Pharmacy Assistant

How to Tell if Working at a Hospital Pharmacy is Right for You after Pharmacy Assistant School

March 29, 2019

March 29, 2019

An “Emergency” Sign in front of a hospital in the early evening

Students in pharmacy assistant school often assume they will be working in a retail pharmacy after they graduate. While many pharmacy assistants do work in retail pharmacies, you should keep in mind that there are other settings where you could find employment after completing training. One such setting is a hospital pharmacy.

While many of the job duties of a pharmacy assistant in a hospital pharmacy are the same as in a retail pharmacy, the work environment itself is very different. Here’s a look at how you can tell whether a career in a hospital pharmacy could be for you.

You Want a Pharmacy Assistant Career That is Less Focused on Retail
One of the biggest differences between hospital pharmacies and retail pharmacies is the type of people that each type of pharmacy serves. Perhaps unsurprisingly, retail pharmacies mainly serve members of the public. In fact, retail is a great choice if you’re a natural people person.

However, if you’re more excited about working in a health care setting, then you may want to consider hospital pharmacies. In a hospital pharmacy you’ll work a lot more with other health care providers, like nurses and doctors. Unlike in retail, there’s less need in hospital pharmacies to price and stock items for customer displays. So, if you want a career where you feel more a part of a broader health care team, then working in a hospital pharmacy after pharmacy assistant school may suit you better.

Medical staff discussing in hospital pharmacy. Doctors and nurse talking in hospital pharmacy.

In a hospital pharmacy you will be interacting with other health care providers

You Want a Career Where Your Can Help Patients with Serious Health Conditions
Because hospital pharmacies are preparing pharmaceuticals that are destined to be used within the hospital itself, the types of drugs you work with will be a lot different than at a retail pharmacy. In many cases, you’ll have a hand in helping to get lifesaving drugs and treatments to patients who urgently need them. So if you want a career where you will be working with unique pharmaceuticals and helping people with urgent medical conditions every day, then a career in a hospital pharmacy may be for you.

You Want to Use Your Pharmacy Assistant School Skills to Tackle Unique Inventory Tasks
Pharmacy inventory skills are something that a pharmacy assistant course can help prepare you for. Whether in a retail or hospital pharmacy, pharmacy assistants help with inventory, such as by stocking shelves and receiving new inventory. However, at a hospital pharmacy inventory duties for pharmacy assistants are a little bit different.

As a hospital pharmacy assistant you may be tasked with restocking pharmaceuticals not only in the pharmacy itself, but for different parts of the hospital. For example, you may have to restock drugs and solutions on nursing wards, fill dose carts for nursing stations, and restock drug kits needed for emergencies. The variety of inventory duties available is just one reason why working at a hospital pharmacy can be an exciting career choice.

Are you ready for a new career?

Contact Medix College to learn more about our pharmacy assistant diploma in Ontario.

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