hospital pharmacy internship

[nono03_2003]

Thank you for sharing, akres!

[akres]

I'm in the west coast.

[wmw]

hi Akres:

Thanks for sharing this good news to us, congratulations, how is it working in an inpatient pharmacy, what do you do typically everyday and how do you like it? We will be very happy to hear from you and talk about your personal experience in the hospital

[akres]

Hi wmw:

Since graduation, my interest and intention was always been to practice in a hospital setting, not that I have anything against community or retail setting, eversince then, that's where I was trained and having the opportunity to come to the US I planned to continue and follow that suit.

After passing FPGEE, TOEFLiBT, getting my FPGEC and intern license, I set my eyes and mind doing just that, and here I am partly continuing what I intended to do.

I like my work, in fact I like it a lot. I'm enjoying and learning a lot.

Typical day start with monitoring MAR sheets for each patient, checking for drug-drug interactions, checking for new ordered medication or discontinued medication,checking laboratory works and communicate with physicians regarding any concerns.

Usually 1 or 2 pharmacist is assigned in medical, surgical, pediatric, ICU, NICU etc.etc
depending on the census and another in IV admixture,TPN,Chemo,another in unit dose and compounding, another in drug information and poison control and others in clinics for coumadin (INR) DM (HA1c) etc.etc.monitoring.

Depending on my preceptors area of assigned duty, sometimes I was given a task of making IV, TPN, Chemo or checking the work of the technician making it, making sure the correct dose is properly incorporated, checking the order of incorporation, making sure drugs are properly diluted with the correct diluent for patient that is diabetic for instance. Doing calculation work or sometimes given a task to the drug information and poison control, providing information or answer to the doctors other providers and nurses regarding pharmacokinetics, drug stability,compatibility with other drugs or any other questions regarding medications and some about laboratory works,

On other days I was ask to make rounds and to check if the pyxis in all nurses stations are timely replenished by technicians, Do unit dosing etc.etc.

All in all my preceptor is training me or enhancing my experience in all aspects of medication and pharmacy operation and at the end of the training sometimes I was ask to make a report/presentation or even given a test, in a way preparing me for NAPLEX.

We are 6 interns in the pharmacy with different preceptors and different style of training and I'm the only one who is a foreign graduate, and what's nice about it is, we do exchanged notes and review materials and exchanged experiences.

[I can do it!]

Hi akres, your experience is truly motivating. You are lucky! Is your internship for 3 months-as it usually is for local pharmacists (since you are in such a local team of interns) or did you get all the state needed hours of internship in this hospital?

Initially I did the same, just inquired in hospitals...but now not only hospitals, all the chain pharmacies have denied...it's no luck at all for internship.

Goodluck, enjoy and keep us posted of your endeavors!

[akres]

Hi I can do it:

No, I'm in the long haul for 1500 hours.

[wishtopass]

Hi Akres:

I am encouraged by your experience. I heard people said that it's very difficult to find a hospital pharmacist intern, because most of the hospital intern positions ( paid or unpaid) have been given as a priority to those students enrolled in Pharm D program in US pharmacy school.




I am so happy for you that you have learnt a lot from this hospial pharmacist intern. Can you give me any advice?Any advice would be good. It is because I am planning to look for a hospital pharmacist intern in California soon. And, I am worried about it is extremely difficult to look for a hospital pharmacist intern position in California. I wonder how I can increase my chance of getting a hospital pharmacist intern position.

It would be nice if you can answer some of my questions:

How are we as a foreign pharmacy graduates compete with US pharmacy school students for hospital pharmacist intern? Has the hospital that offered your current paid pharmacist intern position applied H1B visa for you before hiring you? Is it a must to have some previous hospital experience or one year hospital experience before working as a US hospital pharmacist intern? ( I only had six week hospital intern experience in my home country when I was studying in a pharmacy school back home , and I have been working as a retail pharmacist only since graduation). Did the hospital request or prefer you have previous hospital training or working experience in your home country? Are you doing your hospital pharmacist intern rotation in California ( western US )? Are you doing your hospital intern in rural area or urban city? ( I heard it is easier if one is willing to work as an intern in small or rural city compared to big city, is that true? )

From your experience or any one you know, is it easier to look for a volunteer hopsital pharmacist intern just to finish the requirement for NAPLEX? However, the problem is that how can a foreign pharmacy graduate stay in US to volunteer without a H1B work visa but only visitor visa? Do you think whether some or most hospitals in US are willing to take Foreign graduate as an unpaid ( volunteer ) hospital pharmacy interns without having the need to apply for H1B work visa for the interns?

Thanks a lot if you can give me some advice. Good luck to your NAPLEX.


Wish to pass.

[wishtopass]

Hi Akres:

I am encouraged by your experience. I heard people said that it's very difficult to find a hospital pharmacist intern, because most of the hospital intern positions ( paid or unpaid) have been given as a priority to those students enrolled in Pharm D program in US pharmacy school.




I am so happy for you that you have learnt a lot from this hospial pharmacist intern. Can you give me any advice?Any advice would be good. It is because I am planning to look for a hospital pharmacist intern in California soon. And, I am worried as people are saying it is extremely difficult to look for a hospital pharmacist intern position in California. I wonder how I can increase my chance of getting a hospital pharmacist intern position. Is there any hope for me to find one hospital pharmacist intern position ( paid or unpaid) in California?

It would be nice if you can answer some of my questions:

How are we as a foreign pharmacy graduates compete with US pharmacy school students for hospital pharmacist intern? Would the US pharmacy Board help us find a hospital pharmacist intership position by giving us the whole list of contact information of all possible hospital internship preceptors for contact or application? Has the hospital that offered your current paid pharmacist intern position applied H1B visa for you before hiring you? Is it a must to have some previous hospital experience to work as a US hospital pharmacist intern? ( I only had six week hospital intern experience in my home country when I was studying in a pharmacy school back home , and I have been working as a retail pharmacist only since graduation). Did the hospital request or prefer you have previous hospital training or working experience in your home country? Are you doing your hospital pharmacist intern rotation in California ( western US )? Are you doing your hospital intern in rural area or urban city? ( I heard it is easier if one is willing to work as an intern in small or rural city in california, is that true? )

From your experience or any one you know, is it easier to look for a volunteer hopsital pharmacist intern just to finish the requirement for NAPLEX? However, the problem is that how can a foreign pharmacy graduate stay in US to volunteer without a H1B work visa but just visitor visa? Do you think whether some or most hospitals in US are willing to take Foreign graduate as an unpaid ( volunteer ) hospital pharmacy interns?

Thanks a lot if you can give me some advice. Good luck to your NAPLEX.


Wish to pass.

[akres]

wishtopass:

If you read my previous post, I have mentioned something why it's much harder to get an intern position in a hospital setting, for one, they very rarely do H1B, second, It's a plus it's not amust if you have any experience in a hospital setting, though this is only my own observation. Before taking the FPGEE I was already a CPhT working in ahospital in charge of IV, TPN and Chemo in a level II trauma hospital.

To answer some of your questions: The Board will not help you find internship position whether for retail or hospital setting for that is not there job, nor will they give you or recommend any preceptor or a contact information. I have no experience with volunteer work, so I'm not the right person to give you insight on that, nor was I involved with H1B. If you don't have a proper document ang just holding a visitors visa, I suggest use your time to look for a suitable sponsor to convert your status to a legal working status. I heard, though it's only a hearsay, that there are some who accept volunteer work, whether or not the time spent volunteering counts towards your internship hours is a big big ?. Remember, before the board counts your internship hours you must possess an internship license and how to get an intern license..... so on and so forth, so if you think about it, there's really no shortcut in the process.

[Mineral]

I am a hospital pharmacist at present- if its so difficult to obtain sponsorship in hospital pharmacy in the US, do you think I should get some community pharmacy experience before applying for work? Do you think it could end up being difficult getting work with the big chains if I have little community pharmacy experience and only hospital? I would appreciate any advice given.