Navigating the Walgreens Pharmacy Internship: Roles, Responsibilities, and Compensation

A Walgreens pharmacy internship offers invaluable hands-on experience for students pursuing a career in pharmacy. This article delves into the multifaceted aspects of the Walgreens pharmacy internship, covering job objectives, responsibilities, training, qualifications, and compensation. It will also explore the experiences and duties of pharmacy interns.

Job Objectives: Shaping Future Pharmacists

The primary objective of the Walgreens pharmacy internship is to cultivate future pharmacists by providing them with practical experience and a comprehensive understanding of pharmacy operations. Interns learn to deliver exceptional patient care under the guidance of pharmacists and pharmacy team members, adhering to all state and federal regulations. A crucial aspect of the role involves utilizing pharmacy systems to access patient and drug information, enabling them to accurately process prescriptions. Moreover, interns are expected to embody and promote Walgreens' customer service standards, ensuring a positive and delightful experience for every customer. The internship aims to instill in participants the importance of pharmacy policies, procedures, and customer service best practices, all of which are essential for their future roles as pharmacists.

Key Responsibilities and Tasks

Walgreens pharmacy interns undertake a variety of responsibilities, all designed to provide a well-rounded learning experience. These duties are carried out under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist, ensuring patient safety and adherence to legal requirements.

Customer Experience

Interns play a vital role in shaping the customer experience within the pharmacy. This involves:

Engaging customers and patients by greeting them and offering assistance with products and services.
Resolving customer issues and answering questions to ensure a positive customer experience.
Modeling and sharing customer service best practices with all team members to deliver a distinctive and delightful customer experience, including interpersonal habits (e.g., greeting, eye contact, courtesy, etc.) and Walgreens service traits (e.g., offering help proactively, identifying needs, servicing until satisfied, etc.).
Developing strong relationships with customers.

Operational Duties

Under the supervision of the pharmacist, interns assist in various aspects of pharmacy operations, in accordance with state, federal, and company policy. This includes:

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Reviewing and complying with the Walgreen Co. Pharmacy Code of Conduct.
Performing duties as assigned and supervised by the pharmacist in accordance with Walgreens standard operating procedures for entering, third party processing, filling, and dispensing prescriptions.
Assisting pharmacists and other healthcare providers in delivering patient care and services that are within the state scope of practice for pharmacy interns including patient counseling and other health services (i.e. blood pressure, medication therapy management).
Immediately reporting prescription errors to pharmacist on duty and adhering to Company policies and procedures in relation to pharmacy errors and the Quality Improvement Program.
Strictly adhering to the Walgreen Co. policy regarding Good Faith Dispensing
Being responsible and accountable for registering all related sales on assigned cash register, collects and handles cash as required.
Taking customer to OTC aisle when possible to assist in locating products.
Handling telephone calls that do not require personal attention of the pharmacist, including those to physicians.
Assisting and supporting Pharmacy Department on inventory management activities, such as, ordering, unpacking, checking and storing shipment of pharmaceuticals.
Maintaining knowledge of Company asset protection techniques, and files claims for warehouse overages (merchandise received, but not billed), shortages (merchandise billed, but not received), order errors or damaged goods involving Rx drugs.
Assisting with exterior and interior maintenance by ensuring the Pharmacy Department is stocked with adequate supplies, clean, neat and orderly in condition and appearance.
Complying with all company policies and procedures; maintains respectful relationships with coworkers.
Completing special assignments and other tasks as assigned.

Training and Personal Development

Walgreens emphasizes the importance of continuous learning and development for its pharmacy interns. Interns are required to:

Complete required training programs.
Maintain knowledge and skill in healthcare and pharmacy, including latest news and developments.
Learn from store and pharmacy team members, field leadership, team members and customers/patients.

Basic and Preferred Qualifications

To be eligible for a Walgreens pharmacy internship, candidates must meet certain basic qualifications:

Must be enrolled in a school of Pharmacy program.
Must be fluent in reading, writing, and speaking English (except in Puerto Rico).
Requires willingness to work flexible schedule, including evening and weekend hours.

While not mandatory, certain preferred qualifications can enhance a candidate's prospects:

Prefer six months of experience in a retail environment.
Prefer to have prior work experience with Walgreens.
Prefer good math skills so you can fill prescriptions accurately, including counting, measuring and weighing.

Walgreens is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records.

Compensation and Benefits

Understanding the compensation structure is a key consideration for prospective interns.

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The current salary range for this position is $16.50 per hour - $25.00 per hour. The actual hourly salary within this range that you will be offered will depend on a variety of factors including geography, skills and abilities, education, experience and other relevant factors.

The average hourly pay for a Pharmacy Intern is $15.33.

An entry-level Pharmacy Intern with less than 1 year experience can expect to earn an average total compensation (includes tips, bonus, and overtime pay) of $12.26 based on 5 salaries. An early career Pharmacy Intern with 1-4 years of experience earns an average total compensation of $14.83 based on 9 salaries.

Data indicates that the highest pay for a Pharmacy Intern is $17.50 / hour and the lowest pay for a Pharmacy Intern is $11.56 / hour

In addition to hourly pay, Walgreens offers a comprehensive benefits package to its employees.

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The Pharmacy Intern Role: A Closer Look

A pharmacy intern is essentially a student gaining practical experience in a pharmacy setting. These individuals operate under the supervision of licensed pharmacists and pharmacy managers in either hospital or retail environments. Their primary goal is to learn and apply their academic knowledge in a real-world setting, ensuring they perform their duties accurately and safely.

Specific Duties of Pharmacy Interns

The specific duties of a pharmacy intern can be quite varied, encompassing both technical and customer-facing responsibilities. These may include:

Weighing, packaging, and counting pills.
Working directly with customers to deliver drug information and respond to questions.
Entering, third party processing, filling, and dispensing prescriptions.
Assisting pharmacists and other healthcare providers in delivering patient care and services that are within the state scope of practice for pharmacy interns including patient counseling and other health services (i.e. blood pressure, medication therapy management).
Handling telephone calls that do not require personal attention of the pharmacist, including those to physicians.
Assisting and supporting Pharmacy Department on inventory management activities, such as, ordering, unpacking, checking and storing shipment of pharmaceuticals.

Increasing Salary Potential as a Pharmacy Intern

Several strategies can help pharmacy interns increase their earning potential:

Negotiate: Don't be afraid to negotiate your salary, especially if you have relevant experience or skills.
Gain Experience: The more experience you have, the more valuable you will be to employers.
Seek Certifications: Obtaining relevant certifications can demonstrate your skills and knowledge.
Consider a Career Move: Moving to a new employer that is willing to pay higher for your skills may allow this role to increase their income potential and qualify for promotions.

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