At this moment, no one hates interns like Martin, a pharmacist friend of mine, after what they did to him 8 months ago. He hardly ever accepts interns, but this time he decided to give it a try.
Not because he wanted to—it was a forced move. He was short of two staff members. One had gone on maternity leave, while the other had secured a government job and decided to quit for the pension and other benefits.
He couldn’t get a quick, trustworthy hire. So when two pharmacist interns showed up at his door, he was more than willing to take them in.
At first, the interns seemed to learn quickly. They came in on time and were ready to help with any random tasks—receiving supplier orders, feeding items into the inventory system, engaging clients, ensuring shelves were well arranged.
However, three weeks later, when he started delegating more tasks, things started falling apart.
First, everything slowed down. Peak hours became heavy. He found himself stepping in to guide a sale through, leaving other clients hanging—to the point where three staff members would be attending to one client.
Then repeat clients started avoiding the interns altogether, saying they were unsure of what they were doing and felt unsatisfied.
Others came back with dispensing errors and unclear labeling that he had to clarify. He became busier than ever, handling tiny mistakes.
Finally, the interns started showing disinterest—avoiding responsibility and failing to take feedback well—which almost forced him to end the internship.
I’m sure he is also experiencing some level of stock loss or item interchange.
I don’t wish to judge Martin, but I think he had too many expectations for those juniors. No one learns that fast to handle a community pharmacy the size of his.
I feel him. I have experienced one or two similar situations in the pharmacy. The goal is always to assign the simplest tasks first and have a training buddy closely supervise the interns. They will always make mistakes.
Here is a formula that I have followed for years that works:
1. Set Clear Expectations from Day One
Don’t assume interns will “figure it out.” Outline exactly how things are done—your workflow, communication style, and standards. Clarity reduces mistakes and builds confidence fast.
2. Teach in Small, Structured Moments
Avoid overwhelming them with everything at once. Break tasks into simple steps, explain why things are done a certain way, and repeat key processes. Short, consistent teaching moments are far more effective than long lectures.
3. Give Immediate, Constructive Feedback
Correct mistakes early and directly—but without humiliation. Be specific about what went wrong and how to improve. Interns grow fastest when feedback is timely, practical, and focused on progress, not blame.
On top of this, there is a need to set aside time to go through their weekly progress, notice milestones, and praise good performance.
In no time, interns turn out to be very helpful. Just understand that the first four weeks are for learning—you’ll need to put in the work for a better experience.
I have always gotten the most from the interns I have interacted with. My memory of interns has been positive overall.
Tell me, who would not appreciate this?
Interns handling routine tasks like organizing prescriptions, labeling, stock checks, and basic data entry—freeing you up to focus on clinical decisions and patient care.
A proactive intern greeting patients, guiding them through the process, and reducing waiting anxiety. Even simple things like clear direction and a friendly attitude improve overall service.
Interns bringing up-to-date academic knowledge and asking questions that challenge routine thinking—keeping the team mentally sharp.
An intern acting as a second pair of eyes, double-checking labels, quantities, and basic details—catching small errors before they reach the patient.
Conclusion
Interns are not the problem—poor structure and unrealistic expectations are.
If you throw them into the deep end too early, they will slow you down, frustrate your clients, and drain your energy. But if you guide them properly, especially in those first few weeks, they become one of the most valuable assets in your pharmacy.
The difference is not in the interns.
The difference is in how you train them.
And once you get that right, you’ll start looking forward to having interns—not avoiding them.