Requesting For Pharmacist Corps Members For Employment

Corp member pharmacist

Many pharmaceutical companies from different  area of specializations require the services of pharmacists that are still serving in the national youth service corps (NYSC) programme. Some of these companies especially the government owned ones like the national agency for food and drug administration and control (NAFDAC) and the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN) have requested for these corp members (CM) to be posted to their establishment. Many private pharmaceutical companies, especially community pharmacies, have not shown interest. Yet they keep posting for job vacancies for CM pharmacists. And they will be demanding for a full time service. Will the CM pharmacist not work in their place of primary assignment (PPA)? Will they leave their place of PPA and focus on your business?

Read Also: Reporting at PPA

Community pharmacy or any other pharmaceutical company can save themselves the huddle of personally searching for CM pharmacist. The work can be done by NYSC if everything is done right.

Corp Member (CM) Pharmacist Request Process

There are three processes a CM pharmacist can be posted to a business place e.g community pharmacy. Let's take a look at them.

Request For A CM Pharmacist From NYSC

A community pharmacy or any other pharmaceutical company can apply to the NYSC board. The application is directed to the state coordinator of NYSC. In the application letter, the name of the business, what it does and what the CM pharmacist is expected to do is outlined. Every necessary detail is included including the number of CM pharmacist needed and arrangement for pay and accommodation. However, the letter should be brief.

For a community pharmacy that wants a particular CM pharmacist, the name and state code of the CM pharmacist should be included. If the CM pharmacist has not gone for orientation, the space for state code is left blank. The CM pharmacist takes it to camp, fill in the state code and submits it to the person in charge of posting about a week to the end of camp.

The letter should carry the colour letterhead paper of the company. If possible, a stamp and signature of the manager is necessary to make it authentic. And the letter submitted to the local inspector (LI).

Request Of CM Pharmacist For PPA

A CM pharmacist that wants to work in a particular organization can also apply to NYSC. The application letter should carry the state code of the CM pharmacist as well as the name of the company. Preferably a colour letterhead paper of the company with their stamp and signature of the manager increases the chance of getting posting to that place. The company may not have applied to NYSC before. But with the application from the CM pharmacist, NYSC can consider the company.

Application For CM Pharmacist From PPA

It is still possible to pass through the backdoor. Some PPA applied to NYSC for CM pharmacist and we're bombarded with so many CM pharmacists. They may want to give out some. In such a case, either the CM pharmacist or any interested organization can apply for CM pharmacist to be reposted from the PPA to Place of secondary assignment (PSA). In this case, NYSC may not be notified. The CM pharmacist will work at the PSA but report to PPA. Clearance letter is from the PPA.

Read Also: Safety and security tips for corps members

Approval Criteria

For any application for CM posting to be approved, the organization must meet certain conditions. For example, NYSC will want to know the nature of the job the CM pharmacist will be subjected to. If it is a demeaning job, the application will be denied. Also, a stipend is necessary for approval including provision for accommodation for CM pharmacist.

Note: CM pharmacist can no longer be posted to private business. This was the decision of the government due to shortage of pharmacist in government department and CM pharmacist. We hope this decision will be reversed soon when the government employ more pharmacist with more schools of pharmacy graduating more pharmacist to bridge the gap.