What's It Really Like at a Chain Store?

[Macfanatic]

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As soon to be graduate (May 3rd of this year) - I am in the position of hearing a lot of "greats" for this chain versus another chain. I started going into the stores on the weekend and talking with the pharmacist about their experience with chain store pharmacy. My personal experience was limited to the 3 years of intern work at CVS (known in many circles as SATAN).
The recruitment efforts from each are doing nothing, but put the most positive spin on working for them. I am seeking information regarding how the working environments are different between each chain. I would really like to hear from a pharmacist that has had experience with most of the chains and can give a more realistic picture of what is good about each chain and the truth regarding the chain's weaknesses. I have to make a decision soon regarding which company I will work for after graduation. Frontrunners are Walgreens, Target, and a local 9 store independent chain with compounding and infusion therapy services.

 

[stardust]

I have heard horrible things about they way CVS treats their pharmacist. I worked for them for a short period, and left after I realized they don't care at all about their employees.

 

[pharmer27]

I have heard horrible things about they way CVS treats their pharmacist. I worked for them for a short period, and left after I realized they don't care at all about their employees.

That's true please don't join with CVS, they ruined my life too.

 

[pinkyrx]

For those most part I think the chain pharmacies are going to be pretty similar. A few differences that I can think of... Walmart pharmacy supposedly closes for 30 minutes for lunch. (not sure how that actually works though if you've got customers standing at the counter when you need to close) I think Walgreens pharmacists work 8 hour shifts (in general) rather than the long 12-14hr shifts. Obviously, each actual store location is going to be different depending on the location, the customer base as well as how much staff you have helping you out. One of my biggest concerns would be how much tech help I would get.

 

[Old Timer]

I have been a pharmacist for 25 years, the last six have been with CVS. I have nothing but good things to say about the way I have been treated. I have excellent working conditions, great pay with regular increases, flexible scheduling, stock options and professional development.

That being said, CVS is a 70 billion dollar corporation employing hundreds of thousands people. Your experience at CVS or any of the major chains will be solely dependent on how good your district manager and pharmacy supervisor are. If your DM and Pharmacy supe are good, you will have a good experience. If they don't care about you, you will have a bad experience.

Make an appointment and speak with the DM and pharmacy supervisor in your area and take their temperature. How long have they been on the job? How much turn over is their at their level? What is the turnover of Pharmacy Managers in their district? How flexible is the scheduling? Do I have to float? How long? Over what area?

 

[MountainPharmD]

Are there any American citizens working as pharmacists for CVS? I just moved to Dallas and most of the CVS pharmacies are staffed by foreign equivalency pharmacists who can barely speak English. I figure if you can’t get American grads to work for you things must be pretty bad. Walgreens has been doing this for years I guess CVS has figured it out as well. Instead of improving work conditions they just hire pharmacists from India and Pakistan who are just happy to be here. They don’t care and will do whatever ridiculous thing they want.

 

[Old Timer]

Are there any American citizens working as pharmacists for CVS? I just moved to Dallas and most of the CVS pharmacies are staffed by foreign equivalency pharmacists who can barely speak English. I figure if you can’t get American grads to work for you things must be pretty bad. Walgreens has been doing this for years I guess CVS has figured it out as well. Instead of improving work conditions they just hire pharmacists from India and Pakistan who are just happy to be here. They don’t care and will do whatever ridiculous thing they want.

Every area is different. Every Pharmacist in my district speaks english even those that are not North Americans (white + African American) by birth or very recent ancestry. There are some of Indian descent and some of Korean decent, but I have no trouble communicating with the peers. Rite-Aid however as very few North Americans around me. So it depends on where you are.

 

[jawnly211]

ahhhhhh yes

another example of "generalization"






too bad there are no "regional message boards"..........it gives a better point of view as opposed to small town "folks" giving their narrow-minded perspectives

 

[Old Timer]

too bad there are no "regional message boards"..........it gives a better point of view as opposed to small town "folks" giving their narrow-minded perspectives

That's his perspective from where he is. It's the same as explaining side effects to a patient. If the side effect is one in a million, you get it, it's 100% for you. What do you care is 999,999 other people didn't get it.

It doesn't matter to the people in Dallas that the Pharmacists in the Philadelphia area who work for CVS have it good. It still sucks to be them. I can only give my personal experience. I know what questions to ask and what to look out for.

 

[Epic]

That's his perspective from where he is. It's the same as explaining side effects to a patient. If the side effect is one in a million, you get it, it's 100% for you. What do you care is 999,999 other people didn't get it.

It doesn't matter to the people in Dallas that the Pharmacists in the Philadelphia area who work for CVS have it good. It still sucks to be them. I can only give my personal experience. I know what questions to ask and what to look out for.

don't you bad mouth Dallas..Mister!!!

 

[Old Timer]

don't you bad mouth Dallas..Mister!!!

Are you trying to cause Trouble?? You know what I was saying. It appears that CVS in Dallas treats their pharmacists poorly, this has nothing to do with Dallas and you know it. You just like to cause trouble. Maybe we should change your name to Thread Jacker Extraordinarie.😀😀😀

 

[Epic]

Are you trying to cause Trouble?? You know what I was saying. It appears that CVS in Dallas treats their pharmacists poorly, this has nothing to do with Dallas and you know it. You just like to cause trouble. Maybe we should change your name to Thread Jacker Extraordinarie.😀😀😀

hmmmm.... I like that... TJE....

 

[Macfanatic]

Great suggestions - I actually did take the time to travel to the area, talk to the district managers and tour their pharmacies available for that area. I even went back on my own time to observe how they operated (without the recruitment pressure) and spoke with the pharmacist. So far, I am impressed more with the working environment at Walgreens more than the other chains. In the area I will be relocating too, Rite Aid and CVS (DMs, pharmacists & working environments) scared the hell out of me. CVS pharmacist was frazzled and the DM was like a slick used car salesman. Rite Aid DM just didn't seem to have a clue about anything (he attempted to demonstrate a staff pharmacist's duties and was unable to perform them during the store tour) and the staff pharmacist I attempted to speak with was just an utter ***! Walgreens DM seemed to speak the most truthfully & his points were confirmed by the pharmacist I spoke with at another location in the district (during my clandestine visit).
The point you make regarding the working environment is dependent on DM, floaters & help is valid - it is just that the CVS DM that I worked for while going to school is WORTHLESS. Way too much turnover and lack of help in this district and I did not see much difference in the district I will be relocating too after graduation.
Thanks for all of the responses and hopefully there will be some responses from pharmacists that work at the other chains (Walgreens, Rite Aid, etc.).

 

[genesis09]

The truth is that it really matters on the individual store. Certain stores within a district get a reputation for being poorly run. The store which I was originally supposed to do my summer internship was changed because they were having management problems. The pharmacy supervisor wanted to only give summer internships to good stores.

 

[dgroulx]

I work for Walgreens. I really like my district. The five closest stores to me were moved to another district, but I chose to stay in mine. This is mainly because of my supervisor. I've worked with her since I was an intern during my second year of pharmacy school. We have a few too many pharmacists in our district, so I have to float a few days per week. If she was a poor DM, then we would have pharmacists leave and that's not happening.

I like my 8 hour days. In my area, CVS works 14 hour shifts and the other stores are 12 hour shifts. I worked a double shift last Thursday. I wouldn't want to work from 8am until 10pm on a regular basis. I picked up "B rate" for the 2nd shift (time and a half), so that made it worth while. If I'm going to work more than 8 hours in a day, I want overtime pay.