Students pursuing a doctor of pharmacy degree---also called a Pharm.D.---must complete a residency and a pharmacy internship as part of their studies, according to the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy, a trade group. Pharmacy students can complete their internships in a variety of settings: retail pharmacies, managed care pharmacies, hospital pharmacy departments or in community clinics. The process to find an internship is standard across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, so if you are looking for an internship in one particular state, you would rely on the same four types of resources that would help you find opportunities nationwide.
Instructions
1. Buy or borrow pharmacy trade publications. Journals geared to the pharmacy community regularly feature advertisements for pharmacy internships in both print and digital editions. Trade publications also provide directories, internship listings and search tools to help find internship opportunities in Ohio. Note that there are no pharmacy trade publications that focus solely on one particular state, like Ohio; all trade publications have a national focus and list opportunities nationwide.
2. Ask a pharmacy degree program about internship possibilities. All Pharm.D. programs provide internship directories, databases and assistance to students looking for pharmacy internships. Because the residency and internship search process is a standard one, there is one process to search for opportunities. If you wish to find internships in one particular state, you need to ask your school's student affairs office for help in isolating only the opportunities in Ohio. Your school's student affairs office should be able to provide a full listing of the opportunities available in Ohio. Some schools also provide a dedicated career center for their pharmacy students to help with placement in internships and residencies.
3. Contact employers directly. Major retail pharmacies such as CVS and RiteAid regularly advertise pharmacy internship opportunities. Ohio hospitals and community clinics do not frequently advertise pharmacy internships, but contacting the pharmacy department in a community hospital or clinic can yield more information about internship possibilities there. Note that if you contact employers directly, you should get in touch with the head pharmacist or the pharmacy department to get more information about internships. Unlike other industries, where human resources staff manage the internship process, pharmacy internships must meet certain monitoring and licensure requirements, so a pharmacist will be your point of contact.
4. Read resources developed by professional organizations. Professional membership and trade associations that represent the interests of pharmacists and pharmacy students publish tools, directories and listings of available pharmacy internships. Both the American Pharmacists Association and the American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy publish extensive lists of available internship opportunities, including full contact information, application information and appropriate links. The APhA offers a portal through its Academy of Student Pharmacists that can assist you in finding an Ohio internship. Its portal also offers tips, advice and assistance on preparing for licensure examinations and obtaining a residency.
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