Careers in Health Care: Jenny

published by Asianpost on Fri, 07/21/2006 - 21:22

Jenny

Age: 28

Occupation: Pharmacy technician

CAREER


Company: Vancouver General Hospital (Part-time) and BC Centre for Disease Control (Casual, Permanent)

Hours worked each week: 30 +

Salary Range: Community pharmacy - $9 to $14 to start, Hospital - $20 to $24 to start

Salary Potential: raises come for Full-timers once per year (once a review and evaluation is completed)

Best part of job: The variety. The hospital setting is big – dispensary, IV room, pre-packing, delivery of drugs – it all takes time to get trained.

Other career options: It’s a very focused program, a trade. You may be able to work as a senior pharmacy technician at a hospital.

EDUCATION


Certificate: Pharmacy Technician

School: Vancouver Community College

Grad year: 2004

Length of program: 5 ½ months Full-time

Work placement: One week in a community, 3 weeks in a hospital

Advice: Do the research first to see if it’s what they like. You are always rotating, doing shift work since it’s a union job. You can’t be too picky. So stay positive, lots of different personalities that you have to work with so be easy going. Be open-minded. There is also a physical component to the job-you are doing compounds, shipping/receiving. It’s not just about counting pills.

LIFESTYLE


Favourite past-time: Reading, walking, rollerblading

Upcoming vacation plans: No, New York next year

In five years, I see myself enjoying: This job is quite new, so who knows if I will still be working in a hospital setting or a private institution such as a pharmacy. But I’d like to work in a private institution that is more customer-based, possibly selling pharmaceuticals in a warehouse.
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