Finding work in the US

[johnep]

My understanding is that Walgreens is one of the better multiples.
johnep

[pharout]

Originally Posted by johnep

My understanding is that Walgreens is one of the better multiples.
johnep

It depends what you consider better? They all overwork you, they all pay the same and they are all comparable in terms of retirement benefits. Walgreen's has many drive-thrus here which makes one feel like they are working in a bank. They have "stations" which you work and you are very much like a robot cranking out scripts. The bottom line is they all promise the world and no one is better than the other. Here in the U.S., you are better off working at a supermarket chain because there are no drive-thrus, they pay the same and you check less prescriptions per day (e.g. the volume is lower).

[johnep]

Must say that when in Florida, I used the pharmacies in the Publix supermarkets. Pharmacies had almost just a hatch and the paharmacist was hidden inside the dispensary. In UK we have much more open dispensaries and pharmacist well on view. guess it is a matter of security.
johnep

[pharout]

Originally Posted by johnep

Must say that when in Florida, I used the pharmacies in the Publix supermarkets. Pharmacies had almost just a hatch and the paharmacist was hidden inside the dispensary. In UK we have much more open dispensaries and pharmacist well on view. guess it is a matter of security.
johnep

You're exactly right. In many larger cities here, it would not be uncommon to find the pharmacist behind a glass window (sometimes bulletproof). It is a very common occurrence here for pharmacies to be robbed for their controlled medications (in inner cities mostly), which often happens in broad daylight.

[lrpolo]

I'm flying out to California in 2 weeks time for a holiday and to see if I can get a sponsor in the San Francisco area. Any tips anyone? I tried e-mailing hospitals but nobody replied, maybe I'll try phoning them instead.

Sharon

[pharout]

Originally Posted by lrpolo

I'm flying out to California in 2 weeks time for a holiday and to see if I can get a sponsor in the San Francisco area. Any tips anyone? I tried e-mailing hospitals but nobody replied, maybe I'll try phoning them instead.

Sharon

Irpolo,
Would try the larger chains/supermarkets...Walgreens,RiteAid, CVS, Vons, Safeway as they are more likely to "sponsor" you. Hospitals would be a longshot to sponsor for an internship as it is an expensive process that they would probably only consider if you were ready for hire. I'm assuming you're talking about sponsorship for a H1b visa to work here??? You may also try Kaiser Permanente (where I work). It is a large HMO with many pharmacies and California has approximately 5 million members. California has traditionally been good at sponsorship as they have many foreign graduates working out there. Go to Welcome to Kaiser Permanente to look for openings or try PharmacyWeek.com: The Pharmacy Professionals' Employment Resource which is a nationwide ad newsletter sent out monthly. I just saw an ad in there for Kaiser Permanente nationwide.
pharout

[lrpolo]

I spoke to the pharmacy recruitment manager for Kaiser in San Francisco, and she told me they don't sponsor H1B visas for internhips. So I e-mailed Walgreens, and they told me I needed to get a state internship license first, which is a bit crap because I wasn't sure I could get a state license before securing a job, and now its going to take another month or more before I get that sorted as well. No wonder UK pharmacists never go to work in the US.

[pharout]

Originally Posted by lrpolo

I spoke to the pharmacy recruitment manager for Kaiser in San Francisco, and she told me they don't sponsor H1B visas for internhips. So I e-mailed Walgreens, and they told me I needed to get a state internship license first, which is a bit crap because I wasn't sure I could get a state license before securing a job, and now its going to take another month or more before I get that sorted as well. No wonder UK pharmacists never go to work in the US.

Irpolo,
Don't get discouraged, I know they put you through the ringer. My wife went through the same one, but it's worth it in the end. The state "intern" license is easy to get. All you do is pay a fee which is usually much smaller than the pharmacist license. Here, you have to be a licensed intern in the state you are working for your "hours" to count. In most cases, it takes the accumulation of 1500 hrs to then take the licensing exam. Most places you work will make you post this license where people can see it. Some states require one to obtain a certain number of hours in community vs hospital vs other settings. I hope this isn't the case, from a sponsorship standpoint. If it is, you can maintain your paid intern job at a chain and get the experience in the other setting on other time (which will be tiring). I think as long as you have hours if transferring with the FPGE, most don't care where you get them. You've by far exceeded the hardest part, and that was getting to the point where you can take the FPGEE and then passing it. The rest is a cakewalk.

[Hello]

Pharout, I have the FPGEE and have emaied the big chains but unless you have a zip code they never seem to reply. It seems you must be a foreign pharmacist (FPGEE) living int the US before they are interested. (I still reside in the UK). Any idea what the average salary is for the intern year and for the first year after qualifying completely as a pharmacist?

[pharout]

Originally Posted by Hello

Pharout, I have the FPGEE and have emaied the big chains but unless you have a zip code they never seem to reply. It seems you must be a foreign pharmacist (FPGEE) living int the US before they are interested. (I still reside in the UK). Any idea what the average salary is for the intern year and for the first year after qualifying completely as a pharmacist?

If you've taken the FPGEE and passed, the main issue is getting sponsored through visa here unless you have some other means of coming here (See Irpolo's previous questions). I think chains will respond, but maybe telephone is better. Your chances of a response may be slimmer if they think they have to sponsor you. As an intern assuming you have passed the FPGEE, you would most likely be paid as a "graduate intern", which is at a higher rate than an "intern". When my wife did it, it was in the neighborhood of $25 per hour, but that was 4-5 years ago. Probably higher now. After you qualify, or for you after you complete your 1500 intern hours, pass the Naplex and law exams, you would be paid the salary of a pharmacist which at the present time is roughly in the low $50 per hour range in most places. Some places with higher costs of living, like California, will probably be closer to $60 per hour.