Walgreens Intern Program Presentation

[pharm B]

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Walgreens came and spoke to us today about intern opportunities. Like most of the retail chains, they have a 10 week summer program, but one thing surprised me: After the 10 weeks is up, they don't give you an option to stay on as an intern. You can apply to stay as a tech. I'm assuming you don't get intern pay for being a tech, but the presenter was quick to point out that you could still "counsel for me."

Do other major chains let you stay on as an intern during the school year?

I don't know why you guys hate on Walgreens so much. They gave me free lunch and a gift bag.

 

[coffee4drug]

Really?! It will be difficult for future pharmacy students to earn intern hours then.

 

[CUpharmD2013]

CVS allows me to stay on during the schoolyear and allows me to have as many or as little hours (down to 1 shift a month) as I would like. They actually encourage you to stay on during the school year with at least 1 shift/month in order to remain with the company and not have to apply the next summer. I work at 2 different stores and both of my PICs are very flexible with my schedule. Both stores actually treat me as "extra help" also in that they have enough tech help to get the job done and I can focus on counseling, learning the drugs, giving flu shots, and working at drop-off to get better with dealing with insurance issues, etc.

 

[HuskerInCO]

The "Summer Intern" program is something that is totally separate from "being an intern" and earning intern hours. You can apply and get hired on as a working intern at any time. The summer intern program only runs in the summer. If you are a licensed intern and hired to work in the pharmacy you will get paid as an intern, not as a tech, though you may feel more like a tech at some stores.

 

[pharm B]

This guy may have been misinformed then. I asked the question, and he specifically stated that interns have the option of applying to stay with the store, but they would be hired as techs. Maybe it's regional?

Really?! It will be difficult for future pharmacy students to earn intern hours then.

Our school has all of hours accounted for during our 4th year rotations, and I thought paid hours didn't count as "intern" hours for the state board's purposes, but that might vary by state.

 

[coffee4drug]

Our school has all of hours accounted for during our 4th year rotations, and I thought paid hours didn't count as "intern" hours for the state board's purposes, but that might vary by state.

That's why. In California, students also have to find intern hours on their own in addition to those earned from APPE. That's unfortunate for the newer students because the hour cuts at many chains mean fewer opportunities to earn hours. Actually, I wasn't so lucky either because I remember I had to ***** myself throughout the region where I attended pharmacy school during my 4th year in order to earn just barely enough hours for the board.