pharmacy schools based on many factors including strength of research publications. Like a previous poster stated, some pharmacy schools do very little actual research, and hence they might be ranked low or maybe still unranked.

If you're only going for the name of the school hoping it'll land you a higher paying job down the road, you're sadly mistaken. This isn't like Medical school where the name will land you your 1st choice in residency, or like graduate school where the school's name along with the mentor's name carries a heap full of weight.

 

[djpharmacy]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I think I'm gonna try and do both (assuming I get a research job this summer)

I'm biased since I already went to graduate school.

Some universities like UCSF are HUGE on research experience. That university as you know is only a graduate/professional school (e.g. they do not have undergrads). If you can put 1-2 years of actual research in with a summer of volunteering in the pharmacy, you'll have a good shot granted you have the stats and such to do it.

I got into UCSF thanks to my two graduate degree's and the interesting reason why I went from PhD/MS degrees into PharmD program. 👍

Also, why do you care whether you go to the US NEWS ranked pharmacy school? As mentioned many time on this forum by highly regarded members like Passion4Sci, the ranking of pharmacy schools is still very murky and unclear. US NEWS ranks pharmacy schools based on many factors including strength of research publications. Like a previous poster stated, some pharmacy schools do very little actual research, and hence they might be ranked low or maybe still unranked.

If you're only going for the name of the school hoping it'll land you a higher paying job down the road, you're sadly mistaken. This isn't like Medical school where the name will land you your 1st choice in residency, or like graduate school where the school's name along with the mentor's name carries a heap full of weight.

Wow, I appreciate you letting know that. I will definitely do more research on various programs in the country.

 

[Benelli]

The problem with research versus experience is that one exposes you to the retail aspect, but the research may not expose you to a laboratory aspect. I have 58/60 hours completed and the experience was great! I just don't want to work in retail.

 

[dangster]

i worked in a pharmaceutical company for 2 years where it was mostly research based. i did, however, shadow a pharmacist for brief period and i think having worked/observed both spectrums of pharmacy really made me a competitive candidate. during my interview, i told them that i really enjoyed working in a research lab but i much prefer being a pharmacist because i would interact with people more.

 

[88888888]

Off topic.. but how many hours of research or volunteer is good when you apply for pharmacy schools?
I'm a 2nd year. btw.

 

[aboveliquidice]

Top programs like well rounded applicants and want to see you having an experience in both areas. Try to do both.

Absolutely...