Should I work as a pharmacy tech instead of intern?

[Timbo]

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Current pharmacy student. I'd like to get a job to working right away as I will have a lot of free time coming up thanks to a long break from school. There is an job opening I found for a store I called. However getting hired as an intern seems to be very difficult as I have to deal with the district manager/recruiter who is incredibly difficult to get ahold of. I've talked to him once, he told me to shoot him an email which I did but he hasn't responded in weeks. I've tried to reach out again a few more times through phone and e-mail but to no avail. I've had similar past experiences with recruiters - very irresponsive. Perhaps I should just apply directly with the store as a tech? I don't mind the pay difference. I guess I won't get to do transfers and counsel but I feel that I'm out of options if I want to get started soon. What are your thoughts?

 

[Son_Goku]

No.

Keep trying until you get the intern position.

 

[MindGeek]

You should be an intern since you are an intern

Plus you have to think long term, in terms of intern hours for when you need to get licensed as a pharmacist:

• How many intern hours does your school provide?
• How many total hours does your state require? (Most are 1500, NJ/OR=1440, IL=1200, SD=2000, NM=2150)
• Do they put a maximum on the number of hours that can be earned from school towards their minimum? (PA=750, SC/AK 1000, TN=1100)
• Do they put a minimum on the number of hours that need to be earned outside of school? (SC>500, PA >750, SD>260)
• Do the outside of school hours have to be in traditional retail/hospital setting? (SC)
• Do total hours have to include a minimum amount in traditional pharmacy practice setting? (AL=400, AR=500)
• Is there a maximum on total hours in a non-traditional setting? (NC=500)
• Do paid intern hours let you take a practical licensing exam earlier? (NY)
• Does reaching the total intern hour minimum let you apply for licensure early? (PA)
• Do all the hours have to be completed in your state?
• Do all the intern hours need to be completed in the US?
• If you complete hours in another state will they certify back to your home state? (NY does not certify hours out)
• Do you have to submit a notarized form by your preceptor annually to the board to prove hours to them?
• Do you have to certify all your intern hours during each APPE to the board? (CA)
• Do outside of school intern hours only count during summer break and winter break? (NY)
• Is there a limit to how many hours you can work in a week? (VA/PA <50, NY</=40)
• Is there a minimum of hours you can work each week for it to count as an internship? (VA >20)
• Does the pharmacy you intern at have to have a minimum annual script count? (NY=5000)
• Do you have to retain payroll records in case you get audited by the board? (NY)
• Do you have to report the internship to the board before starting the internship in order for it to count? (SC, NJ externs)
• Does the state even issue interns permits?
• Do you have to be X years into pharmacy school to get an intern permit or can you get one once you have an acceptance letter to pharmacy school?

First check out this epic chart by Suskind Susser. A lot of my examples above came from him...
http://www.visalaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/pharmacistchart.pdf
Then check your state statutes and your school's experiential education schedule.

You want to avoid having to work as an intern after graduating just to be able to take the NAPLEX+MPJE, or have passed those exams but are only waiting to reach their hours limit for them to grant the license. Also some states will not issue an intern license to students who have already graduated so you could end up stuck with no way to get the hours in another state if you don't plan far ahead of time.

 

[Lnsean]

there're a lot of students and pharmacists on this forum that want to work as a tech...I don't know why.

 

[Timbo]

You should be an intern since you are an intern

Plus you have to think long term, in terms of intern hours for when you need to get licensed as a pharmacist:

• How many intern hours does your school provide?
• How many total hours does your state require? (Most are 1500, NJ/OR=1440, IL=1200, SD=2000, NM=2150)
• Do they put a maximum on the number of hours that can be earned from school towards their minimum? (PA=750, SC/AK 1000, TN=1100)
• Do they put a minimum on the number of hours that need to be earned outside of school? (SC>500, PA >750, SD>260)
• Do the outside of school hours have to be in traditional retail/hospital setting? (SC)
• Do total hours have to include a minimum amount in traditional pharmacy practice setting? (AL=400, AR=500)
• Is there a maximum on total hours in a non-traditional setting? (NC=500)
• Do paid intern hours let you take a practical licensing exam earlier? (NY)
• Does reaching the total intern hour minimum let you apply for licensure early? (PA)
• Do all the hours have to be completed in your state?
• Do all the intern hours need to be completed in the US?
• If you complete hours in another state will they certify back to your home state? (NY does not certify hours out)
• Do you have to submit a notarized form by your preceptor annually to the board to prove hours to them?
• Do you have to certify all your intern hours during each APPE to the board? (CA)
• Do outside of school intern hours only count during summer break and winter break? (NY)
• Is there a limit to how many hours you can work in a week? (VA/PA <50, NY</=40)
• Is there a minimum of hours you can work each week for it to count as an internship? (VA >20)
• Does the pharmacy you intern at have to have a minimum annual script count? (NY=5000)
• Do you have to retain payroll records in case you get audited by the board? (NY)
• Do you have to report the internship to the board before starting the internship in order for it to count? (SC, NJ externs)

First check out this epic chart by Suskind Susser. A lot of my examples above came from him...
http://www.visalaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/pharmacistchart.pdf
Then check your state statutes and your school's experiential education schedule.

You want to avoid having to work as an intern after graduating just to be able to take the NAPLEX+MPJE, or have passed those exams but are only waiting to reach their hours limit for them to grant the license. Also some states will not issue an intern license to students who have already graduated so you could end up stuck with no way to get the hours in another state if you don't plan far ahead of time.

My hours and other requirements will already be covered through school. I just want to work to keep busy/extra experience.

 

[AstraZ]

You should be an intern since you are an intern

Plus you have to think long term, in terms of intern hours for when you need to get licensed as a pharmacist:

• How many intern hours does your school provide?
• How many total hours does your state require? (Most are 1500, NJ/OR=1440, IL=1200, SD=2000, NM=2150)
• Do they put a maximum on the number of hours that can be earned from school towards their minimum? (PA=750, SC/AK 1000, TN=1100)
• Do they put a minimum on the number of hours that need to be earned outside of school? (SC>500, PA >750, SD>260)
• Do the outside of school hours have to be in traditional retail/hospital setting? (SC)
• Do total hours have to include a minimum amount in traditional pharmacy practice setting? (AL=400, AR=500)
• Is there a maximum on total hours in a non-traditional setting? (NC=500)
• Do paid intern hours let you take a practical licensing exam earlier? (NY)
• Does reaching the total intern hour minimum let you apply for licensure early? (PA)
• Do all the hours have to be completed in your state?
• Do all the intern hours need to be completed in the US?
• If you complete hours in another state will they certify back to your home state? (NY does not certify hours out)
• Do you have to submit a notarized form by your preceptor annually to the board to prove hours to them?
• Do you have to certify all your intern hours during each APPE to the board? (CA)
• Do outside of school intern hours only count during summer break and winter break? (NY)
• Is there a limit to how many hours you can work in a week? (VA/PA <50, NY</=40)
• Is there a minimum of hours you can work each week for it to count as an internship? (VA >20)
• Does the pharmacy you intern at have to have a minimum annual script count? (NY=5000)
• Do you have to retain payroll records in case you get audited by the board? (NY)
• Do you have to report the internship to the board before starting the internship in order for it to count? (SC, NJ externs)

First check out this epic chart by Suskind Susser. A lot of my examples above came from him...
http://www.visalaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/pharmacistchart.pdf
Then check your state statutes and your school's experiential education schedule.

You want to avoid having to work as an intern after graduating just to be able to take the NAPLEX+MPJE, or have passed those exams but are only waiting to reach their hours limit for them to grant the license. Also some states will not issue an intern license to students who have already graduated so you could end up stuck with no way to get the hours in another state if you don't plan far ahead of time.

That is awesome MindGeek. Thank you! It's good to know these things early on so you don't end up with unpleasant surprises later.

 

[BenJammin]

Not legal when I was in pharmacy school. You had to forfeit your tech license in order to receive an intern license so you may not have a choice.

 

[pharmacymonster]

there're a lot of students and pharmacists on this forum that want to work as a tech...I don't know why.

LOL I've noticed that as well!

 

[BidingMyTime]

Like MindGeek says, you really need to find out what your state requires. IL does not have intern licenses, so working as an intern or technician has no legal difference (only difference in pay perhaps depending on your employer.)

Personally, if you can't get a job as an intern, I would take the job as a technician. You will still be learning, and I think it would be easier to get an official job as an intern, if you are already working as a technician.

 

[owlegrad]

I know the FL BOP website used to expressly state that intern licenses superseded tech licenses and working as a tech while an intern was legal, if less than ideal.