Where is Old Timer!?!?!?! Come on buddy don't let me down!!! Start beating that CVS is awsome drum.
Quick, get me my drum.
I have been a pharmacist for 25 years. 19 years of Independent Community Practice with Nursing Home, Apothecary and Full Service Practice. The last six years have been with CVS.
Here is the real truth. Independent Pharmacy practice has it's good points and it's bad points. Unfortunately, most community practice is volume based. Since insurance has reduced reimbursement per prescription you need to fill more prescriptions to make the same money you used to make.
The secret to having a successful career in Chain Pharmacy is dependent on several factors:
Field Management: Unless you have a good District Manager, Pharmacy Supervisor and scheduler, you will be screwed. Does it matter if the CEO is great if your boss sticks it to you at every opportunity? I have been extremely lucky. I have had the same DM for all six years and he is very supportive of pharmacists. I've had several pharmacy supervisors and all have been good to me. If you read through the posts of people who had problems with CVS and Walgreens, you will see most of the problems are because field management did not support the pharmacists or place them in a position where they could excel.
Comfort Level: You have to find a store that is the best fit for your abilities. My district has 19 stores. Volume ranges from 800 per week up to 4500 per week. There are city stores and suburban stores. You have to be in a place where you can thrive. There are great pharmacists at 1500 per week that wilt at 2500 per week. It's field managements job to place you in a place where your abilities will come to the fore.
Commit to the Company: If you are just collecting a pay check, you are no good to your patients and no good for your company. That means trying to change those things that you see that are not right.
As for CVS:
Salary: Very competitive.
Sign on Bonus: Area dependent.
Hours: Flexible, at least in my area. There are stores that run with 14 hour days and stores that use split 7 hour shifts. The pharmacists in the store make their own schedule as long as the store is covered. The busier stores work every 3rd or 4th weekend as opposed to every other weekend.
Overtime: You get an extra six dollars per hour for all hours worked over 44 hours per week. State or local laws that mandate over-time will prevail over this policy.
Strength of Company: Financially CVS is a very strong company. They are poised to influence the entire health care system with the purchase of Caremark and Minute Clinics. They give stock options to Pharmacists. Those options paid for one year of college for my oldest daughter.
Professional Development: There are great opportunities to do community programs, outreach programs, brown bag programs. Loads of free CE. They paid for me to become certified to give injections.
I can only speak for myself. I have had a great experience at CVS. I may be an anomaly. I have seen postings on this board of bad experiences that CVS pharmacists have had with the company. They are almost related to the quality of the field management. If you decide to interview with CVS, make sure you interview the DM or Pharmacy Supervisor while you are being interviewed.
That's the non-kool aid version.
