hospital pharmacy internship

[wishtopass]

Hi Akres:

Thanks a lot for your sharing. Can I still ask you one question? I am a canadian citizen and I just found out I don't need H1B. Would that be much easier for me to find a hospital pharmacist intern position if H1B is not an issue?

I just found out that I don't need H1B to work in US, because I am a canadian citizen and all I need is a TN work visa to work in US.

In oder to obtain a TN work visa, all I need is an employment offer letter from US hospital employer without any other paper work from employer. Then, I can bring this letter to US custom at the US/ canada border and I can obtain a one year temporary TN work visa on my own immediately at the border. ( That means the TN work visa can be approved and obtained immediately from the custom at the border ). And, this temporary TN work visa is for canadian citizens who are professionals and want to work in US temporary up to one year, and this TN work visa is renewable. That means I don't need to request the US hospital employer to do the paper work for me to apply for H1B , as all I need to obtain from US hospital employer is just a letter of job offer ( no other paper work necessary from US employers ) for myself to obtain a TN work visa at the border on my own to work in US.

so, do you know or is there anyway you can find out for me whether most US hospital employers are willing to hire me (canadian citizen) who does not need H1B but only need an employment letter from the US hospital employer for obtaining my TN work visa on my own , who have obtained FPGEC certificate and a valid California pharmacist intern certificate to work as a hospital pharmacist intern in US hospitals?

Are most US hospital employers willing to provide me a letter of employment after the interview if I request in order for myself to obtain a TN work visa before going to work in US?

Also, are most US hospital pharmacist intern position requires previous one year training experience? Do I have to worry if I only had 6 week hospital training experience when I was in pharmacy school 10 years ago?


Is it beneficial to be a CPhT before applying a hospital pharmacist intern?

Is it easier to find a hospital pharmacist intern if I am willing to drive and work further away from the city?

The thing in California is that one need to have both hospital pharmacy internship and retail pharmacy internship experience to meet the 1500 hours requirement before taking Naplex. Therefore, I am worried about how to find hospital pharmacist intern position in US.


Thanks if you can help me with these questions. Many many thanks to you, as I don't know who I can ask.


Wish to pass

[akres]

Wish to pass:

I'm not familiar with the TN work visa, however, I suggest for you to try to go to the hospital pharmacy and talk to the pharmacist in charge or director of pharmacy or talk to human resources for that matter.

It's not necessarily a must for you or for anybody to be a CPhT before applying for a hospital pharmacy intern position.

About finding a position if willing to drive and work further away, I guess, it's a matter of choice and availability but if your willing to do so, communicate that to the prospective employer it might be a plus.

Goodluck!

[mariagpl]

Is there anybody that got H1B sponsor from a hospital? Please share your experience.

[anacleto85]

Hi,

In my experience it is very difficult for an intern to be sponsored by a hospital. I tried and I was told (by several places) to contact them once I have my pharmacy license...

Good luck,

[rxinfoblog]

Originally Posted by knok

One of several concerns of hospital for accepting volunteers is that hospital has to abide by to the privacy act. They don't want those who are not their employees to access patients' profiles. However, my friend did voluteer in hospital only 200-300 hours though. You might have to find that kind of hospital in your areas. That hospital gave him coupons of food and facility access as benefits of a volunteer.

Medication used in hospitals and retailers are totally different. If you work only in hospital, you may not expose to any medication in retail channel.

I agree. Retail and hospital settings are different. With retail, you tend to see a lot newer medications once they hit the market because they pharmacies stock whatever physicians will write for. Hospitals are restricted by a formulary because of cost issues so you tend to deal with a lot of older medications. However, you are exposed to intravenous medications in hospitals that you won't see in a retail setting.



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[vaw]

Hi akres

Can you please provide the details of that hospital?
That will be a great help.

[leyla77]

Does anyone knows if we can do ALL 1500 hours in a hospital/clinic. I found some posted threads saying that yes, and others not. I work as a tech in VA clinic (Veteran Health Administration) in Northern California and would like to do all hours as an Pharmacy Intern there. Any similar experiences? Please advise.

[wishtopass]

Hi Leyla 77:

I am living in northern california, and in the process of applying for california pharmacist intern license. I called the California state board of pharmacy last week and they say that you need to do both retail intern hours and hospital intern hours to make up the total of 1500 hours, although there is no minimum number of intern hours required for hospital pharmacy and there is no minimum number of intern hours for retail pharmacy. That means if you do one day ( 8 hours ) of retail pharmacy and then do the remaining hours of intern hours in hospital, that would be fine as long as the total hours of both hospital and retail intern equal to 1500 hours.

I suggest you do community pharmacy intern( paid job or volunteer ) for one week or one day and do the remaining hours in hospital to make up 1500 hours.

Are you going to start your pharmacy intern hours in your hospital clinic as a paid job or volunteer intern?


Can you send me a private message as I like to discuss more or have further questions with you? I am looking for volunteer hospital internship.


Your response will be highly appreciated.


Wish to pass

[vaw]

Can you tell me the name of the hospital and where it is located?
thanks in advance.

[singjuba]

Hello Akres, and other foreign pharmacists,

Your post on your experience in Hospital Pharmacy has been very motivating.

Am concerned about the following as I have an interview coming up in two days.

How much should I ask for
and is it possible to do all 1500 hours in the institutional setting.

Thanks for your prompt response

SJ