Study 200 drugs before pharmacy school??

[aadebawo]

Would it be help if I studied the 200 brand/generic drug names and its classes prior to pharmacy school?? I have two more years of undergrad work. As for the interactions and side effects should I wait to study that for pharmacy school? When I was a pharmacy clerk I noticed that when pharmacist dispensed the medication the computer would alert them of the interactions. Should I still study them even when there are so many interactions?? I don't mind learning this material cuz i realky want to be a pharmacist ...but I am concerned about being able to remember the amount of info I studied about drugs in pharmacy school.

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[Pojman]

They say that knowledge is power - Would you like to be more powerful?

 

[Notecard]

Top 200 is the only thing I tell people to study before pharmacy school and it's only because they are stubborn and won't take the normal advice of "don't bother studying before school."

If you can get brand/generic, pharmacological/therapeutic class down you'll be ahead of the game. Top 200 is mostly self study anyways.

 

[Rockinacoustic]

You're two years away. You should worry about memorizing the material in your coursework now.

For now, get a job in a pharmacy if you can. Repetition and practicality will go a lot farther than flashcards in learning drugs.

 

[owlegrad]

I am pretty skeptical that any serious amount of knowledge is going to be gained by self study prior to pharmacy school. Focus on your current coursework and getting experience (the knowledge gained by experience >>> self study top 200).

 

[aadebawo]

You're two years away. You should worry about memorizing the material in your coursework now.

For now, get a job in a pharmacy if you can. Repetition and practicality will go a lot farther than flashcards in learning drugs.

Well I just got my pharm tech license. Even though Ill get a pharmacy job with experience I think I should self study. Pharmacy techs don't focus on interactions and side effects from drug classes b/c that's is the job of the pharmacist.....so I'll think I'll study that now. As for 200 names of generic/drugs I think it will be better to learn in BEFORE I get hired b/c in retail pharmacy you need to be able to pick up on things quick cuz it's fast pace.i think if I study as i apply for pharm tech job ill be familiar with the drug names and when I work it will help reinforce what I learned from self study.

 

[aadebawo]

Top 200 is the only thing I tell people to study before pharmacy school and it's only because they are stubborn and won't take the normal advice of "don't bother studying before school."

If you can get brand/generic, pharmacological/therapeutic class down you'll be ahead of the game. Top 200 is mostly self study anyways.

Thank you!! I'll think I will do that. It will make it more easier when I go to pharmacy school because I'm sure there will be more things to learn about than the 200 drugs names/interactions.....etc

 

[Corpseman]

Well I just got my pharm tech license. Even though Ill get a pharmacy job with experience I think I should self study. Pharmacy techs don't focus on interactions and side effects from drug classes b/c that's is the job of the pharmacist.....so I'll think I'll study that now. As for 200 names of generic/drugs I think it will be better to learn in BEFORE I get hired b/c in retail pharmacy you need to be able to pick up on things quick cuz it's fast pace.i think if I study as i apply for pharm tech job ill be familiar with the drug names and when I work it will help reinforce what I learned from self study.

Seems like you had your mind made up before you created this thread.

 

[FLaCoPHaRm]

I am pretty skeptical that any serious amount of knowledge is going to be gained by self study prior to pharmacy school. Focus on your current coursework and getting experience (the knowledge gained by experience >>> self study top 200).

I agree. What will help you before school would be a part time job in a pharmacy. Something with low hours that will allow you to learn most of the popular drugs' generic and proprietary names. You will also learn the trends (i.e. -ril,-pam,-tatin) and what they're for, that stuff is great information.

 

[aadebawo]

Seems like you had your mind made up before you created this thread.

Nope after....

 

[SincerelyMe]

I currently work in a Walgreens retail pharmacy as a technician and you learn the brand names/generic very quickly mainly because many patients get the same types of medications over and over again. It would be helpful though for you to learn them in advance just so you can focus your mental energy on the many hundred other tasks such as learning how insurance works (from working out exceptions with prescriptions such as rts, dur, prior authorization, ect, to learning how to read the different types of insurance cards because you enter them into the computer differently for each type of insurance), working with inventory and your manufacturer, protocols for working with controls in your pharmacy, ect. There are just so many other jobs to focus on so getting the 200 drugs out of the way before you start may be helpful. But, if you find yourself procrastinating, don't worry. You'll pick up the brand/generics real quick with the high volume of prescriptions that come in daily. Good luck!

 

[owlegrad]

Nope after....

No offense, but it seems as though you cherry picked the answer you were looking for. Not that there is really anything wrong with that, plenty of people do the same.

 

[aadebawo]

I currently work in a Walgreens retail pharmacy as a technician and you learn the brand names/generic very quickly mainly because many patients get the same types of medications over and over again. It would be helpful though for you to learn them in advance just so you can focus your mental energy on the many hundred other tasks such as learning how insurance works (from working out exceptions with prescriptions such as rts, dur, prior authorization, ect, to learning how to read the different types of insurance cards because you enter them into the computer differently for each type of insurance), working with inventory and your manufacturer, protocols for working with controls in your pharmacy, ect. There are just so many other jobs to focus on so getting the 200 drugs out of the way before you start may be helpful. But, if you find yourself procrastinating, don't worry. You'll pick up the brand/generics real quick with the high volume of prescriptions that come in daily. Good luck!

Thank you

 

[mustang sally]

It really isn't necessary...I would just focus on getting into pharmacy school. Trust me, you will have plenty of time to study drugs once you are actually in!

But if studying the top 200 makes you happy, then by all means go for it.