i've just passed the ptcb exam and became a CPhT. i would like to get a job at a hospital to gain some clinical experience.

however, many openings i've seen require 1-2 yrs of hospital pharmacy experience. the few positons that don't ask for hospital experience have requirements like having the skill in preparing IV solutions using aseptic technique, knowledge of medical terminology and pharmaceutical abbreviations, ability to cross reference the most common drugs from memory, ability to compound chemotherapy solutions utilizing departmental guidelines for the preparation/distribution of cytotoxic agents... ... i have never worked at a pharmacy/hospital before and am not familiar with any of these. honestly i really thought that i've flunked the ptcb exam. the fact that i passed is exciting but yet worrisome (for patients, other professionals, and myself).

how did everyone start his/her first pharm tech job at a hospital? did you guys volunteer before getting a salary-position? or your bosses were actually nice and willing to train?

Most places will train you. Everyone, at one point, begins a job in pharmacy with no prior experience. Most employers, I would think, would be more willing to hire a CPhT without experience than a non-certified tech with no prior hospital experience. I was hired 4 years ago at a hospital having only worked retail and mail order prior. I was taught everything on the job.

Contact the pharmacy manager of the hospital you're interested in directly. Give them a copy of your resume in person. Hospitals are always on the lookout for certified technicians. That certification is your ticket in the door.

i've just passed the ptcb exam and became a CPhT. i would like to get a job at a hospital to gain some clinical experience.

however, many openings i've seen require 1-2 yrs of hospital pharmacy experience. the few positons that don't ask for hospital experience have requirements like having the skill in preparing IV solutions using aseptic technique, knowledge of medical terminology and pharmaceutical abbreviations, ability to cross reference the most common drugs from memory, ability to compound chemotherapy solutions utilizing departmental guidelines for the preparation/distribution of cytotoxic agents... ... i have never worked at a pharmacy/hospital before and am not familiar with any of these. honestly i really thought that i've flunked the ptcb exam. the fact that i passed is exciting but yet worrisome (for patients, other professionals, and myself).

how did everyone start his/her first pharm tech job at a hospital? did you guys volunteer before getting a salary-position? or your bosses were actually nice and willing to train?


I don't have a hospital job -- yet. I'm deciding to volunteer for a school year first, then see about working on a PRN basis during next summer (when I'm trying to make some $$ for pharmacy school). By the time I apply, I'll have about 1.5 years of retail experience, in addition to 9 months of hospital volunteer experience. I know four people with hospital tech jobs; three of them volunteered for a brief period before seeking employment. (The other one's mom was a staff clinical pharmacist -- you guess how that one happened.)

However -- what I advise you to do is run an internet search of all the hospitals in your area, and find their websites. They will all invariably have a "careers" section. Look there, and see if there are any openings. If you don't see anything, do as crossjb suggested. Show up in person, with a resume (and perhaps a cover letter) in hand. Be assertive, but not overbearing. If they don't want to hire you (and I couldn't imagine why, especially since you're certified), they'll probably tell you what you need to do to eventually get the job.

I decided to volunteer first so that my future boss won't need to spend quite as much time training me.

my local hospital does not hire inexperienced techs. if your local hospital is the same, maybe you should go the retail route initially, then reapplying to the hospital after you have some experience (retail experience is better than no experience.

I got hired at the hospital I work at without any experience and didn't take the PTCB until I had been there a while. I had on the job training, starting up out front and then was trained in IV prep. Just talk to the director of the pharmacy, they love having people who are thinking about going into pharmacy because there is a possiblitiy you will return

Contact the pharmacy manager of the hospital you're interested in directly. Give them a copy of your resume in person. Hospitals are always on the lookout for certified technicians. That certification is your ticket in the door.

Not necessarily. We only require our technician specialists to be certified. Everyone else was hired without certification and we do not have to get certified. Its a personal choice because we are in the union and everyone gets paid the same. However, it may help at other places.