OCCUPATION: Intern pharmacist

Name: Christina N. Pham

Company: Sav-On Drug Store, Santa Ana

Thumbs up: “Being able to provide pharmaceutical service to patients is a rewarding job. The bottom line is improving patients’ quality of life whether by counseling them on proper prescription drug use, providing helpful hints on avoiding adverse effects of medication or just simple counseling on appropriate over-the-counter medicine make it rewarding.”

Thumbs down: “The only negative part about working here is the standing for long hours. I never sit down during my whole eight-hour shift, except to take a lunch break.”

Next step: “After obtaining my (doctorate in pharmacy) degree from USC in May, I’m planning to go into a residency program and then pursue a pharmacy practice in a hospital setting and also work part time in a community setting where I can interact more directly with patients.”

Advice: “Be creative and motivated, because there’s a wide array of opportunities available in this profession, including work in a hospital, the community or in the pharmaceutical industry.”

Salary range: In Orange County, intern pharmacists make about $8.50 an hour to start. The longer you’re at the job, the more the pay escalates to about $15 per hour.

Fringe Benefits: Many employers offer paid vacations and medical benefits for full-time interns and part-time interns who work more than 24 hours a week.Educational and training requirements: You must be enrolled in a pharmacy school actively pursuing a pharmacy degree.

Size of work force: Medium. There are 18,000 pharmacists in California. Statistics for Orange County pharmacists and intern pharmacists are not available.

Job description: Intern pharmacists do everything pharmacists do, including filling prescriptions, taking new prescription orders from doctors and offering advice on over-the-counter drug use, but they are closely watched by pharmacists.

Major employment industries: Most intern pharmacists are employed by retail pharmacy stores, hospitals, public or private agencies, or independent drug stores.

Advancement: Interns do not advance until they receive their doctorate of pharmacy degrees.

For more information: Call the California Pharmacists Assn. in Sacramento (916) 444-7811.

MIMI KO / Los Angeles Times