As I reflect on my internship with Albertsons this past summer, I realize the huge contribution that it made to my commitment to lifelong learning. During the 8-week program, all interns were assigned to work at a specific store. However, we were also involved in a host of other activities that made the internship a very robust experience!

Interns were involved in direct patient care activities. As an effort to prepare for encountering real patients, we were required to complete weekly assignments that included both self-care and disease state management cases. We had ample opportunities to practice patient counseling. My most memorable patient care activity was having a chance to shadow a Patient Care Pharmacist during what is called a “tools class”. During these sessions, patients with diabetes were educated on how to operate glucose meters and received intensive education regarding lifestyle modifications. Additionally, I had the opportunity to practice various health screenings, such as measuring blood pressures and performing hemoglobin A1C testing. Other valuable skills that I learned were SOAP note writing and how to use the various inhaler devices for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

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Teams of interns were involved in several projects. Since we were all required to present our findings, I felt as if these activities afforded me the chance to improve my public speaking skills. One project that we completed was developing a drug utilization review (DUR). This project introduced me to patient cases similar to those that may occur within the community setting. Our final project was to devise a business plan. Each intern was required to create a service that could be implemented at the Albertsons stores. The goal of my final project was to increase enrollment on the pharmacy application for smartphones to reduce wait times, transfer new prescriptions to our pharmacy, and ultimately serve our patients better. We collected data via use of a short survey provided at the “in” and “out” windows at my store. I discovered that the majority of patients who used my store were aged 50 years and older; many of them either did not own a smartphone or simply were not willing to enroll.  The patients that were willing to take the survey were generally younger and expressed interest in using the program. Although we were not able to enroll many patients, I found it to be a great experience.

To conclude, I would definitely recommend the Albertsons internship to my peers. The staff at my store were great and the individuals at the corporate offices were awesome! I was able to use the skills that I learned during my internship in the classroom. At the end of my internship, I was offered a part-time technician position. I plan to continue applying the knowledge I gained. I will acquire further skills as a new employee to become an advocate for the patients I will soon encounter as a pharmacist.