So-Cal Intern Saturation...fortelling the future

[confettiflyer]

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So this is OFFICIAL from the intern coordinator for CVS Southern California. If you inquire about positions, you will be told that Orange County and South Los Angeles County are fully saturated for interns. The following locations are listed as having better availability:

Riverside
Temecula
Victorville
San Bernardino
Palm Springs
Carlsbad

So, unless you have an "in" already with an existing store, you'll be directed to these locations. This more or less reflects the current situation for pharmacists not placing into home stores within OC/South Bay LA and IMO, further solidifies the fact that there will be a functional surplus as these interns move up. There will be competition to just get into the float pool.

You've been warned. And can someone verify how budgeted intern hours are calculated now? I could have sworn those came from the district directly, but I believe that was changed and incorporated into the overall store hours budget last year. I can't quite remember.

 

[Transformer]

Nice Confetti!

I like how you used your words: "better availability"

I'm already working in the IE and I can tell you the saturation will only get worse when more and more LLU, Western, and maybe SC interns float eastward towards Temecula, Riverside, and San Bernardino.

Try Hesperia and areas closer to Big Bear: I heard they might have better availabilities!

 

[rudyisdope]

oh wow, i didn't know there was oversaturation in SoCal, I live in Victorville and will be having a phone interview with a pharmacy internship coordinator for CVS, I hope they put me in victorville i dont wanna have to travel

 

[confettiflyer]

Yeah I didn't use the word "openings" because, well, the wording the coordinator used was "more opportunities." Meaning, yeah...better chances.

Riverside is close enough that one can make the drive from North OC and pray that that they're running anti-commute in the AM or PM on the 91. Carlsbad...better area, easier to get to if you're already in south county. The other places are "good luck getting out there if you don't already live there."

 

[confettiflyer]

oh wow, i didn't know there was oversaturation in SoCal, I live in Victorville and will be having a phone interview with a pharmacy internship coordinator for CVS, I hope they put me in victorville i dont wanna have to travel

Yeah you should be fine. Are you interviewing with Sheryl?

 

[Farmercyst]

Yeah you should be fine. Are you interviewing with Sheryl?

Pretty sure it's Sheryl's area. She was my intern coordinator last year during the summer internship program. Way cool person.

 

[confettiflyer]

Pretty sure it's Sheryl's area. She was my intern coordinator last year during the summer internship program. Way cool person.

She replaced Vicki I believe, even some of my intern friends weren't aware of the switch.

 

[BelowTheMean]

Intern hours and positions are as scarce as ever. My sister's friend a P2 at USC has gotten ZERO hours the past 2 months working for Rite Aid (yes, i know it's rite aid). My girlfriend graduates this summer and she hasn't gotten a job either. Tough times, and with more new schools opening soon, it's only going to get worse in the future. Prospective pharm students, BE WARNED (at least if you plan on living in socal, coastal east, or something)

 

[StaviZFingerZ]

In 1991 when I was a P1, it wasn't easy to find an intern job. Mind you we only had USC, UCSF, and UOP in California back then. Retail positions were hard to come by...so I went through the yellow pages under "hospital" and started cold calling the DOPs.. starting from A.. I find a job when I hit C.

 

[Farmercyst]

in 1991 when i was a p1, it wasn't easy to find an intern job. Mind you we only had usc, ucsf, and uop in california back then. Retail positions were hard to come by...so i went through the yellow pages under "hospital" and started cold calling the dops.. Starting from a.. I find a job when i hit c.

chla, choc, chw?

 

[StaviZFingerZ]

chla, choc, chw?

CHLA... I was there for 3.5 years. The same DOP and the manager are still there. Great place.

 

[BelowTheMean]

Yeah, the good old days when hospital jobs were in demand...

 

[PumpkinSmasher]

Yeah, the good old days when hospital jobs were in demand...

I am getting plenty of retail intern hours but having a tough time finding a hospital position. I think I am going to take StaviZFingerZ's advice and start cold calling and see what happens.

 

[nikkai]

So this is OFFICIAL from the intern coordinator for CVS Southern California. If you inquire about positions, you will be told that Orange County and South Los Angeles County are fully saturated for interns. The following locations are listed as having better availability:

Riverside
Temecula
Victorville
San Bernardino
Palm Springs
Carlsbad

So, unless you have an "in" already with an existing store, you'll be directed to these locations. This more or less reflects the current situation for pharmacists not placing into home stores within OC/South Bay LA and IMO, further solidifies the fact that there will be a functional surplus as these interns move up. There will be competition to just get into the float pool.

You've been warned. And can someone verify how budgeted intern hours are calculated now? I could have sworn those came from the district directly, but I believe that was changed and incorporated into the overall store hours budget last year. I can't quite remember.

Speaking of which, could someone PM me the intern coordinator for the Bay Area? Just need to ask a a question. Thanks

 

[mrxbobert]

I could have sworn those came from the district directly, but I believe that was changed and incorporated into the overall store hours budget last year. I can't quite remember.

I'm in a Long's which is about to convert to a CVS...our intern hours are going to be budgeted directly through the store budget once we switch over...so I'm pretty sure that you're right about individual stores taking care of interns.

 

[rxforlife2004]

So Cal has always been saturated with pharmacists, doctors and dentists. I remember back then in 2004, when i first started pharm school, i had a conversation with one of the preceptor and he said SO-Cal job market for pharmacist is pretty bad "now" (-2004) and people have to float from store to store. Now 5 yrs later, with this shieety economy, some of my friends have to float to Fresno, Victoville, Bakersfield. There are 0 jobs openning in Orange County area in both retail and hospital setting. very bad time for graduating students....

Not only pharmacy field is bad, but so others. A relative of mine is a dentist and she said she has less patients than ever before...plus insurance denied claim more than ever and she's even thinking about letting of her staff go to save budget. I am sure this economy also affect on doctor's office, too....

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

I'm in a Long's which is about to convert to a CVS...our intern hours are going to be budgeted directly through the store budget once we switch over...so I'm pretty sure that you're right about individual stores taking care of interns.

Individual stores always take care of their own interns for the most part. Although I know that it does happen, its only the busier stores that gets an intern from the intern coordinator.

 

[confettiflyer]

Yeah, someone without a store's best bet is to just go into individual stores with the Rx manager is in and inquire directly....but don't do it on a Monday.

Same if you're just looking for more hours (which is what I was doing--I just emailed the coordinator for leads).

 

[StevePerry]

Are the other chains as saturated (grocery stores, Rite Aid, etc.) in so cal or is it mainly a CVS/wags issue? Obviously OC due to its desirability will be saturated completely for any pharmacist position... Kind of ominous I must say

 

[ValeRx]

What is the big obsession with OC??? San Diego county is absolutely beautiful.

 

[rxforlife2004]

What is the big obsession with OC??? San Diego county is absolutely beautiful.

It's the weather, location, food, etc....and especially, most Asians like to bond with their families or live by their families.....that's why everyone is here, da OC!

 

[confettiflyer]

What is the big obsession with OC??? San Diego county is absolutely beautiful.

Oh I love SD too, I'm just more in tune with the local employment pool in OC. I'd imagine the situation in SD is the same.

And hey! Carlsbad is in SD

 

[type b pharmD]

so many people here are either from the west coast or obsessed with moving/living/working there. Is this representative of pharmacy in general? Does nobody appreciate the values, culture, and location of middle america anymore??

I'm moving to rural wisconsin when I'm out. Whaddya want to bet those jobs are saturated?? I didnt think so.

How you can pay 400k for the privilege of living in a tiny house and spending 2 hours in traffic every day is crazy!!

 

[sleazye]

Just to give the other side of this, I just got a hospital internship in the bay area without too much struggle. I don't even go to school in CA and in fact, have never even been to CA in my life. I put my resume in and ended up with an internship paying over $30 per hour (I just finished 2nd year). So the jobs are out there, you just might have to look beyond CVS or Walgreen's.

 

[confettiflyer]

sleazye -- I agree, bay area is a different market, and I think hospital has a better outlook for interns/pharmacists than retail, just my $.02.

type b pharmD -- I'm from orange county, i'd like to go home. the attitudes in pharmacy in coming to the west coast are the same as medicine, residency, etc... too many people are obsessed with the state. This explains why medical school spots + residency spots are on average more competitive, same with pharmacy admissions (such that a PCAT isn't needed for any CA school).

And $400k gets you a decent townhome now, and you only spend 2hrs in traffic if you can't afford to live where you work. Being a pharmacist lets you buy your way out of traffic and go anti-commute. As for house size, I never wanted a McMansion...I'd rather have a nice 3/2 1800sq ft townhome and live somewhere nice without snow/other unpleasantries.

But yeah, to each his own...I've lived other places, always wanted to come back to CA. Those jobs aren't saturated because not many people want to live in fly-over country.

 

[nikkai]

And $400k gets you a decent townhome now, and you only spend 2hrs in traffic if you can't afford to live where you work. Being a pharmacist lets you buy your way out of traffic and go anti-commute. As for house size, I never wanted a McMansion...I'd rather have a nice 3/2 1800sq ft townhome and live somewhere nice without snow/other unpleasantries.

But yeah, to each his own...I've lived other places, always wanted to come back to CA. Those jobs aren't saturated because not many people want to live in fly-over country.

I agree with all of the above except the townhome portion. Personally, I'm tired of sharing walls. Yeah you can hear neighbors in single family homes, but much less compared to sharing a thing 1.5" dry wall and plaster divider.

 

[confettiflyer]

I agree with all of the above except the townhome portion. Personally, I'm tired of sharing walls. Yeah you can hear neighbors in single family homes, but much less compared to sharing a thing 1.5" dry wall and plaster divider.

Hey beats a condo... I've lived in them all, for the balance between price and convenience, townhome would be the way to go. But no matter, we'll be able to afford a SFR, just gotta worry about HOA's going nazi on your property. Granted, HOA's are a necessary evil...beats living next to trash that leave junk on their lawns.