Does being a tech help you as a pharmacist?

[evilolive]

Advertisement - Members don't see this ad

Not in terms of getting in, but is the knowledge you procure applicable to pharmacy? Will I be at a disadvantage in pharmacy school without this prior experience, or does everyone pretty much start at the same page? (Just asking because I feel like I'm the only one without pharmacy experience..)

 

[TennisBoy78]

Yes and no. People with tech experience have been exposed to different medicines, but have zero understanding of how medicines work. All that a tech knows is that Albuterol is an inhaler, Fluoxetine (Prozac) is an antidepressant, Lisinopril (Zestril) is a ace inhibitor for blood pressure, and that Oxycodone w/APAP (Percocet) is under lock and key. Okay, some techs know more, but techs are not trained to be pharmacists.

Although I am not in Pharmacy School yet, I would imagine that you may be at an initial disadvantage but you will make up for it quickly because many things will be thrown at you in Pharmacy School whether you like it or not. Even if you work full-time, it would be a good idea to work a Saturday or Sunday at a local pharmacy to get an idea what medicines are in a pharmacy, if your schedule allows for it.

 

[PolarBear21]

Not in terms of getting in, but is the knowledge you procure applicable to pharmacy practition? Will I be at a disadvantage in pharmacy school without this prior experience, or does everyone pretty much start at the same page? (Just asking because I feel like I'm the only one without pharmacy experience..)

I agree with Tennisboy, I think it would probably help being a pharmtech, but its by no means required. I think the main reason (IMO..) that schools look favorably upon pharmacy experience (whether it be working as a tech, or volunteering or even just shadowing) is so you can show you know what you are getting yourself into and that this isn't just a decision you made overnight.

And you're definately not the only one w/o pharmacy technician experience going into pharm school, I don't have it, but I do have volunteer experience. And to anyone who has volunteered at a pharmacy they don't let you do much 🙄 , it was just mainly a good experience so I could get a feel for the profession and I could ask the pharmacists and pharm techs questions about their jobs (And get letters of rec.. 😎 )

 

[senzabee]

I agree with Tennis Boy. Being a pharm tech, I do have the advantage of being exposed to the meds and knowing brand/generic names and strengths. But do I know specific indications and the respective dosages? Nope. I see the popular dosages and sometimes learn a thing or two from listening to the pharmacist talk to the doctors over the phone. But in pharmacy school, I'm sure we'll all start fresh with learning exactly how certain meds work and why you would give something over another.

And like Polar Bear said, I think pharmacy experience in general is looked at as a good thing because the schools want to make sure you know what you're getting into it. Would you rather accept a student who has a 3.9 but never stepped into a pharmacy OR one who has a 3.4 but worked as a technician for years and knows what he/she is getting into?

 

[evilolive]

Would you rather accept a student who has a 3.9 but never stepped into a pharmacy OR one who has a 3.4 but worked as a technician for years and knows what he/she is getting into?

*ponders about my own GPA* 😀

 

[imperial frog]

Not in terms of getting in, but is the knowledge you procure applicable to pharmacy? Will I be at a disadvantage in pharmacy school without this prior experience, or does everyone pretty much start at the same page? (Just asking because I feel like I'm the only one without pharmacy experience..)

Yeah you will be at a disadvantage compared to someone who knows name/generics and can match them up to the classes of drugs, but it's not a crippling disadvantage that should cause you to worry. You are going to learn this stuff through the years of pharmschool, but it would be better if you knew it beforehand simply because it's one less thing you have to worry about when you have 5 midterms looming around the corner and you're trying to remember if Elavil is a blood pressure med or an antibiotic. Yeah I know it's not either one...see how easy it makes it if you know beforehand.

 

[senzabee]

Yeah you will be at a disadvantage compared to someone who knows name/generics and can match them up to the classes of drugs, but it's not a crippling disadvantage that should cause you to worry. You are going to learn this stuff through the years of pharmschool, but it would be better if you knew it beforehand simply because it's one less thing you have to worry about when you have 5 midterms looming around the corner and you're trying to remember if Elavil is a blood pressure med or an antibiotic. Yeah I know it's not either one...see how easy it makes it if you know beforehand.

Isn't elavil an antidepressant? I might be wrong. But I think working at a pharmacy is just the same as learning the Top 200 drugs...just that you get more on-hand experience instead of just reading it off a paper.

 

[steveysmith54]

Yeah you will be at a disadvantage compared to someone who knows name/generics and can match them up to the classes of drugs, but it's not a crippling disadvantage that should cause you to worry. You are going to learn this stuff through the years of pharmschool, but it would be better if you knew it beforehand simply because it's one less thing you have to worry about when you have 5 midterms looming around the corner and you're trying to remember if Elavil is a blood pressure med or an antibiotic. Yeah I know it's not either one...see how easy it makes it if you know beforehand.

I agree. Especially if you're a tech in hospital inpatient pharmacy you get see a ton of stuff. If you learn how to make dificult IV bags like Factor 8 and chemos, etc. that knowledge is very helpful.

 

[Farmercyst]

I don't know about most techs, but the pharmacology class I had in CC which was for the PharmTech program there also went over some of the side effects for the more common drugs. Drugs that turn your urine blue (pyridium), teeth yellow (gentamycin, i think, if before permanent teeth in), photosensitivity (tons of stuff, some worse than others), all sorts of fun things. That may also come in handy in pharm school. But as said above, nothing crippling. The class was only on semester, easy to catch up on when you consider the information will be presented in pharm school anyway.

 

[cystapharm]

I don't know about most techs, but the pharmacology class I had in CC which was for the PharmTech program there also went over some of the side effects for the more common drugs. Drugs that turn your urine blue (pyridium), teeth yellow (gentamycin, i think, if before permanent teeth in), photosensitivity (tons of stuff, some worse than others), all sorts of fun things. That may also come in handy in pharm school. But as said above, nothing crippling. The class was only on semester, easy to catch up on when you consider the information will be presented in pharm school anyway.

which community college in so cal offers the pharm tech program you are taking?

 

[terse]

which community college in so cal offers the pharm tech program you are taking?

in so cal, i believe there is bryman college and american career college that offer the pharm tech program.

 

[steveysmith54]

El Camino?

 

[ButlerPharm.D.]

Pyridium turns your urine orange not blue!!!

 

[laimyours]

Personally, i think pharmacy experience is very important. I've been working in pharmacy for 5 years now, 3 of them as a techician, and i can't tell you how many pharmacists i work with that don't know what they are doing or hate their job. Many say "if i would have known this, i would have done something different". I have also worked with people who start working in a pharmacy to get experience to apply to pharmacy school and end up quitting because they hate it so bad. You don't have to be a tech, but you should work in a pharmacy. Find the busiest pharmacy in town, and work there. Learn how to deal with angry customers and insurance companies, because it's not just sitting behind a counter counting pills and talking about how they work, in fact you'll probaly spend more time telling people what aisle tylenol is on or explaining to them why sudafed is behind the counter. No you won't be at a disadvantage in pharmacy school really, but once it's over and you're going to work it will be.

 

[Farmercyst]

San Bernardino Valley College (Bryman and ACC are not Community Colleges) I apologize on the color, it's been three years and still haven't seen the compounding room of a pharmacy. (Too busy working full-time and going to school still)

 

[BascerPharm4]

So working as a pharm tech will only give you the basic knowledge of the drugs at a pharmacy. I know that there will be no disadvantages working as a pharm tech prior to pharmacy school because it will only assist you by giving you a feel of pharmacy and like what many of you have mentioned, "knowing what your getting yourself into." Anyhow, would you guys consider working as a pharm tech or volunteer at a local pharmacy for experience? I am also planning to get some experience before I head off to pharm college and still debating whether I should volunteer at a local pharmacy or get a license and work as a pharm tech for a while.

Kind regards,


BascerPharm4

 

[BascerPharm4]

Where did you volunteer at and how long did you volunteer there?

I agree with Tennisboy, I think it would probably help being a pharmtech, but its by no means required. I think the main reason (IMO..) that schools look favorably upon pharmacy experience (whether it be working as a tech, or volunteering or even just shadowing) is so you can show you know what you are getting yourself into and that this isn't just a decision you made overnight.

And you're definately not the only one w/o pharmacy technician experience going into pharm school, I don't have it, but I do have volunteer experience. And to anyone who has volunteered at a pharmacy they don't let you do much 🙄 , it was just mainly a good experience so I could get a feel for the profession and I could ask the pharmacists and pharm techs questions about their jobs (And get letters of rec.. 😎 )