Anyone working at walgreen as pharm tech? [or other places]

[jayce00]

Anyone working at walgreen as pharm tech?
I heard from some people[they wasn't sure] but they mention that
you probably need to be taking pharm tech classes to apply for a tech position?
or are you able to apply for the position w/o going thru formal training? what about just being national certified thru the PTCB?

I want to get some experience in pharmacy since I want to pursue that career. However I'm currently as a undergrad student doing Biochem major, simply dont think i can stop school to go to pharm tech school, but I've heard your able to self study for the pharmacy tech certificate exam w/o formal classes. I'm just wondering if your able to find that type of job in my condition?

[well not exactly have to be walgreen in general, but other places as well]

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[eelo]

Anyone working at walgreen as pharm tech?
I heard from some people[they wasn't sure] but they mention that
you probably need to be taking pharm tech classes to apply for a tech position?
or are you able to apply for the position w/o going thru formal training? what about just being national certified thru the PTCB?

I want to get some experience in pharmacy since I want to pursue that career. However I'm currently as a undergrad student doing Biochem major, simply dont think i can stop school to go to pharm tech school, but I've heard your able to self study for the pharmacy tech certificate exam w/o formal classes. I'm just wondering if your able to find that type of job in my condition?

[well not exactly have to be walgreen in general, but other places as well]

I'm not completely clear on what you're asking here, but I think you want to know if you can apply for a job as a pharm tech before you actually start taking pharmacy classes.

If that's your question, the answer is yes. Tons of people in this forum have been techs for years, long before they decided they wanted to go to pharmacy school. Some have been tech-ing their way through undergrad and are using the years of experience as a means of making their application more appealing to adcoms.

What is your condition?

 

[jayce00]

i mean, without going to pharmacy tech school
because im spending my time in undergraduate studies
plus I want to gain some experience to look better by the time i graduate to apply for pharmacy school

 

[parabolic]

It depends on where you are. When I was hired as a tech in New York, they didn't require any pharmacy tech classes from me--- I was trained on the job. I earned my PTCB certification without taking any classes.

Now I've moved to Washington, and I am under the impression that my pharmacy manager wants me to take Saturday classes until I am able to earn a technician's license. (I haven't started yet, and will find out details on Monday.) The PTCB certification does not count as a license. They were very clear about that.

Probably the best way to find out what you need to do is to ask around at your local pharmacies and find out exactly what they are looking for in a technician. Good luck.

 

[fenixtnlfan]

I've looked around at some different retail pharmacies and it seems that they will pay for your training...at least Walgreens and CVS are like that. I don't think hospitals will, but you may find one that does!

 

[eelo]

i mean, without going to pharmacy tech school
because im spending my time in undergraduate studies
plus I want to gain some experience to look better by the time i graduate to apply for pharmacy school

A lot will depend on your location. My daughter just moved fro Virginia to Alabama, and worked for Walgreen's in both states. She left VA before moving into the pharmacy, but they were willing to train her as a tech. In AL, she's starting as a tech-trainee and will take the PCTB exam in a few months. Walgreen's will pay for the test up to twice. If she hasn't passed it on two attempts, she'll have to pay for the third try. She has not gone to any pharmacy technician school or classes, and is hoping to start her PharmD program next fall.

Some states will require you to be licensed before taking a tech job, and others will allow you to work as a tech with just OJT. You need to find out what your state requires.

 

[jayce00]

well my location is California, San Francisco to be exact
well yeah, Walgreen can pay for the training, it's just my undergrad studies will already take up most of my time, just that the leftover time i have is that I want to spend on getting some experience

 

[RxBubbleZ]

well my location is California, San Francisco to be exact
well yeah, Walgreen can pay for the training, it's just my undergrad studies will already take up most of my time, just that the leftover time i have is that I want to spend on getting some experience

the first thing i did right after high school was become PTCB certified...and i self-studied for the test...so i'm sure you can do it too...i've got a couple friends who have just passed the test after self-studying the material and all while keeping up with their undergrad degree plans...it's really not that hard

 

[jayce00]

ahh, I'm self studying the material as of right now, and will have to take my PTCE test on august 27th, not long from now

so did you find a job for pharm tech after you became certified?

the first thing i did right after high school was become PTCB certified...and i self-studied for the test...so i'm sure you can do it too...i've got a couple friends who have just passed the test after self-studying the material and all while keeping up with their undergrad degree plans...it's really not that hard

 

[steveysmith54]

It's interesting. i faxed my resume and left a voice mail for Walgreens district office in CA, nobody called me back for two month now. I also applied to about 16 places. I live in Los Angeles where are sooooooooo many trade schools that these places places just get their recruits from there.... Pretty unfortunate.

 

[jayce00]

aww, I heard from my friend who works in Walgreen, here in SF
He said alot of people were trying to apply for pharm tech
well that was half a year ago, when he told me. I'm not sure about the situation, well good luck on finding your job!
when you mention 16 places, so were they other companys aside from Walgreen, or different location include walgreens and other?

I just can't think off my head about how many places to apply to

It's interesting. i faxed my resume and left a voice mail for Walgreens district office in CA, nobody called me back for two month now. I also applied to about 16 places. I live in Los Angeles where are sooooooooo many trade schools that these places places just get their recruits from there.... Pretty unfortunate.

 

[steveysmith54]

I applied to pretty much everywhere around me.

4 hospitals
Cedars Sinai
Kaiser
ULCA
USC

The rest were retail places, Long Drugs, CVS, rite aid, Albertson/savon, ralphs, vons.

I actually got a job at one of the places, very low wage, i am basically a clerk there, work 4-5 hrs a day 95% do only register crap. Ands thats bc i wrote a bunch of stuff that i had no idea hwo to do in my resume, exaggerated my experience, showed my transcript, and that place treats me like a slave, and my boss is a bitch, etc. LOL

 

[jayce00]

o wow exaggerrated resume, did they make you do the stuff that you mention in your resume?

ouch, about your boss being a bi*ch
from what I see around my area, I see places like Kaiser and UCSF did mention they were hiring pharmacy tech[prob about 1 position] but the requirements was for at least 1 year tech experience [which I don't have].
I think i'll try walgreen, Long drug, rite aid
dont have CVS around here

 

[steveysmith54]

o wow exaggerrated resume, did they make you do the stuff that you mention in your resume?

yeah... I highly recommend that spend the time memorizing top 200 drugs. Without that you'll look like a ***** in the pharm.

One thing is for everyone they hire, they want to first start you off doing close to full time work.... There are a ton of things to learn/know in pharm other than drugs. You'll be watching 24 hrs of video just to learn how to operate their computer system. Even things that you think are simple like entering someone's insurance info into the computer can get tricky and then billing info and rebilling info etc.

most likely you will start of doing register for a while. then if they trust they will let u touch some drugs lol...

good luck man. this job is hard, u'll be on ur feet for 8-9 sometimes with people bitching at u.

 

[oink2655]

are you taking classes at sfsu? i'm doing my post-bac work there in the fall semester and was wondering how easy it is to add into classes if you go to that school

 

[jayce00]

sfsu...... the worst!!!! in terms of adding classes
I'm not sure about post bac, I've heard there are a formal post bac program, that guarentee your classes for a 2 year program, because they have a set course all set up already.
Either then that, as a undergrad there, it's terrible getting classes there
I'm really behind, it took forever for me to get Chemistry 1, with 2 section of the class for the all the science major in the school that needs it.


ahh ic, so on the first day, there's alot to learn 24hrs of video is pretty long. at first i thought it was 24 hr like straight back to back, i was like crazyy.... anyways schools about to start, I'm not sure if i can even try to apply for pharm tech for full-time. possibly maybe winter.

 

[oink2655]

Thanks for the info. Wow. How long have u been at SFSU to be taking chem rite now? I think its because you are also competing for spots with incoming freshman which makes it more difficult. I will be taking the more upper division classes like Immunology which does not require lab so I hope that is at least easier to get in.

 

[rxcrystal]

It's interesting. i faxed my resume and left a voice mail for Walgreens district office in CA, nobody called me back for two month now. I also applied to about 16 places. I live in Los Angeles where are sooooooooo many trade schools that these places places just get their recruits from there.... Pretty unfortunate.

You are going to wanna stop into a nearby Walgreens or one that you are interested in and talk to the pharmacy/store manager. If they want you, they will hire you. It used to be corporate that would organize everything. Now it is within the individual stores.

 

[jayce00]

Thanks for the info. Wow. How long have u been at SFSU to be taking chem rite now? I think its because you are also competing for spots with incoming freshman which makes it more difficult. I will be taking the more upper division classes like Immunology which does not require lab so I hope that is at least easier to get in.

Well, some people are lucky, I've should have used my freshmen priority to take on chemistry the first semester as I was clueless then. By my 2nd semester I wasn't able to get the class, then as sophmore year.... no hope there... so by my 3rd year I've finally gotten Chemistry 1.
But some people are lucky and able to get it, or Manage to add on during the later semester by class hopping.
Your enrolled at the school already?

 

[oink2655]

Well, some people are lucky, I've should have used my freshmen priority to take on chemistry the first semester as I was clueless then. By my 2nd semester I wasn't able to get the class, then as sophmore year.... no hope there... so by my 3rd year I've finally gotten Chemistry 1.
But some people are lucky and able to get it, or Manage to add on during the later semester by class hopping.
Your enrolled at the school already?

yes, I enrolled in the school already. However, I was only able to get 1 class on my registration date. tat means i have to go to school extra early to wait in line. So, do u live in sf?

 

[jayce00]

yep live in sf

ohh only one class, >_>
yeah well just go to the class you want, and hope you could add it, if it isn't full, or if the current people who are enrolled get dropped by not showing up for a few first day of class.

 

[steveysmith54]

You are going to wanna stop into a nearby Walgreens or one that you are interested in and talk to the pharmacy/store manager. If they want you, they will hire you. It used to be corporate that would organize everything. Now it is within the individual stores.

WOW. thats news to me. I called the store and she told i must contact district office and they only hire that way.... this really sucks. i am nto very happy about my current employment.

 

[jayce00]

i tihnk i heard something like that
so u did call walgreen?

btw, did u call the district office yet?

 

[steveysmith54]

i tihnk i heard something like that
so u did call walgreen?

btw, did u call the district office yet?

yup. no response. it's ok, i was able to find work elsewhere. However, Walgreens is a lot more prestigious and provide training unlike the place that i work now. I won't say where it is.

 

[MissPRN]

I think if your nationally certified you are set. I've been working for Walgreens for 4 years now and they will most probably hire you if you are certified. You'll probably start off as a clerk w/ good pay until you get your tech license. You should call or check the Walgreens website and ask what steps you need to take to be considered a pharmacy tech for the company. From what I'm understading you are certified, yet do not have a tech license???

 

[jayce00]

good luck with the job thing
as of now i'll try to get certified and apply
then later licensed

MissPRN, are you a licensed tech?

 

[cfc]

I don't know if this is comon but I recently asked a CVS pharmacists in Fl what could I do if I wanted to get a job as a pharm tech as I was thinking about going to pharm school and she said don't bother getting the pharm tech certificate that she would prefer to train her employees. She said some of the pharm tech certs aren't worth the paper they are on. Doenside is that she only offered to start me at like 7.50/per hour when I currently make 20 in my current field.

 

[cfc]

I can confirm that walgreens does all of the hiring at store level - not at corporate

 

[smallkitty00]

I can confirm that walgreens does all of the hiring at store level - not at corporate

Yeah, that's true. I got certified in July 2006. Then, I turned in my paper work to be licensed. The pharmacy manager knows me so she refered me to the store manager and I got hired right away. I put my application online for 3 months but they never called until they get the referral (and maybe they were short of part-time techs)

Talk to the store manager and pharmacy manager.

 

[Rihk]

I work at a Walgreen's in Phoenix, AZ. I got the job 6 months ago (taking a pay cut from my electronics job that I was at) and the store manager was practically dying to have me start ASAP. 3 people were hired at the same time and I'm the only one left. One lasted a week, one lasted about a month. Pharmacy tech in a retail store in the winter is HELL. You are always understaffed and have long wait times and have sick people yelling at you for serving the people that got there first... I do have to admit, however, that I go home at night with a much better sense of satisfaction about my work than ever before.

6 months later, I am taking the Walgreen's certification classes to be a CPhT, and out of maybe 30 people from over the district, perhaps 3 are competent. I wouldn't trust the rest with basic fractions.
The demand is simply so high in this area that we will take anybody with a pulse behind the counter, as long as they have their trainee certificate. We even go so far as to recruit from other chains.

Since I have been hired, I have noticed that we only have 2 RPh running the store, we should have at least 3. Those 2 are working 50-60 hour weeks, often pulling double shifts from 7:45 am to 10:15 at night to keep the store open.

I can't wait to be one of them.

 

[MissPRN]

jayce00... sorry for the late response.

Yes I am licensed as well as certified. When I first started I got clerk pay until I got my license as a tech. Once I got licensed they raised my pay a good amount... Oh and I've been licensed for four years now but only certified for two... I don't know why I waited so long to get certified haha anyway... did you find out whats going to happen with your situation?

 

[jayce00]

im going to have the PTCE test in few days, like 3 days from now
I asked the pharmacist at Walgreen around here, they said they hire someone w/ at least a cerificate, or on-the-job work while studying at pharmacy tech school.

 

[khmerknight]

jayce00... sorry for the late response.

Yes I am licensed as well as certified. When I first started I got clerk pay until I got my license as a tech. Once I got licensed they raised my pay a good amount... Oh and I've been licensed for four years now but only certified for two... I don't know why I waited so long to get certified haha anyway... did you find out whats going to happen with your situation?

Hey MissPRN, I was wondering if you could tell me what the starting pay for a pharm tech is approximately? And what it can become after taking the PTCB examination and becoming certified? Thank you.

 

[MissPRN]

sorry for the late response khmerknight....

As far as pharmacy tech wage goes, it really depends on where you work. Some pharmacies pay differently than others. When I first started (2003) I believe the starting pay was around $12 or so, and once you got Certified, they raise your pay $1. But, the good thing about working for Walgreens is that they raise your pay every year. So the longer you stay the more you make....