Timing of License vs Job Offer

[Venetiax]

Hey guys! I'm a Class of 2019 graduate that's planning on expanding my job search beyond my home state (WA). Does anyone have any experience on timing in terms of which should come first, the job offer or getting another state's license? I've heard that the process for licensure by reciprocity can take several months, so I'm wondering how that would work if you start that process after receiving a job offer. Should I get licenses in the states that I'm looking at first? Unfortunately, I can't score transfer because I'm already out of the 90-day window from my NAPLEX.

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[AAL34]

Go ahead and apply and start studying.
We hire a good number of new and recent graduates. If they're new graduates and aren't licensed anywhere, we have them register as a graduate intern in our state. Recent graduates with a license (and those coming off a PGY1 or PGY2) are a bit trickier. We don't start them (or start paying them) until they are licensed in our home state because:

They're not an intern, but a pharmacist from out of state.
My state has no temporary license. (you may be lucky if some of the states you're looking at have a temporary license)
I can't use them as technicians, because once again, they're pharmacists and can't register as techs here.

So, I wouldn't be able to put you on the payroll, even to train, until you were licensed in one of the states where we operate.

**Unless you get a job with the VA or another federal program that requires a license in "any" state.

 

[smilePRN]

I'm licensed in 3 states and was applying to jobs in all 3. I realized that it's pointless to apply to jobs unless you are licensed in that state. And yes, the process of reciprocity takes months, I'm hoping you already have that started.

From my experience, retail chains will NOT even consider your application for an interview until you have a license number posted on that state board's website. They didn't care what other states i was licensed in or that I had taken all the exams and was just waiting for my application to be processed by the board. Also - in order to register as a graduate intern, you need to have an intern license in that state (which is honestly not worth the hassle). And they will not hire you as a tech if you are licensed in another state - LOL I even tried that and it was a hard no.

Hospitals are a little more flexible (i.e. you can get an interview without a license in that state) but it also depends on the institution since I did get a lot of rejected applications for lacking that state's license. In my case, I had interviewed but the job offer was pending my license. Once my license posted online- i reached out to the director and HR reached out to me shortly after with an offer.


To answer your question, get licensed in the state first so that your application is taken seriously.

 

[Rxtrojan26]

Agree, you should definitely be licensed in the state first before applying to jobs. I moved to the opposite coast and I made sure I was licensed first. Reciprocity does take some time like a month (assuming you can take MPJE asap after your ATT is granted). Also waiting for jobs to open up, applying to new jobs, waiting for interviews/responses, take time as well. Be prepared to fork out money for reciprocity and be patient in landing a job

 

[Hedgehog32]

I'm afraid I can't really answer your question, but if you don't mind me asking, are you looking at applying to jobs outside of WA because of the WA job market being bad? I'm from the southeast but would love to eventually be able to live and work somewhere like the Pacific NW (I'll be graduating in May), but I've heard varying anecdotes regarding the job market in that region. Do you know what the hospital market's like in smaller towns 1-2 hours outside of Seattle? Have you heard of new grads being hired into less desirable shifts (e.g., overnight) without having completed a residency?

Thanks

 

[Hedgehog32]

Go ahead and apply and start studying.
We hire a good number of new and recent graduates. If they're new graduates and aren't licensed anywhere, we have them register as a graduate intern in our state. Recent graduates with a license (and those coming off a PGY1 or PGY2) are a bit trickier. We don't start them (or start paying them) until they are licensed in our home state because:

They're not an intern, but a pharmacist from out of state.
My state has no temporary license. (you may be lucky if some of the states you're looking at have a temporary license)
I can't use them as technicians, because once again, they're pharmacists and can't register as techs here.

So, I wouldn't be able to put you on the payroll, even to train, until you were licensed in one of the states where we operate.

**Unless you get a job with the VA or another federal program that requires a license in "any" state.

Just out of curiosity, would you mind if I asked what kind of practice setting you hire new grads for? Does your organization have any particular requirements regarding intern experience (e.g., hospital vs. community) or other hiring criteria?

Thanks

 

[Timbo]

Traditionally, you get hired first as a "grad intern" for a specific location, start working there as an intern to begin your training while studying for your NAPLEX and MPJE, then when you get your license you get promoted to pharmacist. I don't understand why you didn't start the job search earlier on before graduating? It's already November meaning you've been unemployed for 6 months??? Employers have already began to hire grad interns early this year and by now they probably already filled up all their grad intern positions for this cycle. At this point you'll probably have better luck getting licensed for state you want to work in then apply for positions there (that way the employer can have you start right away instead of gambling on whether you can get licensed in time or not). If you wait a couple months longer, you'll be competing with class of 2020 for jobs lol

 

[AAL34]

Just out of curiosity, would you mind if I asked what kind of practice setting you hire new grads for? Does your organization have any particular requirements regarding intern experience (e.g., hospital vs. community) or other hiring criteria?

Thanks

Outpatient infusion. Similar to (but not exactly) home care. Some office based and some large pharmacy. Infectious Disease rotations are looked on favorably, kinetic dosing. We have clinical positions, working with prior authorizations and examining medical policies (we aren't strictly ID) These positions never go to new grads. We have a training programs, some more clinically oriented, others more management/operations oriented, although there is crossover in both. We have completely flipped over the last several years, from hiring a person who completed a residency once in a blue moon to now hiring new graduates without at least a PGY1 once in a blue moon. (I don't necessarily agree 100% that this job requires a residency, but the residents have a built-in work ethic) Having a real, hands-on experience in sterile products preparation is a definite plus as well, particularly to make a new graduate stand out. Oh, and a personality. We have to talk to everyone from PhD MDs to nurses, to bean counters to patients and caregivers with a 10th grade (or less) education.

 

[Hedgehog32]

Outpatient infusion. Similar to (but not exactly) home care. Some office based and some large pharmacy. Infectious Disease rotations are looked on favorably, kinetic dosing. We have clinical positions, working with prior authorizations and examining medical policies (we aren't strictly ID) These positions never go to new grads. We have a training programs, some more clinically oriented, others more management/operations oriented, although there is crossover in both. We have completely flipped over the last several years, from hiring a person who completed a residency once in a blue moon to now hiring new graduates without at least a PGY1 once in a blue moon. (I don't necessarily agree 100% that this job requires a residency, but the residents have a built-in work ethic) Having a real, hands-on experience in sterile products preparation is a definite plus as well, particularly to make a new graduate stand out. Oh, and a personality. We have to talk to everyone from PhD MDs to nurses, to bean counters to patients and caregivers with a 10th grade (or less) education.

Thanks for the info. So I guess it's safe to say that the odds of getting hired as a new grad without residency training are pretty slim these days? On the upside, much of my intern work involves preparing sterile products (lots of antibiotics, TPNs, and IVs that are commonly used in the ER -- lidocaine, pressors, etc.), so maybe that will make me at least somewhat competitive for infusion positions.

 

[heeyebsx3]

I see a lot of people here mentioning how long reciprocity takes.... can anyone share how they went about the reciprocity process for PGY2s to get licensed in time?