VA Pharm or Corporate Pharm

[Professor_Chaos]

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I recently heard that VA pharmacies pay you much less than corporate pharmacies such as Walgreens. So what exactly is the incentive for working at a VA pharmacy? Is it the benefits? Because pharmacies like Walgreen's pay more and offer hiring bonuses. Perhaps somebody on the forum can explain this to me.

 

[jemc2000]

I recently heard that VA pharmacies pay you much less than corporate pharmacies such as Walgreens. So what exactly is the incentive for working at a VA pharmacy? Is it the benefits? Because pharmacies like Walgreen's pay more and offer hiring bonuses. Perhaps somebody on the forum can explain this to me.

Patriotism, perhaps?

 

[dgroulx]

The benefits are great. The government makes sure that its employees have a good health plan. Pharmacists working at the VA have prescribing rights. You actually visit with patients. Low stress level.

I heard it only pays 60K a year, but if you don't need to make lots of money it is a job worth looking into.

 

[ultracet]

it also doesn't matter what state your are licensed in if you work at the VA since it is under federal control any license will work! saves on taking law tests and recripricating(sp)

 

[pharmdsj]

The benefits are great. The government makes sure that its employees have a good health plan. Pharmacists working at the VA have prescribing rights. You actually visit with patients. Low stress level.

I heard it only pays 60K a year, but if you don't need to make lots of money it is a job worth looking into.

do you need to go thru a clinical residency program or are all pharmacists entitled to visit with patients?

 

[dgroulx]

do you need to go thru a clinical residency program or are all pharmacists entitled to visit with patients?

I'm not really sure if there is a residency requirement or not. There's a VA hospital across from the pharmacy/med school at UF. Some of the pharmacists have given guest lectures. They didn't mention whether or not they did a residency.

 

[rxormd2b]

No residency required, my bf is a pharmacist at a Va he has prescribing rites. You ahve to have completed a residency or take a veyr hard test to become a board certified pharmacotherapy specialist. WALGREENS SUCKS!!! I am not going to school for years just to stand behind a counter like a jerk off!!! Working for the VA has sevral pros, no one pays double time on holidays but them, fed gov rates on hotels and travel, they employee lots of good clincal pharmacists, conduct UNBIOSeD studies of drugs and there effiacacies!!! WALGREENS BLOWS, I hate retail pharmacy they, get no repect they do very little to help the (stupid non-compliant pt.)!!!! Ya get my drift!!!

PS The VA has competitive pay my BF is a GS/13(109,000/per year).