I recently have been looking into a local community college and they have a pharmacy technology program which will result in a associates degree but i dont know if i should do that. I do want to try to get my foot in the door as a pharm tech and get a feel of it and experience. I read that walgreens (which is right around the corner) will train you and all that, i assume its quicker, fill me in abit more if you can. so should i just do that and go straight for the prereqs for pharmacy school at the college? sorry if what i said is confusing 😛😕
arggg what to do??
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If you want to start out being a pharmacy technician, you could either (1) go to a pharmacy technician school which will prepare you for the pharmacy technician certification exam, or (2) just buy a pharmacy technician exam book to study from and take the exam.
Option 2 is cheaper, but if you insist on Option 1, find the cheapest school out there. In my opinion Option 1 is a waste of time and money since most people I talked to who went this route said they came away not really learning anything. That's what influenced me to go for Option 2 instead.
If you pass the test, you are now certified, and can now apply for the pharmacy technician license, which takes 2-4 months for receive.
After that you can apply for a job as a pharmacy technician in retail, nursing homes, independent pharmacies, prisons, and hospitals.
Back in the day pharmacists used to do "grandfathering" where they would train future pharmacy technicians (i.e. they have no certification and no license). Because of that, getting a job would be easy since you have connections with people inside the organization. A lot of places don't do grandfathering anymore because of liability, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were some places that still did it. You just have to ask the pharmacies around your area about that.
Option 2 is cheaper, but if you insist on Option 1, find the cheapest school out there. In my opinion Option 1 is a waste of time and money since most people I talked to who went this route said they came away not really learning anything. That's what influenced me to go for Option 2 instead.
If you pass the test, you are now certified, and can now apply for the pharmacy technician license, which takes 2-4 months for receive.
After that you can apply for a job as a pharmacy technician in retail, nursing homes, independent pharmacies, prisons, and hospitals.
Back in the day pharmacists used to do "grandfathering" where they would train future pharmacy technicians (i.e. they have no certification and no license). Because of that, getting a job would be easy since you have connections with people inside the organization. A lot of places don't do grandfathering anymore because of liability, but I wouldn't be surprised if there were some places that still did it. You just have to ask the pharmacies around your area about that.
Go to a college listed as pre-pharmacy and take the pre-reqs you need to apply the pharmacy schools of your choice that you wish to apply too. While doing this, apply at any pharmacy you can in the area and you will hopefully gain some experience along with a letter of recommendation from the pharmacist.
There is no point in going to "school" to be a tech.
There is no point in going to "school" to be a tech.
I agree with Pharmer1982.
Forget about the pharmacy tech program. It's a waste of money, and more importantly time. My advice is to get a pharmacy technician job for on-the-job training and experience. Buy a PTCE book and study independently for the certification exam. Register for prereq classes.
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If one knows they want to be a pharmacist, why would one consider taking time to pursue a certification which will provide them with no additional skills, knowledge, or anything else useful for obtaining the necessary degree for a career in pharmacy?
This is especially true of the states where a) you don't need a certification to be a tech and b) you can get a pharmacy intern waiver from your school in lieu of a certification.
This is especially true of the states where a) you don't need a certification to be a tech and b) you can get a pharmacy intern waiver from your school in lieu of a certification.
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Check out your state's Board of Pharmacy website. It should tell you, in no uncertain terms, what you need to do to become a Pharmacy Technician.
In AZ, you can become a licensed pharmacy technician without your certification for up to 2 years. This license will allow you to work in a pharmacy. After 2 years, you need to have passed the PTCB exam (which grants you certification) to continue your license. No specific class is needed.
I have recently been told that FL is requiring a class or course of some kind, plus certification, to get a license - & the class/course requirement can be fulfilled by a formal on the job training while you work up from a Pharmacy Clerk position. I have not confirmed, so definitely research what you need to do in your state first.
I have no idea what an associates degree in "Pharmacy Technology" would teach, let alone what you would be qualified to do with it.
I personally borrowed the PTCB prep book from the library, took the test, & am a certified pharm tech. My day job is in banking.
In AZ, you can become a licensed pharmacy technician without your certification for up to 2 years. This license will allow you to work in a pharmacy. After 2 years, you need to have passed the PTCB exam (which grants you certification) to continue your license. No specific class is needed.
I have recently been told that FL is requiring a class or course of some kind, plus certification, to get a license - & the class/course requirement can be fulfilled by a formal on the job training while you work up from a Pharmacy Clerk position. I have not confirmed, so definitely research what you need to do in your state first.
I have no idea what an associates degree in "Pharmacy Technology" would teach, let alone what you would be qualified to do with it.
I personally borrowed the PTCB prep book from the library, took the test, & am a certified pharm tech. My day job is in banking.
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There aren't many places hiring uncertified techs in AZ, because they want to spend their limited man hours on certified techs. In many places, anecdotal evidence shows you can't even volunteer in a pharmacy without a license (although I don't know if certification is implied). So, I guess the short answer would be - to gain experience in the field (ECs, friend).
While we're talking about jobs - uncertified techs in AZ make significantly less in most cases I've run across than certified techs. If you need to work while you're in school, being a pharm tech is much better than a lot of entry level positions. In AZ, you can be a tech without a certification for 2 years only - what if you need to work during school & need a 4 year to get into your school of choice? The smart move, in my opinion, is definitely to become certified early, so the ROI is higher.
Both of these points ignore the fact that it looks good on your pharmacy school application to be a certified tech - it shows you've at least taken some steps towards the pharmacy field as a whole, rather than being just a kid building castles in the sky. Also, any experience you actually get in a pharmacy counts as a good EC. While neither of these things will necessarily "break" your application, they may "make" it when an adcom is deciding between your marginal application & someone else's.
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Hah, as usual I find myself echoing you. I definitely feel working as a tech is a help in pharmacy school and worth pursuing. That said, I am a little ambivilant about the whole tech school. I am an old school "job trained" tech, and a little leery of tech school. If you can find a job to train you, that seems best to me. But working as a tech is good. I would suggest a shorter more economical program if available. Perhaps call some local pharmacys and ask which programs provided their best techs ? I have seen a huge difference in the quality in the various schools here. So make sure you really do see a ROI before investing.
I've seen a couple people studying with a green book. I can't tell you more than that. I recommend borrowing some from the library as another poster recommended and perusing the shelves at Barnes & Noble.
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I bought Mosby's book off Amazon, studied on my own and I just passed the PTCE with a 850!
Mosby's Review for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination
http://www.amazon.com/Mosbys-Pharma...2041/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1316789139&sr=8-1
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Hah, as usual I find myself echoing you. I definitely feel working as a tech is a help in pharmacy school and worth pursuing. That said, I am a little ambivilant about the whole tech school. I am an old school "job trained" tech, and a little leery of tech school. If you can find a job to train you, that seems best to me. But working as a tech is good. I would suggest a shorter more economical program if available. Perhaps call some local pharmacys and ask which programs provided their best techs ? I have seen a huge difference in the quality in the various schools here. So make sure you really do see a ROI before investing.
I agree. Why pay to train when you can be PAID to train? Most chain retail settings will provide on the job training.
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