Going from Pharm Tech to Pharmacist?

[DieHardRX]

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I thought the story about the tech wanting to go the pharmacy school and backs out after learning it takes some years was so funny and true.

I know so many techs think that they own the pharmacy they work at and all with some serious attitude problem. I totally agree with confetiflyer. We love rx tech, w/o them busy pharmacy would be in big trouble and pharmacists would work their bottom off. But hey, a tech is a tech and he/she should know their limitation.

Not so surprising, I am a tech myself (for 5 years) trying to get in rx school but the difference b/t me and others is I know the thin (or thick i dont know 🙂) b/t me and the pharmacists and interns. I respect them. Well, some

 

[Farmercyst]

So having read the thread backwards, chronologically... At USC we're required to memorize top 200 plus primary classification and primary indication. So memorizing them ahead of time would give you a leg up at USC. Having said that, it's not like they're wasting time in class assisting in the memorization. That's all independent study. As Epic mentioned top 200 is not really that important in terms of pharmacy education. Not all your prescriptions filled will come from the top 200, and you may find yourself in a position where the top 200 are the least of your worries. Most of your first year will be systems integration, chemical properties, and regulation. While these may involve some of the top 200 drugs, it's more for example than anything else. Using a drug you happen to know the name of as an example vs one you haven't learned won't really make a difference in terms of the true focus of your education.

At this point, if you've already learned them and find it was a waste, it's not like you can retroactively spend your time on something more important anyway, so figure out what you want to do with your pharmacy education, find out what's important for that aspect and focus on that.

The difference between a tech and an intern depends on your preceptor, at least until you graduate. Though in the legal sense the primary difference will be consultation (whether with patients or practioners) and a few other nuances. For instance, we're getting our immunization certificates at USC. Techs don't touch needles, interns can, if trained, immunize. There's probably other more significant differences. I suppose Epic would probably say we can practice our pharmacoeconomics and other managed care skills.

 

[sdn1977]

What a funny thread!

Epic - you're one d*mn good pharmacist (& other jobs we won't mention here....) - no matter what anyone who has been banned has to say. And - no, I'm not gone....this thread was put in pre-pharm & I don't come here too often.

I don't even care what your alumnus (alumni??? - I don't know what the actual term is for the school) requires - it is irrelevant to the actual practice of pharmacy. Particularly when school will take at least 3 if not 4 years to complete.

So - yes.....hydrocodone (any amount) with acetaminophen (any amount) will be among the top 200. Who cares? Absolutely NO ONE other than that professor who is asking you to memorize a crazy list. There really is no purpose to that at all, in a practical & professional measure as a practicing pharmacist. Obviously, there are many parameters in which to measure what constitutes the top 200. I can promise you - prescribers do not care one bit! But...if you are in a medical center which does transplants, peds/neonates or HIV/AIDS - or if you are in a pharmacy down the street from said medical center...you will have a different top 200 than what is reported in Drug Topics (rag journal!). But - if its a requirement you memorize the list - then do it!

As for a "leg up" - what "leg up" are you talking about (I don't mean you Epic - others who have mentioned it)?

This is your own journey - not a competition. At the end of the journey...you will not be asked to know what the top 200 drugs are. You will be expected to know what drugs do, how, why, when to use them & if you work for Epic or with me - you are expected to be able to make substantive decisions. If you can do this in a collaborative fashion with your classmates - why don't you do it? Why do you need a "leg up"?

No one cares if you graduate 10th in your class or 100th in your class when its all said & done. If you can't correlate material & communicate it well - then......your memorization is without purpose. This is true even if you apply for a residency. Being able to put things in perspective is absolutely imperative.

As for a difference between the tech & pharmacist - again...its a journey. As a P1, you won't be able to do some things a tech can do. But, as you progress - you'll do more. It doesn't come with just the title (even a pharmacist - I've had the unpleasant task of telling a pharmacist he/she is not doing what the minimum is expected.).

Good luck to you all. I envy you folks golfing. Its just too hot here to golf (plus, I've been working too hard!!!). How is it you can golf in OK or TX without heat exhaustion????

 

[Epic]

I'm golfing in Oregon.

 

[cycloketocaine]

I'm golfing in Oregon.

Not fair. 😡

 

[CaliCPhT]

Top 200 in what ways? Here is my top 10 List

Gammagard
Bivalrudin
Bevacizumab
Infliximab
Darbepoetin
Oxaliplatin
Rituximab
Trastuzmab
Pegfilgrastim
Eptifibatide

Oh wow. I don't know why I found this thread and why I am about to bite... 🙂

Most of these are IV drugs and most retail techs will never see these. They are all very high cost drugs that if not appropriately managed will increase the cost of healthcare.

-Gammagard - IVIG - given to patients with autoimmune diseases who are unable or insufficiently produce antibodies
-Lots of chemo drugs in threre, some monoclonal antibodies
-give pegfilgrastim and darbepoietin as prophylaxis against anemia/neutropenia from chemo (in my opinion, these are the only ones that techs will have the potential to encounter as they can be injected at home by the patient)
-Also some thrombin and platelet aggregation inhibitors.

 

[TP has CpHT]

Yes, I am light years ahead of my classmates that haven't worked in a pharmacy. They not only have to learn drugs, but sigs and abbreviations, and also the general anxiety they carry not having worked in a pharmacy. You also learn simple calculations and little bits of info. I for example, learned how to compound.

In the great state of Oklahoma (Boomer Sooner), an intern, in the eyes of the state board, can function as a pharmacist, take scripts, do transfers, counsel, blah blah blah. A PharmD must be present though. A tech can't do anything but count pills and run the cash register.

I am glad to hear that is helps to have already been exposed because I have been a tech for about 4 years and I love my job but I also know alot of hard work and time has to go into school.
Also I have worked with new RpH s just out of school that have never been in a pharmacy other than rotations and they don't know what any pill looks like and that is a huge disadvantage not because of no experience but because when an rx is filled wrong it is their job to catch it and if something was filled with a similar pill and they are busy they will just verify it.
That happened to a pharmacist of mine that graduated 2 years ago she now has 2 strikes against her license and is on probation and got moved to a slower volume store, but its not her fault that they don't teach you what drugs look like. Which I know because all the interns tell me, right after I catch there mistakes when they pull drugs.

 

[evilolive]

👍my point exactly!

Do any of you P1s or techs even know what these are & why they're on Epic's top 10 list?

I've never even seen these names before, let alone am I able to pronounce them 🙁

 

[vpxg0tryc]

Top 200 in what ways? Here is my top 10 List

Gammagard
Bivalrudin
Bevacizumab
Infliximab
Darbepoetin
Oxaliplatin
Rituximab
Trastuzmab
Pegfilgrastim
Eptifibatide

Wow.. I'd rather memorize a bunch of Taiwanese last names. At least they have vowels in better places.

I don't think I want to be a pharmacist anymore..😕


P.S. - Gammagard sounds like a nice name for a newborn boy.