shadowing vs. volunteering

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chrispharm

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I have recently been shadowing two pharmacists at a local hospital and was wondering would it be better on an application to have pharmacy shadowing or pharmacy volunteer expericane?
Do you think one is “valued” more over the other?
I do not have time avaliable to work anywhere as a tech.
Thanks,

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Nope one is not valued over the other. It's what you learn from your experiences that matter the most.
 
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The correct answer, IMO, is the one that'll let you do it the longest.

The longer, more involved your participation is, the better off you'll be when it comes time to have your CV reviewed by an AdCom and/or at an interview.

Each interview I went to, my interviewer expressed that they really liked to see 100+ hours of volunteerism, be it in a pharmacy or otherwise, and that 1 or 2 visits to a place doesn't really register on the radar.

YMMV...
 
I agree that it is the experience that matters.

Shadowing usually gives you a chance to see what a day in the life of a pharmacist is like, but you usually don't get to do very much.
Volunteering usually is more hands-on but it really depends on what your volunteer site allows you to do. Some pharmacies are very strict about what a volunteer is able to do and you may not learn very much from such an experience while others will allow you to do more. Ask around and see what volunteering is like at certain pharmacies.
Honestly, the best way to get some hands on experience is to get a job as a pharmacy technician. I know it takes a lot of time, but it can help you decide whether pharmacy is a field you would like to go into.
 
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