Do pharmacist interns get paid?

Yes, pharmacist interns typically get paid. On average, they can earn $117,000 yearly (about $9,754 monthly or $56 hourly). However, as most internships go, factors like location and company, as well as whether you're a part-timer or a full-time worker, can determine your exact pay. Generally, on the lower end of the salary range, pharmacist interns can earn around $94,000 while, on the higher end, they can earn as much as $145,000.

How do I get a pharmacy internship?

You will typically need to be enrolled in a pharmacy program to get a pharmacy internship, as most programs require students to do an internship. Also, many employers will ask that you obtain your pharmacy intern license in your state. In general, pharmacy internships are meant to expose students and graduates to pharmaceutical operations, and they can work in either a healthcare facility or a pharmaceutical company.

How long is a pharmacist internship?

A pharmacist internship generally lasts ten weeks. Many pharmacy programs require their students to do an internship, which exposes students and graduates to pharmaceutical operations. Depending on your pharmacy program, the internship can be during the summer and be full-time or be part-time throughout a school year.

What is an intern pharmacist?

An intern pharmacist is a licensed pharmacy student who is eligible to intern at pharmacies. They are either current students completing their program or are recent graduates. In general, most pharmacy programs require their students to do an internship to gain exposure to pharmaceutical operations. They can work in either a healthcare facility or a pharmaceutical company.

How To Become A Pharmacy Internship: What It Is and Career Path

What is a pharmacy internship and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Antoine Al-Achi Ph.D.

A pharmacy internship provides students and recent graduates with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience. Interns work under the guidance of licensed pharmacists, learning about medications, patient care, and day-to-day operations. Interns may assist with filling prescriptions, reviewing medication orders, and communicating with healthcare providers. They may also provide patient education, perform medication therapy management, and participate in drug utilization reviews. A pharmacy internship prepares students for their careers by providing practical experience.

What general advice would you give to a pharmacy internship?

Antoine Al-Achi Ph.D.

Professor of Pharmaceutics and Biomedical Sciences Track-Head/Industrial Pharmacy (Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences), Campbell University

The premise behind biomedical science is to provide knowledge and applications in areas that directly affect people's health and life. Thus, keeping that in their mind while doing their daily tasks is of utmost importance.

ScorePharmacy InternshipUS Average

Salary

6.3

Avg. Salary $80,116

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 2%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

2.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.18%

Asian 27.12%

Black or African American 6.58%

Hispanic or Latino 5.43%

Unknown 3.92%

White 56.76%

Gender

female 59.36%

male 40.64%

Age - 40

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 40

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

10.0

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.7

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a pharmacy internship?

Pros

Opportunity to network and potentially land a job after graduation
Develop time management skills
Learn about medication therapy management
Opportunity to observe patient care
Gain experience in inventory management

Cons

Low pay or no pay for some internships
High stress environment
Potential liability for errors or mistakes
Exposure to hazardous materials and chemicals
High workload and fast-paced environment

Key steps to become a pharmacy internship

Explore pharmacy internship education requirements

Most common pharmacy internship degrees

Bachelor's

56.8 %

Doctorate

25.9 %

Associate

6.2 %

Start to develop specific pharmacy internship skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	21.98%
Customer Service	14.76%
Patient Care	8.49%
Blood Pressure	7.10%
Allergies	5.44%

Complete relevant pharmacy internship training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New pharmacy interns learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a pharmacy internship based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real pharmacy internship resumes.

Research pharmacy internship duties and responsibilities

Attain thorough knowledge of processes involving medication delivery, compounding, IV/TPN/ chemotherapy preparation, and other hospital pharmacy operations.
Counsele patient with regard to OTC medications and Rx medications under the supervision of the pharmacist (s) on duty.
Interview patients to obtain information regarding drug allergies and sensitivities and document the information in the pharmacy system.
Collaborate with referring physicians in providing diabetes education to patients with multiple chronic conditions individually and in group sessions.

Prepare your pharmacy internship resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your pharmacy internship resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a pharmacy internship resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable pharmacy internship resume templates

Build a professional pharmacy internship resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your pharmacy internship resume.

Apply for pharmacy internship jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a pharmacy internship job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do pharmacy interns rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Pharmacy internship reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2019

Pros

Pay is fair for a starting pharmacist (CVS). The technicians are alright. 401K Helping people (and I really mean it).

Cons

Typical pharmacist complaints like tired legs, stress, etc. Terrible work-life balance. You make a good amount of money, sure, but there's a point where money doesn't bring happiness like it used to.

A zippia user wrote a review on Sep 2019

Cons

Very low salary, stressful conditions and working with crazy pharmacists

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019

Pros

it helps a lot. i really needed this.

Cons

i like everything. theres nothing i dont like.

What is a pharmacy internship and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a pharmacy internship?

What are the pros and cons of being a pharmacy internship?

Pharmacy internship career paths

Key steps to become a pharmacy internship

Explore pharmacy internship education requirements

Most common pharmacy internship degrees

Start to develop specific pharmacy internship skills

Complete relevant pharmacy internship training and internships

Research pharmacy internship duties and responsibilities

Prepare your pharmacy internship resume

Choose from 10+ customizable pharmacy internship resume templates

Apply for pharmacy internship jobs

How did you land your first pharmacy internship job

Average pharmacy internship salary

How do pharmacy interns rate their job?

Pharmacy internship reviews

Pharmacy internship FAQs

Do pharmacist interns get paid?

How do I get a pharmacy internship?

How long is a pharmacist internship?

What is an intern pharmacist?

Search for pharmacy internship jobs

Pharmacy internship jobs by state