The technician transfer from retail to hospital...

[pharmerbird]

I've been a pharmacy technician for about 4 years now at a retail pharmacy. I have been trying for what seems like forever to land a tech job in a hospital. There are openings available and I have continuously applied but it always says "hospital experience preferred or required". I thought about volunteering at the hospital but in my area the volunteer opportunities do not relate to pharmacy.

Has anyone experienced this and made the transition from retail to hospital? Advice, opinions, stories appreciated!

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[AlPacino]

I've been a pharmacy technician for about 4 years now at a retail pharmacy. I have been trying for what seems like forever to land a tech job in a hospital. There are openings available and I have continuously applied but it always says "hospital experience preferred or required". I thought about volunteering at the hospital but in my area the volunteer opportunities do not relate to pharmacy.

Has anyone experienced this and made the transition from retail to hospital? Advice, opinions, stories appreciated!

Get a volunteer position in the hospital pharmacy. Complete the volunteer requirement hours(100+) and that will be considered hospital experience. Better make sure you bust your ass off when volunteering there and show that you would be a great addition to the team. This is what I did. My primary job is in retail. I competed my volunteer hours and was offered a job in the hospital afterwards. However I still chose to stay at my current job but now I work for the hospital pharmacy just one day a week. Who knows, this could help me in the future get an internship position there and one day a job as a pharmacist 👍

 

[dancingallday]

I had no hospital experience when I started working at a hospital. The place where I work says "hospital experience preferred", but we hire those without all the time. It depends on where you apply, some places don't care as long as you interview well and pass the math test. I second the volunteering, though; if you can talk to someone in the actual pharmacy, instead of just relying on the hospital's general "volunteer opportunities" list, you may have more luck getting a foot in the door.

 

[rxlea]

Do you know anyone that works at a hospital? Connections can be very useful!

 

[smithek]

I've been a pharmacy technician for about 4 years now at a retail pharmacy. I have been trying for what seems like forever to land a tech job in a hospital. There are openings available and I have continuously applied but it always says "hospital experience preferred or required". I thought about volunteering at the hospital but in my area the volunteer opportunities do not relate to pharmacy.

Has anyone experienced this and made the transition from retail to hospital? Advice, opinions, stories appreciated!

I did! It helped that I was in pharmacy school at the time, but I was not even certified and had only about 1 year of retail experience. I applied to every job I could, and eventually I got interviews, and a few rejections, but I interviewed with the right person and I got the job. It helped that I was able to articulate why I thought hospital was the best fit for me. Good luck!

 

[bontakun]

I moved from retail to hospital. I worked retail for 2 years before making the switch. If you can do it. The pay is better and I much prefer the atmosphere of the hospital.

My pharmacists also seem like they know much more than the retail pharmacists I've worked with. This may be due to more use of clinical knowledge.

I got the job just applying with experience in retail. Also because I work in the hospital I was able to be trained as an IV compounding tech. This experience looks great to schools. Not to mention the fact that working closely with so many pharmacists, I've gotten stellar recommendations.

 

[pharmerbird]

Do you know anyone that works at a hospital? Connections can be very useful!

I did meet a per diem pharmacist last year who said I could shadow him at his hospital. Unfortunately I was so busy with school/applying to pharm school I was never able to. Would it be rude to call him up out of the blue when I havn't spoken to him in 10+ months?

 

[conperk]

I would love to make this transition as well. I have been a tech in the retail setting for 1.5 years and I love my job, but I would like to get some hospital experience since I think I want to go into clinical pharmacy eventually. However, I am not even going to apply for anything until I start pharmacy school since I don't know where I'll end up.