32 MORON, Rey Sebastian S.

2B-PH

08/20/2015
INTERN 1 LEC

LOOK GOOD, FEEL GREAT

My Community Pharmacy Internship 2015
For a freshman, its very rare and unusual for one to have his internship
performed at the said level. Moreover, its odd to have it performed during his
summer vacation. Most of the time, most college students would be swimming in
the nearby beach resort, or engaging themselves in a healthy fitness and exercise
plan, or getting themselves into a binge-eating itinerary during their semestral
break. But, Im a pharmacy student. And unfortunately, aspiring pharmacists like us
do their internship this way.
I chose to have my internship at Asias leading health and beauty retailer,
Watsons. I would be lying if I said I didnt ask my way through getting to Watsons. I
asked my upperclassmen about their choice of pharmacy and mostly, they
recommended Watsons. I weighed every possible benefit and disadvantage Ill get
from each pharmacy. Having hearing good remarks and positive criticisms about
Watsons, I decided to pursue my internship at them.
It took me a few weeks of waiting and a series of screenings before getting
myself a slot from Watsons Community Pharmacy Internship program. Just like a
typical applicant who passed his credentials to a certain company and got accepted
right away, I was reeking of nervousness during my first day of internship.
It took me a day or so before I got fully oriented about the setting of my
branch. My pharmacists, Ms. Jojie Paredes and Ms. Darlyn Cabigao, together with
the pharmacy assistants and Watsons Internship Head Coordinator, Ms. Racelle
Dumlao, exceeded the expectations I have molded in my mind. They have gradually
taught me the circulation of work in the four corners of the pharmacy selling
starting from conversing with the patients, to picking of the customers respective
medicines, to replenishing of empty stocks. They have taught me the basics of
community pharmacy with passion and ease.
Slowly and thoroughly, the mysteries I created about Watsons way before my
adolescence and during the process of my application got unraveled.
I discovered how a pharmacy organizes, categorizes and stores its
wide selection of medicines. I found out how they keep apart over-the-counter
drugs from ethical drugs. I found out where they store the freshly-delivered stacks
and boxes of medicines. I found out the devices and health care supplies they
provide aside from medicines.
I became knowledgeable about the science of medicines. I learned
about the diseases most patients feel and what corresponding OTC drugs can be
advised to them for temporary relief. I learned through an overview of the
mechanisms of the different categories of drugs. I learned through observation of
the different types of pharmaceutical dosage forms.

I observed how a typical pharmacist-customer interaction works and

looks like in reality. I learned which medicines are purchased the most. I learned
how to professionally handle and converse with an ill-mannered customer. I learned
the what-to-dos and how-to-dos techniques in initiating a conversation with a
customer.
And, lastly but most absolutely not the least,
I got the chance to face the customers and got their prescription
orders, with the guidance of my pharmacist, of course. I got the opportunity to
receive the customers prescriptions, read and interpret it, and pick and dispense to
them the respective medicines. I got the opportunity to handle myself when I got
stuck into a conversation with a very impatient customer. I got to talk to customers
and patient-counsel them.
I may not have tried my internship at other pharmacies providing internship
training, but Im way beyond confident enough to say that Watsons provides the
best hands-on community pharmacy internship exposure. From the pharmacy
assistants up to the head pharmacists, they impart knowledge to future registered
pharmacists like us with passion and patience.
The customers may have looked good and felt great, but I, as an intern, have
been a step nearer on being an aspiring pharmacist.