What were/are your hours like as an intern?

[hajenkin]

This summer I’ve been working around 40-50 hours a week as an intern. I’ve also been working all day every Sat/Sun (all the other techs work one weekend on/one weekend off or don’t work weekends at all). I have some chronic health issues and it’s starting to take a toll on me, as I feel I’m on the verge of a major flare up. I’m going to be talking to my supervisor within the week about backing down to 10 hours a week once school starts and limited availability on the weekends.

When you all were interns, what hours did you work during the school year? Did you work weekends often? I’d like some input when determining what days/hours to work, as I feel like I’m asking for too much.

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[mentos]

I only worked 1-2 shifts per week, no more than 10 hours total. Usually a weekend day and one evening.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

Worked 12-20 hours/week on average between two jobs, but lectures were recorded so I didn't go to most classes.

 

[Gombrich12]

Your health isn't worth $15/hr or pleasing your pharmacy supervisor, tell them right away that you want to work less.

 

[ValeRx]

16 hours per week were required.

 

[ValeRx]

You do realize as a pharmacist you will be working 40-50 hours as well. Are you going to have problems doing that?

 

[allantois]

You do realize as a pharmacist you will be working 40-50 hours as well. Are you going to have problems doing that?

Are new grads getting that many hours?

 

[mentos]

You do realize as a pharmacist you will be working 40-50 hours as well. Are you going to have problems doing that?

Sounds like he is asking about work while in school. Also most new grads only get 30-32 hours, not 40 and definitely not 50.

 

[hajenkin]

You do realize as a pharmacist you will be working 40-50 hours as well. Are you going to have problems doing that?

Most pharmacists I know are lucky to get 30, let alone 40. I’m just talking about while in school, as I’m looking at going a different route after graduation.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Unless you need the money, you don't need to work. Especially if you aren't doing retail afterwards.

Stay on payroll though, you never know if you will need them as a backup plan.

Work every other weekend, they will appreciate it.

 

[wagrxm2000]

Better get yourself an internship in whatever area you plan on working though.

It doesn't sound like retail is for you so do everything you can to stay away.

 

[hajenkin]

Better get yourself an internship in whatever area you plan on working though.

It doesn't sound like retail is for you so do everything you can to stay away.

Yes, I’m currently in the process of doing that. I’d just like to keep this option as a back-up or for part-time work once I’m out. I’m already 3 years into my PharmD program so it’s too late to turn back, but I’m hoping to do something non-pharmacy related after graduation and possibly pursue a different degree altogether. Currently talking to different programs now.

 

[Dred Pirate]

During school -
I worked every other weekend (8 hour shifts), and during the week I would work random shifts between the inpatient and outpatient pharmacy. I could do a lot of making my own hours doing narcotic inventory/reconciliation. Basically I would go in around 6:30 am and was either in class, at lunch, or working between then and 6 pm. All in all I ended up averaging 35 hours a week or so.

During summer/holiday break I picked up all the hours possible and averaged about 50-60 a week

 

[zelman]

P3 and P4 I worked 20hr for a VA clinical pharmacist (all weekend) and 1-4 evening shifts retail depending on class/rotation schedule. Probably total 28 hours per week on average.

 

[gocubs121]

I did 8 hour shifts, mostly on the weekend. Sometimes extra if techs are on vacation.

 

[meltyblend]

I worked every Saturday and 1-2 short shifts during the week depending on school schedule. So probably around 14-18 depending a week. Tried to pick up as many shifts as possible during the summer time.

I'm surprised you're pulling 40-50 hours a week. I can't imagine any company willingly giving overtime.

It's possible to get 40+ hours as a new grad. I transferred to a new store recently and my replacement graduated last year. Assuming the schedule stays the same he'll be pulling 41.5 hours a week.

 

[WorthlessOxygen]

I generally worked 30-40 hours per week between 2-3 jobs.

As a new grad, hours were/are hit or miss but I definitely had my share of 50+hour weeks and went 6 weeks without a day off at one point after my scheduler approved too many vacations. But then I'd also have pay periods where I'd only work 30-40 hours total.

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[Old Timer]

Back in the day,
Worked 4-9 M-Th Sometimes earlier depdening onw hen class ended
Sat 9-6

 

[Timbo]

Last year our DM made the decision to limit all interns to 4 hours a week. This decision came soon after intern hours started coming out of our tech hours budget. My DM's reasoning was that interns are really just overpaid techs, we only hire them is so that we can promote them to pharmacists when they graduate. However there is no longer a demand for pharmacists. Last year my district which covers the entire state and consists of ~15 stores only hired one full time staff pharmacist. For the same reason we also let go of many of our interns.

 

[hajenkin]

Last year our DM made the decision to limit all interns to 4 hours a week. This decision came soon after intern hours started coming out of our tech hours budget. My DM's reasoning was that interns are really just overpaid techs, we only hire them is so that we can promote them to pharmacists when they graduate. However there is no longer a demand for pharmacists. Last year my district which covers the entire state and consists of ~15 stores only hired one full time staff pharmacist. For the same reason we also let go of many of our interns.

What company do you work for?

 

[Sugoi Travis]

20-40 hours a week during school. I worked every single weekend minus two (over four years) where I went back home to visit family. During summer it would go up to 30-50 hours a week.

 

[Dred Pirate]

Last year our DM made the decision to limit all interns to 4 hours a week. This decision came soon after intern hours started coming out of our tech hours budget. My DM's reasoning was that interns are really just overpaid techs, we only hire them is so that we can promote them to pharmacists when they graduate. However there is no longer a demand for pharmacists. Last year my district which covers the entire state and consists of ~15 stores only hired one full time staff pharmacist. For the same reason we also let go of many of our interns.

unfortunately this is solid reasoning on his behalf - sucks thou

 

[confettiflyer]

I worked every other weekend during rotations, and during summers I would work full-time/overtime (~50-60hrs/week average).

During classroom time it would be roughly 3x/week after rotations (4hrs) and then maybe one weekend day (8hrs) so 12-15hrs/week average during school.

My hospital was also super flexible with random tasks available, my current hospital does not utilize interns in that fashion.


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[lord999]

FTE with benefits at Walgreens starting second year through graduation and had technically enough hours to sit for NAPLEX toward the end of Year 2. Also did some Cardinal work in my terminal year to get enough hours to sit for an exam. I honestly learned more working than I ever did in class. Behind every successful intern was the girlfriend who made it necessary was my problem with finances in those days. The class average was 24 though, we were all working with the school's encouragement.

But I never overdid it. If you cannot work without physically harming yourself openly, you should cut back.

 

[Timbo]

What company do you work for?

Don't want to give away too much as to reveal my identity but let's say I work for one of the top 5 largest pharmacy chains in the US and it is not CVS

 

[Sparda29]

As an intern? Never more than 20 hours a week but usually 12 hours a week.