CVS Caremark Celebrates American Pharmacists Month by Thanking Its 20,000 Pharmacists

WOONSOCKET, R.I., Oct. 4 /PRNewswire/ -- CVS Caremark is kicking off American Pharmacists Month in October by thanking its more than 20,000 pharmacists for their dedication and commitment to patient care. CVS Caremark, the largest employer of pharmacists in the country, offers a wide range of pharmacy career opportunities in its more than 6,200 retail stores, mail service pharmacies, and specialty pharmacies across 44 states.

"Our pharmacists work hard every day to deliver high-quality pharmacy service to our customers-whether it's educating customers on new medications, helping customers avoid drug interactions, or simply helping customers through difficult times in their lives," said Tom Ryan, R.Ph., President and CEO of CVS Caremark. "We're grateful for the hard work and daily commitment of these men and women across the country in supporting our customers in all communities as we strive to fulfill our vision of improving the quality of human life."

CVS Caremark offers many pharmacy career paths including pharmacist jobs in retail, mail service, and specialty pharmacy environments. The company also offers various training and funding opportunities to help its employees progress in their pharmacy careers to become pharmacists. CVS Caremark also offers innovative workplace programs ranging from the Pathways to Pharmacy program, which introduces pharmacy careers to high school students, to a "snowbird" initiative which provides flexibility for pharmacists who choose to work beyond traditional retirement age.

CVS Caremark started Pathways to Pharmacy in 2000, and over the past eight years the paid internship program has served more than 8,000 students in more than 40 cities. Dedicated CVS Caremark pharmacists mentor the high school students, helping to cultivate and reinforce their interest in entering pharmacy careers. Meanwhile, the company started a unique snowbird program in 2004, enabling employees to transfer to a different CVS/pharmacy location on a seasonal basis. The program, now including more than 1,000 employees, helps the company to attract and retain talented and experienced mature workers.

American Pharmacists Month was created by the American Pharmacists Association (APhA), the largest professional association of pharmacists in the United States, to educate the public about the pharmacist's role in improving medication use and advancing patient care. The campaign is designed to encourage pharmacy patients to "Know Your Medicine, Know Your Pharmacist."