being a Pharmacy Assistant in WA state???

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mozart_fan

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In WA, it is not possible to study for the pharm tech test and get certified, instead shooling is required. Another way is to work as Pharmacy Assistant and over time get certified as a tech. This requires a lisence, and all that is needed is to apply for one and complete 4 hours of AIDS training.

Is anyone here from WA or has lived in WA and would know....

if you can go ahead and apply for Pharmacy Assistant jobs and if you land on one...could you take and work in that position before having the lisence/application process of it complete?

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Yes, it's pretty easy to obtain a WA state pharmacy assistant license. As a matter of fact, anyone above 18 yrs old can as long as you complete a 4hr HIV/AIDS course and submit the application (with an app fee).

There are two ways to get a WA Pharm Tech license - through an accreditted program or through working your way up in a retail chain from a pharm asst to a pharm tech. Speaking from experience, I will tell you of the best way to get it - fast, easy, and CHEAP. You won't have to spend time, energy, and money (anywhere between $3000-$10,000) going through an accredited pharmacy technician program at a vocational/technical college.

Create a catchy cover letter and resume. Go to several Walgreens close to where you live (dressed up nicely and presentable). Ask to speak to the Pharmacy manager and present your cover letter and resume to him or her. Let them know you're looking for a part time or full time position blah blah blah. Here's the thing...if they say there's no opening, there probably isn't at the moment BUT a week or two or more down the road, I guarantee you'll be getting a call from them (if your resume fits what they're looking for). If the manager isn't there, then leave it and I'm sure the manager will take a look and forward your resume to the district office where it will be dealt with appropriately. When I did this, each Walgreens said they didn't have openings but I received offers a couple of weeks later.

Unless you want to work in the hospital setting, this would be the best way for experience at a retail site. All job qualifications I've seen for hospital jobs have required graduation from an accredited PhT program. With Walgreens, you'll have to work X number of hours to qualify for Wa state license and then eventually Walgreens will offer their own course to assistants to help them pass the National Certification Exam [Walgreens requires all their techs to be nationally certified].

I believe Albertsons operates similarly to Walgreens but they've been having some sort of "financial" problems and as of June 2004 (things may have changed by now) they froze hiring techs. Other stores I'm not familiar with but you could do some research on that and let us know.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions, holler!


six7one



mozart_fan said:
In WA, it is not possible to study for the pharm tech test and get certified, instead shooling is required. Another way is to work as Pharmacy Assistant and over time get certified as a tech. This requires a lisence, and all that is needed is to apply for one and complete 4 hours of AIDS training.

Is anyone here from WA or has lived in WA and would know....

if you can go ahead and apply for Pharmacy Assistant jobs and if you land on one...could you take and work in that position before having the lisence/application process of it complete?
 
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six7one said:
Yes, it's pretty easy to obtain a WA state pharmacy assistant license. As a matter of fact, anyone above 18 yrs old can as long as you complete a 4hr HIV/AIDS course and submit the application (with an app fee).

There are two ways to get a WA Pharm Tech license - through an accreditted program or through working your way up in a retail chain from a pharm asst to a pharm tech. Speaking from experience, I will tell you of the best way to get it - fast, easy, and CHEAP. You won't have to spend time, energy, and money (anywhere between $3000-$10,000) going through an accredited pharmacy technician program at a vocational/technical college.

Create a catchy cover letter and resume. Go to several Walgreens close to where you live (dressed up nicely and presentable). Ask to speak to the Pharmacy manager and present your cover letter and resume to him or her. Let them know you're looking for a part time or full time position blah blah blah. Here's the thing...if they say there's no opening, there probably isn't at the moment BUT a week or two or more down the road, I guarantee you'll be getting a call from them (if your resume fits what they're looking for). If the manager isn't there, then leave it and I'm sure the manager will take a look and forward your resume to the district office where it will be dealt with appropriately. When I did this, each Walgreens said they didn't have openings but I received offers a couple of weeks later.

Unless you want to work in the hospital setting, this would be the best way for experience at a retail site. All job qualifications I've seen for hospital jobs have required graduation from an accredited PhT program. With Walgreens, you'll have to work X number of hours to qualify for Wa state license and then eventually Walgreens will offer their own course to assistants to help them pass the National Certification Exam [Walgreens requires all their techs to be nationally certified].

I believe Albertsons operates similarly to Walgreens but they've been having some sort of "financial" problems and as of June 2004 (things may have changed by now) they froze hiring techs. Other stores I'm not familiar with but you could do some research on that and let us know.

Hope this helps. If you have any questions, holler!


six7one

That's what I'll do. I haven't even done the AIDS training yet. I'll get to it. I've been thinking about going in and dropping in resumes to pharmacy managers even before getting my lisence. Sound like a good idea? Any thoughts? What if there is an opening soon? I should get to it as soon as possible...like now..
 
Bananaface is right. I think they say it'll take up to 6 weeks to get your assistant license from the state once your HIV/AIDS course is done. Probably you should submit resumes no earlier than the 3rd or 4th week and just tell them it's in the mail so that no time is wasted. I know that even volunteering at the UWMC pharmacy services department requires an assistant license before you can start so this is definitely a must. Good luck to you!

six7one


bananaface said:
Pharmacy Assistant Application, WA State

It will take a few weeks to recieve your license after sending the application.
 
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