Getting Pharmacy Technician License before Pharmacy School

[adl0816]

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I will be starting pharmacy school in August, and I was planning on getting certified for being a pharmacy technician over the summer. Is this a good idea, or is this redundant if I'll be getting my pharmacy intern license shortly after starting pharmacy school anyways?

 

[RxEvileye]

I will be starting pharmacy school in August, and I was planning on getting certified for being a pharmacy technician over the summer. Is this a good idea, or is this redundant if I'll be getting my pharmacy intern license shortly after starting pharmacy school anyways?

I think it is redundant. In California at least, it can take months (and a couple hundred dollars) just to receive your license after certification. You would find yourself finishing tech licensing just as you need to begin getting your intern license paperwork started.

Plus, you'll probably gain more knowledge/experience when you start IPPEs versus doing tech work for a short time.

If what you want is the knowledge, just leisurely study some drugs over the summer. If you want the connections/money, maybe try to work as a clerk. That is only if you're able to transfer within the chain store to where your school is or if it's nearby and you plan on working there as an intern.

 

[RxMonkey]

Not worth the effort/expense. Everyone I know of who entered pharmacy school with a tech license (Myself included), let it expire.

If you are already working in a pharmacy, great. If not, now is the time to start looking for Intern jobs.

 

[adl0816]

Thanks for the replies RxEvileye and RxMonkey! I thought the same as well, especially since I'll be attending school in WesternU. I think what I'll do now is just study the pharm tech material, but not take the test, so that I can get a head start on memorizing those drug names and at the same time save $129.