VA Pharmacist Position (Applying with only retail experience & NO residency) - Any chance at all?

[NightOwlPharmD]

I'm currently a staff pharmacist at Walgreens (2+ years experience) and saw an opening for an overnight position at the VA in my city. I have no residency training and am aware that it is rare for a pharmacist to get a hospital position without any residency training/hospital experience but know that it can happen in rare situations.

For anyone interested in answering, here are some questions I've got...

• Do any VA hospitals hire Pharmacists without residency/hospital experience any longer? or is that a thing of the past?

• I've read recently that many pharmacists can get hospital positions without residency by applying for overnight work, but I've also read that overnight hospital work can sometimes be the most difficult to train for and that some places would not look at pharmacists (without residency/hospital experience)for overnight work when they have positions available because of that - What is it like in the VA system?

• Are there any particular pharmacist positions within the VA system that would be easier to get into without residency? (PRN vs. Day shift vs. Overnight vs. Retail VA?)

• I plan on applying to the available position, but do not want to go through a long application process if there is no chance at all... Is it worth throwing your name in the hat if you have no hospital/residency experience?

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[lord999]

You should read the other posts. The only thing I would say is that if you are not willing to endure a long application process, you are definitely not qualified to work in the VA, because the level of stupid bureaucracy only gets worse (they lose your paperwork, they forgot your bonus, they forgot to get things from the IRS).

 

[projektreverb]

^Jusf doing a rotation as a student at the VA was a paperwork nightmare for me.

 

[Pharmacy Kid]

I'm gonna be honest, without hospital experience you won't even get a phone interview unless you know someone in that VA.

 

[ValeRx]

I'm gonna be honest, without hospital experience you won't even get a phone interview unless you know someone in that VA.

That's not true. I got a phone interview with the VA in Seattle with no hospital experience.

 

[Mambo#5]

That's not true. I got a phone interview with the VA in Seattle with no hospital experience.

Did you get the job?

 

[ValeRx]

Did you get the job?

Unfortunately no, I didn't. I did get selected for a MEDCELL job at Ft Sam Houston working as a civilian pharmacist for the Army. I wasn't able to take the position due to the fact they wouldn't budge on salary and a 25% paycut to move across the country didn't seem worth it to me.

 

[SELDANE]

I'm currently a staff pharmacist at Walgreens (2+ years experience) and saw an opening for an overnight position at the VA in my city. I have no residency training and am aware that it is rare for a pharmacist to get a hospital position without any residency training/hospital experience but know that it can happen in rare situations.

For anyone interested in answering, here are some questions I've got...

• Do any VA hospitals hire Pharmacists without residency/hospital experience any longer? or is that a thing of the past?

• I've read recently that many pharmacists can get hospital positions without residency by applying for overnight work, but I've also read that overnight hospital work can sometimes be the most difficult to train for and that some places would not look at pharmacists (without residency/hospital experience)for overnight work when they have positions available because of that - What is it like in the VA system?

• Are there any particular pharmacist positions within the VA system that would be easier to get into without residency? (PRN vs. Day shift vs. Overnight vs. Retail VA?)

• I plan on applying to the available position, but do not want to go through a long application process if there is no chance at all... Is it worth throwing your name in the hat if you have no hospital/residency experience?

If you were applying to a private or county hospital I would say forget about it. But an entity of the federal government? All bets are off. The same ineptitude that results in lost applications and the like is the same factor that may result in you getting an interview and a position regardless of your experience or lack there of. I say apply and yes you have a chance.