Pharmacy Intern Salary and Benefits: A Comprehensive Guide

Navigating the world of pharmacy internships involves understanding compensation, benefits, and the value of certifications. This article aims to provide a detailed overview of pharmacy intern salaries, benefits, and related factors, drawing upon real-world experiences and industry insights.

Understanding Pharmacy Intern Compensation

Pharmacy interns typically operate on a different pay scale than pharmacy technicians. According to anecdotal evidence, pharmacy interns may start at approximately $15 per hour. However, this figure can vary significantly based on several factors, including location, employer, and level of experience.

Pay Grade: Pharmacy interns are usually placed on a specific pay grade that differs from that of pharmacy technicians.
Annual Raises: Some stores offer fixed annual raises for interns. For example, one source mentioned a $1 per year raise in their old store. These raises differ from those of regular team members, which are often performance-based.

The Role of Certification

A common question among aspiring pharmacy interns is whether to pursue national certification as a pharmacy technician before entering an intern program. The value of certification can be assessed through several considerations:

Pay Raise: Some employers offer a pay raise upon achieving national certification. For instance, one individual mentioned a potential $1.00 raise for becoming nationally certified.
Intern Pay Grade: Given that interns are placed on a different pay grade, the value of a certification-related raise may be negated once the individual transitions into the intern role. This situation is analogous to receiving a pay bump for becoming a team lead, only to have that bump superseded by the higher pay grade of an executive team lead.
Internship Acceptance: Acceptance into an intern program is not always automatic upon admission to pharmacy school. Applicants typically need to apply and be accepted into the intern program separately.
PharmD Program Acceptance: Similarly, acceptance into a PharmD program is not guaranteed. Prospective students often need to take an entrance exam and undergo interviews, with some schools having strict science prerequisites.

Therefore, while a certification may offer an immediate wage increase, its long-term value might be limited once the individual enters an intern program. However, if there's a possibility of not being immediately accepted into an internship or PharmD program, obtaining certification could still be worthwhile.

Responsibilities and Training

Pharmacy interns typically have more responsibilities than technicians due to the training they receive to become pharmacists.

Read also: Explore Pharmacy Studies at UCF

Increased Responsibilities: Interns are trained to perform tasks that prepare them for their future roles as pharmacists.
Performance Evaluation: Good performance as an intern can lead to interview opportunities for a pharmacist position before graduation and state licensure.

Wages of Pharmacy Technicians

To fully understand the financial implications of becoming a pharmacy intern, it's useful to compare the wages of pharmacy technicians in various settings.

Target: Pharmacy technicians at Target may make PG 13, which can be approximately $3.00 more than PG 3, though this can vary by store.
State-to-State Variations: Wages for pharmacy technicians can vary dramatically from state to state.
Local Market Competitiveness: In some areas, pharmacy technicians at Target may earn less than the state average or less than competitors in the local retail pharmacy market.

Walgreens: Pay and Benefits Transparency

Walgreens provides transparent information regarding pay and benefits for pharmacy interns.

Salary Range: The current salary range for pharmacy intern positions at Walgreens is $16.50 to $25.00 per hour.
Factors Influencing Pay: The actual hourly salary offered within this range depends on factors such as geography, skills, abilities, education, experience, and other relevant considerations.
Benefits: Walgreens offers a comprehensive benefits package, which can be accessed through their career website.
Job Objectives: Walgreens outlines several job objectives for pharmacy interns, focusing on patient experience, customer service, and learning pharmacy policies and procedures.
Job Responsibilities/Tasks: These include customer engagement, operational tasks under pharmacist supervision, inventory management, and adherence to company policies.
Training and Personal Development: Walgreens emphasizes the importance of completing required training and staying updated on healthcare and pharmacy developments.

CVS: Intern Compensation

CVS offers its pharmacy interns compensation that increases with each year of experience.

Starting Wage: Non-graduate student interns at CVS may start at $12 per hour.
Annual Raise: These interns may receive a $1 raise every year.
Time to Pharmacist: CVS may emphasize that it doesn't take long to become a pharmacist after being an intern for a couple of years.

Skills and Qualifications

To be eligible for a pharmacy intern position, certain basic qualifications must be met.

Enrollment in Pharmacy School: Applicants must be enrolled in a school of pharmacy program.
English Fluency: Fluency in reading, writing, and speaking English is required (except in Puerto Rico).
Flexible Schedule: A willingness to work a flexible schedule, including evening and weekend hours, is typically necessary.

Preferred qualifications may include:

Retail Experience: Six months of experience in a retail environment may be preferred.
Prior Walgreens Experience: Prior work experience with Walgreens may be advantageous.
Math Skills: Good math skills are essential for accurately filling prescriptions.

Job Objectives and Responsibilities

Pharmacy interns have a range of responsibilities aimed at providing the best patient experience.

Patient Interaction: Engaging customers and patients by greeting them and offering assistance.
Issue Resolution: Resolving customer issues and answering questions to ensure a positive experience.
Customer Service: Modeling and sharing customer service best practices with team members.
Relationship Building: Developing strong relationships with customers.
Pharmacy Operations: Assisting in pharmacy operations under the supervision of a pharmacist, including prescription processing, filling, and dispensing.
Patient Care: Assisting pharmacists and other healthcare providers in delivering patient care services, such as patient counseling.
Error Reporting: Immediately reporting prescription errors to the pharmacist on duty.
Adherence to Policies: Strictly adhering to company policies, including those related to Good Faith Dispensing.
Sales and Cash Handling: Registering all related sales, collecting and handling cash as required.
Inventory Management: Supporting inventory management activities, such as ordering, unpacking, and storing pharmaceuticals.
Maintenance: Assisting with maintaining the Pharmacy Department by ensuring it is adequately stocked, clean, and orderly.
Compliance: Complying with all company policies and procedures.
Special Assignments: Completing special assignments and other tasks as assigned.

Factors to Consider

Several factors influence the decision to pursue a pharmacy internship, including salary, benefits, and career progression.

Location: The geographic location significantly impacts the cost of living and, consequently, the expected salary.
Employer: Different employers offer varying compensation packages and benefits.
Experience: Prior experience in a related field may influence the starting salary.
Negotiation: Candidates may have the opportunity to negotiate their salary based on their qualifications and the prevailing market rates.
Long-Term Career Goals: Considering long-term career goals can help determine whether the internship aligns with the individual's professional aspirations.

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