Pharmacy placement or charity work?

[mysteryman]

I'm a first year pharmacy undergrduate student. I've applied around to boots, local hospitals etc to get a summer placement ages ago. But were all turned down. I've had some experience in a local independent community pharmacy, but my question is should I just do some work in an independent pharmacy over summer or do charity work instead? What will hold more ground for when i apply next time around? Also is it vital to get experience in your first year? As i've heard if you don't you are greatly disadvantaged when applying next summer compared to other people.

[johnep]

Re: Pharmacy placement or charity work?

If you have never worked in a pharmacy, then you need experience. What were you doing all through A levels. Ihad a paper round and worked as saturday boy at local Boots. Most pharmacies where I locum employ a Saturday boy/girl who then automatically works in the holidays as I did.

Often I arrive for a locum to find only the Saturday boy as the other member of staff. Once or twice it has been their first day!
johnep

[Raju]

Re: Pharmacy placement or charity work?

I'm a first year pharmacy undergrduate student. I've applied around to boots, local hospitals etc to get a summer placement ages ago. But were all turned down. I've had some experience in a local independent community pharmacy, but my question is should I just do some work in an independent pharmacy over summer or do charity work instead? What will hold more ground for when i apply next time around? Also is it vital to get experience in your first year? As i've heard if you don't you are greatly disadvantaged when applying next summer compared to other people.

its your first year - just relax and do whatever in the summer.

btw - if you live in london or kent then i may be able to get u a summer job at a small multiple.

[mysteryman]

Re: Pharmacy placement or charity work?

I live about an hour by train from London. If you could give me some information then i'd be most grateful. Thanks

[N.T]

Re: Pharmacy placement or charity work?

I'd go for the charity work. Don't get too stressed getting pharmacy-relating work experience yet. As long as you have 1, possibly 2, summers worth of experience by the time you apply for pre-reg you'll be ok. If the worst comes to the worst offer to work for free in a local pharmacy later on in your course for experience.

Appropriate charity work gives you many many more skills than slogging in a shop. Try and get medical/social care related work if you can...will shine on your CV.

[mysteryman]

Re: Pharmacy placement or charity work?

So it would look better to potential future employers getting charity work instead of having all pharmacy summer placements?

Only reason i'm concerned is because i'm aware pharmacy is becoming more popular every year, so more competition?

[N.T]

Re: Pharmacy placement or charity work?

I think 1 or 2 x summer pharmacy placements plus 1 x good charity work looks loads better on your CV than 3 x summer pharmacy placements. Think about the skills you can gain from charity work: communication; team building; adapting to foreign cultures and tradiitions; internation relations; ingenuity; survival etc....compared to 6 weeks in Boots: gained communication skills to imply to customers to feck orf without actually saying it; dispensing.

Enjoy your summer, if you don't you'll look back and regret it.

[mysteryman]

Re: Pharmacy placement or charity work?

I've decided i'm going to do charity work and also do some work in a local independent community pharmacy. When is the best time in a day to go in and ask them if they will be willing to give me some experience?

[admin]

Re: Pharmacy placement or charity work?

I've decided i'm going to do charity work and also do some work in a local independent community pharmacy. When is the best time in a day to go in and ask them if they will be willing to give me some experience?

When they are quiet! I'd say avoid 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm as these seem to be the busiest times in the places where I work, but it can vary of course. Why not ring them up first and ask them when the owner/manager will be there, and what's the best time to come and talk to him. This is a good way to introduce yourself, and it's polite. First impressions count a lot, so make sure you go dressed smartly as well.

[N.T]

Re: Pharmacy placement or charity work?

When they are quiet! I'd say avoid 10am to 12pm and 2pm to 5pm as these seem to be the busiest times in the places where I work, but it can vary of course. Why not ring them up first and ask them when the owner/manager will be there, and what's the best time to come and talk to him. This is a good way to introduce yourself, and it's polite. First impressions count a lot, so make sure you go dressed smartly as well.

I'd say avoid 12pm til 2pm too!! All in all you should never ask to talk to the pharmacist cos they'll be too busy!!!! (Seriously tho...best to phone ahead!)

[Pharmanaut]

Re: Pharmacy placement or charity work?

I'd say avoid 12pm til 2pm too!! All in all you should never ask to talk to the pharmacist cos they'll be too busy!!!! (Seriously tho...best to phone ahead!)

If you get trial, find out which PMR system they use and contact the supplier for a demo or a copy of the help files. Most will supply you with them - it helps them in the long run as they will get less support calls! Study how ordering works and how to do MDS.

[openmind]

Re: Pharmacy placement or charity work?

I'm a first year pharmacy undergrduate student. I've applied around to boots, local hospitals etc to get a summer placement ages ago. But were all turned down. I've had some experience in a local independent community pharmacy, but my question is should I just do some work in an independent pharmacy over summer or do charity work instead? What will hold more ground for when i apply next time around? Also is it vital to get experience in your first year? As i've heard if you don't you are greatly disadvantaged when applying next summer compared to other people.

My Advice,
GO to a nightmare multiple/factory Pharmacy or a crap hospital, staffed with a squadron of ignorant bullying gade goody type tech's. Realise this is the reality of Pharmacy and jack the course in.

[admin]

Re: Pharmacy placement or charity work?

My Advice,
GO to a nightmare multiple/factory Pharmacy or a crap hospital, staffed with a squadron of ignorant bullying gade goody type tech's. Realise this is the reality of Pharmacy and jack the course in.

You seem really fed up with pharmacy. I was talking today to a young woman who is a qualified pharmacist, and decided she wanted to be a Dr. She's finished the course now, and even says it was easier then pharmacy. Why don't you go on to study medicine? She's now doing rotations around all the different medical areas, and is working in oncology at the moment. She seems to really enjoy it.

If you like the clinical side of pharmacy, and are still young enough, why not do that?

[Jeff]

Re: Pharmacy placement or charity work?

My Advice,
GO to a nightmare multiple/factory Pharmacy or a crap hospital, staffed with a squadron of ignorant bullying gade goody type tech's. Realise this is the reality of Pharmacy and jack the course in.

Only if you're daft enough to work in those conditions.
Today I was the least academically qualified and yet by far the highest paid person in a community pharmacy. (An doctor unregistered in the UK because of failing the English exam, and someone with a degree in pharmaceutical science)

Jeff

[N.T]

Re: Pharmacy placement or charity work?

My Advice,
GO to a nightmare multiple/factory Pharmacy or a crap hospital, staffed with a squadron of ignorant bullying gade goody type tech's. Realise this is the reality of Pharmacy and jack the course in.

If only this wasn't the truth.