Would you work for an independent pharmacy?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.
M

Music_rx

Full Member
2+ Year Member
Joined
Sep 12, 2018
Messages
16
Reaction score
18
Hi I got hired full-time in an independent pharmacy. It's my very first pharmacist job. They offered me 60K while getting trained and 90K later on. Does that sound reasonable to you? I guess you can justify lower pay due to independent pharmacies not being as busy as chains? I'd like hear your thoughts. Thanks.
Members don't see this ad.
 
I don't know where you live, but that is low. Anything under $55/hr seems low to me.
 
I got $40 an hour when I started out in 2010. I know, I am a disgrace to the profession. I think 90K is low but I guess you may take comfort in knowing that dummies like me took something like this way back then.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
Music_rx said:
Hi I got hired full-time in an independent pharmacy. It's my very first pharmacist job. They offered me 60K while getting trained and 90K later on. Does that sound reasonable to you? I guess you can justify lower pay due to independent pharmacies not being as busy as chains? I'd like hear your thoughts. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Unless there are other incentives such as taking part ownership, 90k is not worth it.
 
What’s training? 3 months then bump to 90k within the year? If that’s the case in a desirable area (rural for me) I don’t mind the 90k starting out.

If he/she is referring to 60k with 9+ months of training and nothing else beyond basic benefits I’d leave it and move on.

This differentiates if you have no other opportunities and high debt coupled with no work for 3+ months ...
 
Music_rx said:
They offered me 60K while getting trained and 90K later on.
Click to expand...

Congratulations! I think you're the "licensed pharmacist working as a pizza delivery driver" from another thread making $4.25 an hour. It sounds like this pharmacy is offering you a 600% pay increase, a chance to gain experience as a pharmacist, and (I suspect) a complete change to your outlook on life. I personally feel like $60K is completely reasonable -- not because independent pharmacies are slow, but because of market forces. Become experienced, prove yourself, and earn that pay increase. If they don't follow through on it, then you will at least be in a stronger position to look for new jobs next year.
 
Are there any benefit for the position? Is this cash under the table kind of thing? Trust me, these kind of things happen. What about long term outlook.

If this is the only gig available, I would not have second thoughts. I will also not give up my job searching either.

It seems to be on the lower side but not as extreme as other posts where $30s are being offer.

Good luck, don’t stop looking.


Sent from my iPhone using SDN mobile
 
CNJ_Anon said:
Congratulations! I think you're the "licensed pharmacist working as a pizza delivery driver" from another thread making $4.25 an hour. It sounds like this pharmacy is offering you a 600% pay increase, a chance to gain experience as a pharmacist, and (I suspect) a complete change to your outlook on life. I personally feel like $60K is completely reasonable -- not because independent pharmacies are slow, but because of market forces. Become experienced, prove yourself, and earn that pay increase. If they don't follow through on it, then you will at least be in a stronger position to look for new jobs next year.
Click to expand...
Thank you! I remember your wonderful advice on my previous post. Honestly, I didn't even think twice when they offered me a full time position. The pay is already a great boost to my quality of life and the job feels very rewarding and gratifying compared to a delivery driver!
 
Congrats OP! If there are no benefits then 90k is low but is infinitely better than having no Rph job! Use this as a stepping stone to gain experience and keep looking.
 
I didn't see any mention of benefits (401k, health insurance, vacation time/PTO), so 90k without any of those is a hard NO for me dog.
 
90k is the poverty line according to this place. Statistically its low, but you already know that. What's your situation and lifestyle? How many expenses do you have? What's the owner like? Worst case scenario you scrap by just above "poverty" for a bit, get some experience and leverage it into a better offer somewhere else.
 
Members don't see this ad :)
No.

There's a good chance they are involved in fraud in order to survive unless they occupy a niche or have a very strong clientele base. Even so the long term outlook might not be the best.
 
Music_rx said:
Hi I got hired full-time in an independent pharmacy. It's my very first pharmacist job. They offered me 60K while getting trained and 90K later on. Does that sound reasonable to you? I guess you can justify lower pay due to independent pharmacies not being as busy as chains? I'd like hear your thoughts. Thanks.
Click to expand...

Sounds good..Just take this job, learn a little use it as a stepping stone 6 months later to get a real chain job at 120K. Look on the positive side, most independents have no metrics and even if they do, it does not matter as you will be leaving shortly for a higher wage.
 
PharmDBro2017 said:
I didn't see any mention of benefits (401k, health insurance, vacation time/PTO), so 90k without any of those is a hard NO for me dog.
Click to expand...
They have 401K plan and they also put me under health, vision, and dental insurance (which is great because I was uninsured for the longest time and I really need to visit an eye doctor). Not sure about vacation time though.
 
Music_rx said:
Wow that is amazing. I live in Austin, Texas.
Click to expand...
Really?
Are you from out of state?

I have probably personally YEETed your resume into a trash-can.

Music_rx said:
Hi I got hired full-time in an independent pharmacy. It's my very first pharmacist job. They offered me 60K while getting trained and 90K later on. Does that sound reasonable to you? I guess you can justify lower pay due to independent pharmacies not being as busy as chains? I'd like hear your thoughts. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Forget my previous post. I think I know exactly who hired you
 
msweph said:
Wow - in 2010 I was offered 80K and slowly taking ownership of the pharmacy. I turned it down, we never talked details but the pay was not worth it.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Changing cell phone every yr, how's the microphone to record video or calls I heard it's trash.
 
Music_rx said:
They have 401K plan and they also put me under health, vision, and dental insurance (which is great because I was uninsured for the longest time and I really need to visit an eye doctor). Not sure about vacation time though.
Click to expand...
Vision is cheap. $65 eye exam at Walmart, $20 eyeglasses at zenni. That's what I do.

$30/hr is way too low but it's better than working minimum job at 10/hr. Every new grads will be doing the same as you rather than sitting at home doing nothing. Apply and everywhere and pray. Every job in metro has 50+ applicants nowadays. Welcome to saturation.
 
Not only are u taking a paycut, but it would also hurt your career in the long run. Work elsewhere like Cvs or any other chain first for 1-2 years. Get an idea as to how pharmacy operations work, then make an exit strategy.
 
The Doom & Gloom said:
Not only are u taking a paycut, but it would also hurt your career in the long run. Work elsewhere like Cvs or any other chain first for 1-2 years. Get an idea as to how pharmacy operations work, then make an exit strategy.
Click to expand...
Hahahaha, dude.
If a donkey could wear a white coat and put a license on the wall, CVS would hire them.
Hiring managers know this.

It is known.

At an independent, you make your own fate
 
Music_rx said:
Hi I got hired full-time in an independent pharmacy. It's my very first pharmacist job. They offered me 60K while getting trained and 90K later on. Does that sound reasonable to you? I guess you can justify lower pay due to independent pharmacies not being as busy as chains? I'd like hear your thoughts. Thanks.
Click to expand...
Anything over 25k a year is reasonable to me. I would take 60k in a heartbeat as long as the owner was chill and they ran the operation by the books.
 
Sabril said:
I got $40 an hour when I started out in 2010. I know, I am a disgrace to the profession. I think 90K is low but I guess you may take comfort in knowing that dummies like me took something like this way back then.
Click to expand...
ur first job you work for experience though.... not money. Also I just drank 2 month after the "best by use" date orange juice. Anyone know how bad this is for you? thanks
 
Last edited:
Momus said:
I eat expired food All the time. If it doesn't smell or taste weird, it's OK.
Click to expand...

Same, though it doesn't taste as fresh or may be stale. I take expired OTCs all the time, they still work great
 
CetiAlphaFive said:
Hahahaha, dude.
If a donkey could wear a white coat and put a license on the wall, CVS would hire them.
Hiring managers know this.

It is known.

At an independent, you make your own fate
Click to expand...
—


Ok, i think what i was trying to tell him is that the first 5 years is pivotal in which direction your career could possibly be headed to. No potential employer is going to look at your experience at an independent and be super impressed with it.

Remember that most ppl in unconventional setting have experience w big chain pharmacies, and know what that entails. They know that if you ve been thru cvs, walgreens, etc, you ve already been exposed to a high-stress work setting.

With that being said, if you want to stay at an retail setting, then yes... u can stay w an indepdendent forever and “make ur own fate”.. but would u advise a new graduate to stay in retail? Retail is a dying business. It won’t survive. Especially an independent with the reimbursement getting squeezed.
 
CNJ_Anon said:
Congratulations! I think you're the "licensed pharmacist working as a pizza delivery driver" from another thread making $4.25 an hour. It sounds like this pharmacy is offering you a 600% pay increase, a chance to gain experience as a pharmacist, and (I suspect) a complete change to your outlook on life. I personally feel like $60K is completely reasonable -- not because independent pharmacies are slow, but because of market forces. Become experienced, prove yourself, and earn that pay increase. If they don't follow through on it, then you will at least be in a stronger position to look for new jobs next year.
Click to expand...
I completely agree in this day and age just getting any job is a goal......here i am with 20 plus years experience and cannot find anything since my company closed it's doors for good.....i would be thrilled with any offer
 
The Doom & Gloom said:
Not only are u taking a paycut, but it would also hurt your career in the long run. Work elsewhere like Cvs or any other chain first for 1-2 years. Get an idea as to how pharmacy operations work, then make an exit strategy.
Click to expand...

Pretty sure working for CVS would hurt your long term career more than working at an independent.
 
The Doom & Gloom said:
—


Ok, i think what i was trying to tell him is that the first 5 years is pivotal in which direction your career could possibly be headed to. No potential employer is going to look at your experience at an independent and be super impressed with it.

Remember that most ppl in unconventional setting have experience w big chain pharmacies, and know what that entails. They know that if you ve been thru cvs, walgreens, etc, you ve already been exposed to a high-stress work setting.

With that being said, if you want to stay at an retail setting, then yes... u can stay w an indepdendent forever and “make ur own fate”.. but would u advise a new graduate to stay in retail? Retail is a dying business. It won’t survive. Especially an independent with the reimbursement getting squeezed.
Click to expand...
Lol. You shouldn't give people advice
 
Independents give you a much better chance to practice the way you want to practice. Staffing is much better, my boss pays the super-tech $25/hour, (they are expected to know the dominant neighborhood language and have to be good at pulling customers away from other pharmacies). If it's a brand new independent, they'll have them go around to local doctors to promote the business.

I'd consider opening an independent while working at CVS/Wags and then use that to find patients and send them over to my independent. No need for a lecture about conflicts of interest/non-competition clauses, I don't give a **** about that.
 
Just because you agree to a lower salary, doesn't mean it wont be busy. Those two things are not always related. Of course, if the owner is hiring you to sit at a brand new store and fill 50 scripts a day as the business grows, then you might have a point. You agree to do a specific job for a specific salary. If you are going into an established business, that already has everything in place, good luck thinking you can do less because you are getting paid below market value. You are just as liable to any infraction with the board of pharmacy as well.

If you don't want to sit at home and you have no other options, take the job, and keep looking. The owner is already low balling you and will continue to do so every step of the way.

One side point is that the new MTM type positions do pay lower and have created lower salary bracket for Wags and others. We are starting to see that. It is possible that we will see some independents hiring pharmacists for MTM/adherence management/hybrid positions to help with their Star ratings at a fraction of 'dispensing' pharmacist's salary.
 
njrx2016 said:
I completely agree in this day and age just getting any job is a goal......here i am with 20 plus years experience and cannot find anything since my company closed it's doors for good.....i would be thrilled with any offer
Click to expand...

All they're looking for, at any place other than the 3-letter craphole, is PGY. Nothing else matters. 🙁
 
The general advice I hear is do not work for an independent. Retail corps offer competitive benefits package ie 401k match, health insurance, etc better than independent. Job security is better too and pay.
 
If you see rph who can't speak English with the chains, it's much worse in independent. They hire the bottom of the barrel rphs so they can pay less and be creative with payroll. Broken English is much more common there, and they will hire rphs with shady history, need work visa, use and abuse them, underpay them, less benefit overall, expensive 401k fees, etc. If no one else wants to hire you, try independents. That alone says something about indies.
 
Momus said:
If you see rph who can't speak English with the chains, it's much worse in independent. They hire the bottom of the barrel rphs so they can pay less and be creative with payroll. Broken English is much more common there, and they will hire rphs with shady history, need work visa, use and abuse them, underpay them, less benefit overall, expensive 401k fees, etc. If no one else wants to hire you, try independents. That alone says something about indies.
Click to expand...

"How to let everyone know you have no idea what you're talking about in one easy step"
 
Momus said:
If you see rph who can't speak English with the chains, it's much worse in independent. They hire the bottom of the barrel rphs so they can pay less and be creative with payroll. Broken English is much more common there, and they will hire rphs with shady history, need work visa, use and abuse them, underpay them, less benefit overall, expensive 401k fees, etc. If no one else wants to hire you, try independents. That alone says something about indies.
Click to expand...

I personally don’t have any experience with working at indies but logically speaking shouldn’t it be the opposite of what you are saying? At indies main focus is the service; which would mean they would be very careful in hiring their staff. Their staff would have to be responsible for growing/ maintaining the business so I don’t think they would just hire anyone off the street.

I agree salary/ benefits would be lower but lot of people do get tired/ frustrated after working in retail for many years and wouldn’t mind working at indies at lower stress level. Doesn’t mean they are bottom barrel rphs.
 
CetiAlphaFive said:
Let's review:

You're claiming, in your perfect English, that independents are more likely to spend ~$10,000 to sponsor a work visa because they're cheap.
Click to expand...
Let's review how they "sponsor" a H1B and eventually a green card, 3 of my friends paid his own fees and immigration lawyer (illegal) while at the same time paid them about $8 less than market (again illegal, not meeting the prevailing wage for the area and yet they still got their PERM approved with creative payroll). What did I say about indy being shady?
 
Momus said:
Let's review how they "sponsor" a H1B and eventually a green card, 3 of my friends paid his own fees and immigration lawyer (illegal) while at the same time paid them about $8 less than market (again illegal, not meeting the prevailing wage for the area and yet they still got their PERM approved with creative payroll). What did I say about indy being shady?
Click to expand...
Ok, I think I was able to understand your post despite your poor English.

So, you're basing your opinions based on a sample size of 1 business, and the fact that your friends were willing to break the law?

Sounds like you need better friends.
You know what they say about the company you keep.
 
CetiAlphaFive said:
Ok, I think I was able to understand your post despite your poor English.

So, you're basing your opinions based on a sample size of 1 business, and the fact that your friends were willing to break the law?

Sounds like you need better friends.
You know what they say about the company you keep.
Click to expand...
Do you want to attack my English to win your argument all the time?

They were 3 different pharmacies in the desert areas. Two of these businesses are closed now. One got raided by DEA. And, another was pill milling with a shady doctor attached (doctor got arrested and their script count was down by hundreds, my friend got let go). Some independents will try every illegal tactics in the book to stay in the business. None of these independents pay health care benefits to their techs.

My friends were desperate. You can either choose to pay your own visa or you get deported. If you can't get anyone to hire you, try independents, they will bend the rules at your own expense.
 
Momus said:
Do you want to attack my English to win your argument all the time?
It was 3 different pharmacies in the desert areas. Two of these businesses are closed now. One got raided by DEA. And, another was pill milling with a shady doctor attached (doctor got arrested and their script count was down by hundreds, my friend got let go). Some independents will try every illegal tactics in the book to stay in the business. None of these independents pay health care benefits to their techs.

My friends were desperate. You can either choose to pay your own visa or you get deported. If you can't get anyone to hire you, try independents, they will bend the rules at your own expense.
Click to expand...
So, it's ok for you to criticize English literacy in your previous post but not for me.
That's a double standard.
Are you now saying N = 3 is valid compared to N = 1?

You're saying 3 friends independently and randomly found 3 criminal businesses unintentionally?
Honestly, it seems more likely that your friends sought out these criminals on purpose.

Also, if your fabricated scenario were true, why would these shady businesses pay only $8 less? If they were truly holding "desperate" people hostage for visas, why not pay $20 less?

Maybe the local community college offers Fiction Composition courses.
That would help your made-up stories to sound more believable.
 
CetiAlphaFive said:
So, it's ok for you to criticize English literacy in your previous post but not for me.
That's a double standard.
Are you now saying N = 3 is valid compared to N = 1?

You're saying 3 friends independently and randomly found 3 criminal businesses unintentionally?
Honestly, it seems more likely that your friends sought out these criminals on purpose.

Also, if your fabricated scenario were true, why would these shady businesses pay only $8 less? If they were truly holding "desperate" people hostage for visas, why not pay $20 less?

Maybe the local community college offers Fiction Composition courses.
That would help your made-up stories to sound more believable.
Click to expand...
English isn't my first language. You can continue to attack it with every post though so you can feel superior in the forum.

A bunch of my friends are all green card holders. Pharmacy world is pretty small. You tend to band together when you have the same experience about getting kicked out of the country if you can't get a work visa. The only pharmacies in the state hiring "loosely" to sponsor were independents. Nothing I said is absolute on ALL independents. There are few good independents out there but a lot of independents are total trash and shady. Every store has a different set of gray policies and different profit driven owners unlike the big chains.

You don't have to look far, check the first post how much he got an offer for.
 
Momus said:
English isn't my first language. You can continue to attack it with every post though so you can feel superior in the forum.
A bunch of my friends are all green card holders. Pharmacy world is pretty small. You tend to band together when you have the same experience about getting kicked out of the country if you can't get a work visa. The only pharmacies in the state hiring "loosely" to sponsor were independents. Nothing I said is absolute on ALL independents. There are few good independents out there but a lot of independents are total trash and shady. Every store has a different set of gray policies and different profit driven owners unlike the big chains.

You don't have to look far, check the first post how much he got an offer for.
Click to expand...
I grew up in a household where English was not the primary spoken language. 🙂

The profession of pharmacy is saturated enough. We certainly didn't need 3 people who barely speak English and who were willing to become criminals to stay in the country joining the ranks.

Allow me to suggest that if you have a an unsubstantiated opinion with nothing to back it up but the hearsay of your 3 criminal friends, keep that opinion to yourself.

Saying "a lot" when you really mean, "the 3 that took advantage of my friends" reflects very poorly upon you.
 
CetiAlphaFive said:
I grew up in a household where English was not the primary spoken language. 🙂

Allow me to suggest that if you have a an unsubstantiated opinion with nothing to back it up but the hearsay of your 3 criminal friends, keep that opinion to yourself.

Saying "a lot" when you really mean, "the 3 that took advantage of my friends" reflects very poorly upon you.
Click to expand...
It's not hearsay to me. Maybe to you. You can prove me wrong that majority of independents are on the up and up.

For now, you can keep your own opinion and I can keep mine as these anecdotes happened way too often in independents.
 
Momus said:
If you see rph who can't speak English with the chains, it's much worse in independent. They hire the bottom of the barrel rphs so they can pay less and be creative with payroll. Broken English is much more common there, and they will hire rphs with shady history, need work visa, use and abuse them, underpay them, less benefit overall, expensive 401k fees, etc. If no one else wants to hire you, try independents. That alone says something about indies.
Click to expand...

This is entirely dependent on the store and how it is run. No difference with any other business. Do your due diligence before working in a shady place. Plenty of good indies-- don't let a bad experience (maybe due to desperation?) cloud judgement.
 
Momus said:
It's not hearsay to me. Maybe to you. You can prove me wrong that majority of independents are on the up and up.
For now, you can keep your own opinion and I can keep mine as these anecdotes happened way too often in independents.
Click to expand...

The fact that thousands of independents operate under the scrutiny of various Boards of Pharmacy, the DEA, and CMS is, in and of itself, prima facie evidence that the vast majority are on the "up & up".

I can't imagine that you don't understand this.
You must be in the depths of a sea of cognitive dissonance to assert that this isn't the case.

I understand that we are both allowed to have opinions.
I'm also allowed to point out that your opinion is poorly thought out, devoid of any serious reason, and most likely entirely fabricated.

If you don't want someone to heavily criticize and scrutinize your points, make better points. Base them in fact.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

P
independent pharmacies
Replies
4
Views
2K
pharm B
pharm B
H
Anyone works for a Major Retail Pharmacy?
Replies
1
Views
1K
projektreverb
P
C
Good Certificates or Education for inpatient Pharmacy
Replies
2
Views
871
nickw2401
N
D
Move to other role for higher pay or stay put due to excellent PTO - what would you do ?
Replies
8
Views
1K
AONLINE
A
Mr.Smile12
AJPE: Insights And Questions For Success In A Pharmacy Academic Career
Replies
1
Views
591
lord999
lord999
Top