What do pre-pharm students do in the summer/the break regrading pharmacy?

[Vicky1106]

To all pharmacy students and pre-pharm students:

What do you guys do during summer or during xmas break that regarding of preparing for pharmacy school, especially things like shadowing or volunteering?
Where do you shadow/volunteer? who do u called?
I've been calling several Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy, but they said that I have to talk to the supervisor about those drug tests to get behind the counters and stuff like that, and some place don't even do shadowing.
What do you guys suggest me to do? any tips? I'm already stressing out just to find a pharmacist to shadow.

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[pharmalltheway1]

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[Vicky1106]

Summer Programs are good.

what summer programs are you talking about? are there specific ones you have in mind? can you give me some example? thanks.

 

[happycow]

When I tried to find something just for summer at retail locations, they didn't really want me working there, because learning everything would take a long time and they would rather hire someone that have potential to stay longer than just a few months.

Summer research can be a possibility. Otherwise, I would have to say that your commitment needs to last longer than just winter break and/or summer.

 

[triumphbr]

12 credits the first year

19 credits the second.. think I'll take this summer off and do some drinking.

 

[probowler]

I commute so during breaks I just work more hours at the pharmacy I'm employed at.
If you want to shadow, try an independent pharmacy (aka, one that is not a big chain like walgreens,riteaid, CVS) where the pharmacist owns it.

 

[Utterdevotion]

To all pharmacy students and pre-pharm students:

What do you guys do during summer or during xmas break that regarding of preparing for pharmacy school, especially things like shadowing or volunteering?
Where do you shadow/volunteer? who do u called?
I've been calling several Walgreens and CVS Pharmacy, but they said that I have to talk to the supervisor about those drug tests to get behind the counters and stuff like that, and some place don't even do shadowing.
What do you guys suggest me to do? any tips? I'm already stressing out just to find a pharmacist to shadow.

Well, it's different if you're pre-pharm and a pharm student.
If you're pre-pharm I would definitely suggest trying to get some pharmacy experience over the breaks. Shadowing and volunteering are easier at independent pharmacies and hospitals. Tech jobs are harder because you either have to have a connection, or be lucky and a pharmacy has a tech opening.
Some states require a tech license to work. Different corporate companies require different things; Rite Aid, you can do the license with the company, Giant, makes you do yourself for instance.

At UMB at least, P1 summer is one of our only free summers. Most of the students use the breaks to work in our rotations. But it's much easier for us to get an internship if we want to, because they really want us haha.