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[FollowtheOmens]

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Why dont retail chains help out pre-pharm or Rx students with college tuition? At Walgreens they have a program, but its so minimal that its not even worth the two year post grad commitment. If you really want a loyal Rph then throw them a frickin bone here!

 

[rxgales]

hint hint .......................check your local hospital and others...........................................l oo k over the horizons.......................

 

[labrat024]

I have a friend that has been working for Walgreens. He says they pay $2500 the first year and the amount increases $500 every successive year. That's not to bad (about 13% of my 25K/yr tuition). Plus once in school you make more than $15/hr (not to shabby) with annual increases of, I think $2. So you'll be making over $20/hr in your fourth year. Plus I hear in the Chicago area they start you around 109K. I think it sounds OK...better than nothing. I am however unaware of how many hr/wk you need to work to get these benefits. I know my friend works way too many hours for a P2 (25-30/wk).

 

[rxgales]

above all i heard some other companies even pay for most or all of your tuition with commitments

 

[labrat024]

above all i heard some other companies even pay for most or all of your tuition with commitments

Oh really? Please do tell.

 

[twester]

What's wrong with a student just getting through pharmacy school under his/her own steam (if student loans can be considered steam - and I think they are)? If you let a corporation buy you off while you're still in school, they OWN you when you graduate. You have no negotiating power to improve the working conditions of retail pharmacists. It's like indentured servitude.

Walgreen's has its hooks into so many people at my school, that me walking by the career-fair booth pre-graduation and laughing at their job offer will have no effect whatsoever. I'll do it anyway since I've learned everything about Walgreens in my area I need to know. But pharmacy students are giving away their power, in my opinion.

 

[doctorpharm2010]

That's a reasonable question to ask. But when I think back about the time I first started working for Walgreen's as a 1st yr intern, man did i screw the staff up hahahhaa. Why would they hire an incompetent dude like me who knew nothing about pharmacy, couldnt even pronounce the drug name, and didnt even know squat about insurance to work there. And I got paid as much as a senior tech who is basically the backbone of the pharmacy. Guess that's one way that they attract future pharmacists. It's true for my case at least. Now I'm much more familiar with the work flow and way more knowledgeable about medications, I'm still sticking with them.+

Not sure about you guys but I dont view any pharmacy as part of a evil cooperate. Based on my experience only, it is the pharmacist who works there that makes a difference. I've worked with Walgreens pharmacists who take minimal care of patients, just enough to ensure that they got the right RX and that's it. And I've worked with some who go an extra mile to clarify things, reassure, and comfort patients to the most a health care professionals can do. It's the ppl that make a difference, instead of using generic statement that cooperates are evil blah blah

 

[rxgales]

That's a reasonable question to ask. But when I think back about the time I first started working for Walgreen's as a 1st yr intern, man did i screw the staff up hahahhaa. Why would they hire an incompetent dude like me who knew nothing about pharmacy, couldnt even pronounce the drug name, and didnt even know squat about insurance to work there. And I got paid as much as a senior tech who is basically the backbone of the pharmacy. Guess that's one way that they attract future pharmacists. It's true for my case at least. Now I'm much more familiar with the work flow and way more knowledgeable about medications, I'm still sticking with them.+

Not sure about you guys but I dont view any pharmacy as part of a evil cooperate. Based on my experience only, it is the pharmacist who works there that makes a difference. I've worked with Walgreens pharmacists who take minimal care of patients, just enough to ensure that they got the right RX and that's it. And I've worked with some who go an extra mile to clarify things, reassure, and comfort patients to the most a health care professionals can do. It's the ppl that make a difference, instead of using generic statement that cooperates are evil blah blah

no comment

 

[rxchrissarasota]

The second somebody takes the generic "evil corporation" stance, they lose all credability. Seriously, do you really know how ignorant that comment is? To judge every company on the bad deeds of a few? Are you a racist too? Are all muslims terrorists? All blacks gang bangers? All whites KKK? Is big brother out to get you?

There have definately been some examples of big business gone wrong, but these are almost always the result of poor leadership. We, fortunately happen to have some very good retail companies in our industry right now; Walgreens, CVS, Target and Publix to name a few all try to do the right thing for their employees and patients(i won't mention Wal-mart). Don't believe everything you read or hear in the news, reporters are often more interested in headlines than the truth. I have worked in corporate america for 10 years as a "business man" so I've seen good and bad. I decided to go back to school for pharmacy because I got lucky to start working with walgreens and saw how much better they are than many other companies. If retail is not for you, that's one thing, but if you think your going to escape beauracracy by working in a clinical or hospital setting, your gonna be in for a rude awakening. Yes, pharmacists often have to work long hours and are overloaded, but that is a result of the demand for services/shortage of pharmacists, not becuase corporate america doesn't care about people. Pharmacists make great money because they are in high demand. If the country was flooded with pharmacists, the pay would be much lower. Also, don't just look at the tuition assistance. the assistance may be more but pay less. Would you rather get 10 grand more assistance and make 10% pay with less OT available. What about benefits, profit sharing, stock options ,etc. That may not be the case, just make sure you look at the whole picture.

 

[Klemmentine]

I work at Longs and would love to continue working for Longs after earning a PharmD. I like the company. Plus, I've worked for them for 8 years already... so I have already started a 401k plan (which is competitive w/ other companies) and I have a lot of vacation time accrued already. I don't think I'd want to start over for another retail company.

They have a program that gives you $7k a year. However, for each $7k they give you, you must work for Longs for a year. If you decide not to work for Longs, you must pay back the amount they gave you, plus interest.

So, they'll give you up to $21k for a 3-year school and $28k for a 4-year school. On top of that, you can also get a signing bonus. From what I've heard, if you sign with Longs for 2 to 3 years, you can usually get something like a $25k or $30k signing bonus. (However, it is very negotiable.) If you add all of that up, you could put $51k to $58k towards school loans.

Longs is pretty negotiable too. They won't send you to some foreign city, just because you have a 2 to 3 year contract with them. They try hard to find a store that is local to you or somewhere that you are willing to move to. I've seen new PharmDs get their own store and become a pharmacy manager within 6 months after passing the California boards and NAPLEX. Our district pharmacy manager was also very young and he had no trouble getting promoted. I believe he was 30-32 years old and he earned his PharmD when he was 26.

I'm not here to pump up Longs or retail in general... Just here to give an example of the type of program that is available. 😀😀

 

[Torkey]

you CAN also get a sign on bonus at walgreens depends on location, and I know their benefits and pay are extremely competitive...maybe second only to publix's benefits from a retail standpoint. However, Walgreens is built on the shoulders of pharmacists, and the sky is the limit once you have a pharmacy degree..you can go as far as you want to...like registered store management or district management, regional pharm. supervisor etc, and we're talkin $$$$$$ Great company to work for...definitely plan on sticking around...yeah, they're prepharmacy and pharm school deals are weak, but whatever, ill deal with it to stay with a company that will support my goals of climbin the ranks..

 

[FollowtheOmens]

hint hint .......................check your local hospital and others...........................................l oo k over the horizons.......................

Were you stoned when you posted this?

 

[yazzman]

I work at Longs and would love to continue working for Longs after earning a PharmD. I like the company. Plus, I've worked for them for 8 years already... so I have already started a 401k plan (which is competitive w/ other companies) and I have a lot of vacation time accrued already. I don't think I'd want to start over for another retail company.

They have a program that gives you $7k a year. However, for each $7k they give you, you must work for Longs for a year. If you decide not to work for Longs, you must pay back the amount they gave you, plus interest.

So, they'll give you up to $21k for a 3-year school and $28k for a 4-year school. On top of that, you can also get a signing bonus. From what I've heard, if you sign with Longs for 2 to 3 years, you can usually get something like a $25k or $30k signing bonus. (However, it is very negotiable.) If you add all of that up, you could put $51k to $58k towards school loans.

Longs is pretty negotiable too. They won't send you to some foreign city, just because you have a 2 to 3 year contract with them. They try hard to find a store that is local to you or somewhere that you are willing to move to. I've seen new PharmDs get their own store and become a pharmacy manager within 6 months after passing the California boards and NAPLEX. Our district pharmacy manager was also very young and he had no trouble getting promoted. I believe he was 30-32 years old and he earned his PharmD when he was 26.

I'm not here to pump up Longs or retail in general... Just here to give an example of the type of program that is available. 😀😀

PS...I have no doubt that you will get something in March...hint hint..I think Longs is a really cool place to work...I should maybe look at Longs and see what they can offer me...

 

[sosokk]

I work at Longs and would love to continue working for Longs after earning a PharmD. I like the company. Plus, I've worked for them for 8 years already... so I have already started a 401k plan (which is competitive w/ other companies) and I have a lot of vacation time accrued already. I don't think I'd want to start over for another retail company.

They have a program that gives you $7k a year. However, for each $7k they give you, you must work for Longs for a year. If you decide not to work for Longs, you must pay back the amount they gave you, plus interest.

So, they'll give you up to $21k for a 3-year school and $28k for a 4-year school. On top of that, you can also get a signing bonus. From what I've heard, if you sign with Longs for 2 to 3 years, you can usually get something like a $25k or $30k signing bonus. (However, it is very negotiable.) If you add all of that up, you could put $51k to $58k towards school loans.

Longs is pretty negotiable too. They won't send you to some foreign city, just because you have a 2 to 3 year contract with them. They try hard to find a store that is local to you or somewhere that you are willing to move to. I've seen new PharmDs get their own store and become a pharmacy manager within 6 months after passing the California boards and NAPLEX. Our district pharmacy manager was also very young and he had no trouble getting promoted. I believe he was 30-32 years old and he earned his PharmD when he was 26.

I'm not here to pump up Longs or retail in general... Just here to give an example of the type of program that is available. 😀😀

Can you please tell me what type of system longs use?..I had an offer with them but don't know nothing about their system..Thanks

 

[binghamkid]

One thing to consider, however, is your marketability.

If you commit yourself to a corporation early on, then you have much less room for negotiation, particularly if you would have been a highly sought after candidate (i.e. completed a residency/experience in rotations that most pharmacists don't have).

Unless you desperately need tuition assistance during school, I wouldn't really recommend signing yourself to years of commitment before you enter your 3rd or 4th year. The reason is because once a corporation knows they have you for 3 to 4 years, they don't have to negotiate a high salary for you during those 3 to 4 years. Now, if you're planning to stay with the company forever and aren't really looking for high income once you get out of school, it might not be a big issue. However, do know that you could be selling yourself short a couple thousand dollars or more per year. If the difference is less than what you're getting in tuition forgiveness, that's pretty neat...but if you miss out on an awesome job offer from a small consulting firm that would pay you 10 or 20k more per year? Being bound to the company for those 3 to 4 years suddenly looks pretty unattractive. If you compare some of the offers that people are getting nowadays, it's far better to have the option to compare offers than not to be able to.

Pharmacy's a field of growth and change, and it will be for quite a while. Keep your eyes on the big picture. $2500 is chump change compared to what you'll be making 4 years later.