Pharmacy Intern

Job Purpose and Summary: 

At CVS Health, we are focused on transforming health care for our customers and making our company a great place to work.  We help people navigate the health care system – and their personal health care – by improving access, lowering costs and being a trusted partner for every meaningful moment of health. Within our Retail locations, we bring this promise to life with heart every day. Our 3rd year Pharmacy Interns play a critical role in supporting our pharmacy teams to consistently deliver on our brand promise, while developing their own skills in preparation for increasing responsibility. 

As a 3rd year Pharmacy Intern, you will be focused on applying didactic learning from pharmacy school into real-world practice to become ready for a Pharmacist role. Under the direction of your preceptor, you will complete a comprehensive training roadmap designed to show you first-hand what it’s like to be part of a pharmacy team while gaining an overview of store, district, and regional operations. You will gain valuable hands-on experience through a training roadmap that includes a combination of Key Learning Experiences (KLEs), activities, and time spent with leaders in your district. While in the pharmacy, you will assist the pharmacy team to ensure that pharmacy operations run smoothly, our patients’ prescriptions are filled promptly, safely, and accurately, and we are providing caring service that exceeds patient expectations. You will learn to operate as part of the pharmacy team through consistent application of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), best practices, and effective communication. Throughout your shifts and in all customer and colleague interactions, you will learn to demonstrate CVS Health’s HeartAtWork behaviors, Helping With Heart Actions, and contribute to a safe and inclusive culture where all people feel valued and empowered. 

3rd year Pharmacy Interns are responsible for completion of a comprehensive training roadmap, focusing on KLEs that build aptitude in the following areas. As tenure increases, 3rd year Pharmacy Interns take on increasing responsibility of the safety and effectiveness of operations in the pharmacy, including but not limited to:  

• Living our purpose of “Bringing our Heart to Every Moment of Your Health” by following all company SOPs at each workstation to help our Pharmacists and Technicians manage and improve patient health  

• Following WeCARE workflow procedures at each pharmacy workstation (i.e., production, pick-up, drive-thru, and drop-off) for safe and accurate prescription fulfillment 

• Contributing to positive patient experiences by Helping With Heart: creating heartfelt and personalized moments while serving patients at pick-up, drive-thru, and over the phone; keeping patients healthy by offering immunizations and other services at the register and over the phone; and demonstrating compassionate care by solving or escalating patient problems 

• Offering to counsel, fielding medical questions, and soliciting information on a patient’s medical history to provide optimal care, when appropriate under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist 

• Taking telephonic prescriptions from the prescriber, and calling the prescriber to clarify prescriptions or facilitate medication changes, where allowed by state regulation 

• Maintaining the highest level of self-awareness and providing in-the-moment coaching, training, and mentoring to pharmacy team members while sharing best practices  

• Completing basic inventory activities, as permitted by law, and as directed by the pharmacy leadership team, such as accurately putting away medication deliveries and completing cycle counts, returns-to-stocks, waiting bin inventories, etc. 

• Contributing to a high-performing team, embracing a growth mindset, and being receptive to feedback; actively seeking opportunities to expand clinical and technical knowledge needed to better assist patients 

• Remaining flexible for both scheduling and business needs, while contributing to a safe, inclusive, and engaging team dynamic; voluntarily traveling to stores in the market to work shifts as needed by the business 

• Understanding and complying with all relevant federal, state, and local laws, regulations, professional standards, and ethical principles. Complying with CVS policies and procedures to ensure patient safety, compliance with controlled substance dispensing and recordkeeping, and to protect patient privacy and security 

• Delivering additional patient health care services (e.g., immunizations, point-of-care testing, and voluntarily staffing offsite clinics), where allowable by law and supported by required training and certification 

Where permissible, the 3rd year Pharmacy Intern may also support immunizations, which includes the following responsibilities: 

• Completing additional licensure and training requirements, in compliance with state Board of Pharmacy regulations, to obtain Technician Immunizer status to support preparing and administering vaccines 

• Educating patients about the importance of vaccines and referring patients to the Pharmacist-on-duty for vaccination questions 

• Monitoring for, and responding to, adverse reactions; reporting adverse reaction events per public health requirements 

• Reviewing and collecting patient information; tracking and documenting for each applicable patient 

Primary Job Duties & Responsibilities: 

1. Prescription Fulfillment and Inventory Management -45%

• Takes direction from the Pharmacist-on-duty and models best-in-class workflow excellence throughout the shift; rotates through workstations as directed by the workstation assignment board and/or Pharmacist or Lead Technician 

• Production: Produces prescriptions in accordance with WeCARE workflow SOPs, including but not limited to accurate product selection, counting, labeling, photographing, and bagging prescriptions (where applicable) under direct Pharmacist/Pharmacist Manager supervision; follows inventory management best practices (such as utilizing the return-to-stock vial first and dispensing in manufacturer packaging when able) while in production to improve pharmacy inventory excellence 

• Drop-off: Triages prescriptions for data entry, inventory availability, insurance claim processing, and insurance rejection resolution 

• Completes inventory tasks as directed by pharmacy systems and Pharmacist-on-duty or Lead Technician/Inventory Specialist: 

• Timely check-in and shelving of delivered product in appropriate bays 

• Product cycle counts  

• Waiting bin inventories and returns-to-stock 

• Pulls outdates and complete one-by-one returns 

• Takes telephonic prescriptions from the prescriber, and calls prescriber to clarify prescriptions or facilitate medication changes, where allowed by state regulation 

• Uses good judgment to engage Pharmacist for clinical oversight and support when needed; proactively calls for backup and/or asks for help as required by real-time business needs 

• Collaborates with and supports other pharmacy team members to keep workflow on-track 

• Helps to maintain a clean and neat pharmacy environment (e.g., vacuuming, dusting shelves, trash removal, etc.)  

2. Customer Service and Patient Care -45%

• Brings a patient-centric mindset to all workstations, especially pick-up and drive-thru, Helping with Heart and showing empathy in interactions with customers and other colleagues 

• Demonstrates our purpose during all patient interactions at pick-up and drive-thru, operates pharmacy register and delivers patient service offerings as directed by system prompts and/or guidance of the Pharmacist-on-duty; monitors the length of the line and proactively calls for backup from Technicians and/or the front store team (as allowed by state Board of Pharmacy guidelines) to manage customer wait times 

• Engages patients at pick-up with applicable service offerings, including and especially closing immunization gaps, maintaining integrity and customer-orientation in the delivery of all register prompts, and referring patients to the Pharmacist-on-duty for required counseling as directed by the system 

• Welcomes and encourages walk-in immunization opportunities; promptly flags these opportunities to keep patients healthy; proactively schedules patients to return for an appointment to close immunization gaps, when needed 

• Shadows Pharmacist and offers to counsel/fields medical questions, when appropriate under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist; directs the patient to the Pharmacist-on-Duty, as needed 

• Solicits information on a patient’s medical history to provide appropriate medical advice, when appropriate under the direct supervision of a licensed pharmacist; communicates and interacts with all healthcare professionals to provide optimal care 

• Is knowledgeable and engaging when talking to patients about our digital and loyalty offerings; welcomes and encourages patients to add front store products to their pharmacy order at pick-up 

• Answers the phone and/or returns patient voicemails promptly, using the Helping with Heart actions to understand and address patient requests 

• Executes telephonic patient outreach as directed by Patient Care Central and/or the Pharmacist-on-duty; brings a spirit of Helping with Heart to engage patients to improve health outcomes 

• Steps in to support pharmacy team with challenging patient interactions, when needed; uses good judgment to escalate challenging patient interactions to the Pharmacist-on-Duty, when needed 

• Delivers additional health care services as allowable by state regulation, individual certification, and as directed by pharmacy leadership team, including but not limited to point-of-care and/or swab-and-send testing, immunization preparation and/or delivery, etc. 

• Delivers service excellence by walking patients to the product in the aisle, when applicable  

3. Continuing Training, Compliance, and Pharmacy Team Culture - 10%

• Completes required ongoing compliance and role-based training in a timely manner, including maintaining certification and/or licensure as required by state Board of Pharmacy 

• Practices and develops skills performed by pharmacists, when applicable and according to state law 

• Partners with assigned preceptor to ensure participation in, and completion of, Key Learning Experiences (KLEs) specified for this intern year 

• Completes required monthly quizzes and other regular knowledge checks 

• Attends all required service huddles and/or action planning meetings 

• Regularly reviews communications (e.g., email, myWork, etc.)  via computer, ironman, binders, and/or bulletin board to maintain awareness of pharmacy priorities, action plans, and changes to store processes and procedures 

• Listens and responds to feedback from the Pharmacist-on-duty; provides thoughtful and constructive feedback to peers and leaders; plays an active role in building a positive team culture where all colleagues feel safe, included, valued, and empowered 

• Complies with CVS Workplace Policies, including meal and rest break policies, bag check policies, and CVS Timekeeping and Payroll Practices policies regarding proper clocking in and out, and not working while off the clock  

Education:

High School Diploma or General Equivalent Development (GED)  - required

Other Certification(s): Eligibility to immunize  - preferred

Other License(s): active Pharmacy Intern License in state where district is located  - required

Prior Relevant Work Experience:

1 to 3 years - preferred

Essential Qualifications and Functions:   

• Accepted into, or actively enrolled in, an ACPE accredited college or school of pharmacy 

• Must possess, or be in the process of obtaining, valid intern and/or technician licensure as required 

• Regular and predictable attendance, including nights and weekends 

• Ability to complete required training within designated timeframe 

Attention and Focus: 

• Ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time  

• Ability to pivot quickly from one task to another to meet patient and business needs 

• Ability to confirm prescription information and label accuracy, ensuring patient safety 

Customer Service and Team Orientation: 

• Actively look for ways to help people, and do so in a friendly manner 

• Notice and understand patients’ reactions, and respond appropriately 

Communication Skills: 

• Use and understand verbal and written communication to interact with patients and colleagues 

• Utilize active listening by giving full attention to what others are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times 

• Mathematical Reasoning: 

• Ability to use math to solve a problem, such as determining the total number of tablets to dispense, day’s supply, and/or number of full bottles and additional bottles needed to fill a prescription 

Problem Resolution: 

• Identifying challenging patient or colleague interactions and choosing the best course of action when faced multiple options 

Physical Demands: 

• Be mobile and remain upright for extended periods of time 

• Lift, scan, and bag items 

• Reach overhead; stretch or reach out with the body, arms, and/or legs to grasp items 

• Move fingers repetitively; picking, pinching, typing, or otherwise working primarily with fingers rather than whole hand or arm 

• Extend hand(s) and arm(s) multiple directions to place, move, or lift items 

• Control precision; quickly adjust machines to exact positions 

• Stoop to a considerable degree, requiring full use of the lower extremities and back muscles to move items between low and high positions, including bending spine at the waist 

• Close visual acuity to perform activities such as: transcribing, viewing a computer terminal, reading, visual inspection involving small parts 

• Occasionally lift of up to 20 lbs and/or exert up to 20 lbs. of force; Frequently lift of up to 10 lbs and/or exert up to 10 lbs. of force; Consistently lift and/or exert a negligible amount of force to move objects. 

• Express or exchange ideas by means of spoken word where detailed or important spoken instructions must be conveyed accurately 

• Have the ability to receive detailed information through oral communication 

• Any additional tasks as directed by Supervisor or Manager 

Preferred Qualifications:   

• 1+ years of related work experience in pharmacy, retail, medical, or customer service setting 

• Ability to become immunization certified: Once state regulations are met, pharmacy interns should be striving to provide patient immunizations as this is an essential pharmacist function 

• Ability to work in home store, and across the market in other locations, to meet business needs  

• Proficiency in Microsoft Suite (Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, etc.) 

 
Our diverse work experience empowers colleagues for career success. In addition to skill and experience, we attract and retain colleagues whose beliefs and behaviors are in alignment with our core values of collaboration, innovation, caring, integrity, and accountability. 

CVS Health is an equal opportunity employer.  We value and are committed to the full spectrum of diversity in the workplace, including diversity based on gender, race, ethnicity, disability and protected Veteran status. We proudly support and encourage people with military experience (active, veterans, reservists, and National Guard) as well as military spouses to apply for CVS Health job opportunities. We comply with the laws and regulations set forth in the following EEO is the Law Poster: EEO IS THE LAW and EEO IS THE LAW SUPPLEMENT. We provide reasonable accommodation(s) to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you require assistance to apply for or perform this job, please contact Colleague Relations team at [email protected].