Hey NEW member with a few ?'s.

[ASDF 686]

Hey everyone, Im a senior in HS still and really interested in getting into pharmacy. After HS I want get a Bachelors in _____(what is it that you need to get into a pharmacy ?, At Fresno State University. And the same time get into a small adult school to become a pharmacy tech(how much do they make in cali)? What do you think about my plan and should I be doing anything right know?

Im averaging a 3.5(HS) and am in a Biomed + Bioengineering program right know.

Any help would be appreciated, Thanks.

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[PharmD321]

Hey everyone, Im a senior in HS still and really interested in getting into pharmacy. After HS I want get a Bachelors in _____(what is it that you need to get into a pharmacy ?, At Fresno State University. And the same time get into a small adult school to become a pharmacy tech(how much do they make in cali)? What do you think about my plan and should I be doing anything right know?

Im averaging a 3.5(HS) and am in a Biomed + Bioengineering program right know.

Any help would be appreciated, Thanks.

I think your plan is good so far but....

there are many programs that you can do in a university. I am doing a 3 year pre pharmacy program (basically a major in pre pharm and minor in law studies). After 3 years then I will go to the Anschutz medical school for 4 years. Mine will last 7 years altogether. The other route is to get a bachelor of science degree for 4 years (can be biology, chemistry, or other science degrees) and then go to medical school which will be 8 years altogether. But, remember that pre pharm prepares you better because the course are already made (mixture of biology and chemistry and other science related courses) so you can prepare to take the PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) before you get in pharmacy school.

For the pharmacy technician job, I noticed you need to be registered in California. There is a website called the California State Board of Pharmacy and I think (I am not sure) you need to registered there, here is the link: http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/. The PTCB (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board) is also recognized in your state. So I strongly advise you to take a class and take the exam. I took a simple 12 week course in Health Education Resources of Denver (I found this class in Craigslist haha) and passed the PTCE (Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam) first try. This test will make it easier to get a job and will look good in your PharmCAS (application to pharmacy school). If you want to know more about what is going to be on the exam, please look at my blog:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=1332

Also, if you really want to know how much a tech makes, look at this forum:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=265727

Anyways, hope you do good and good luck!!

 

[ASDF 686]

Thanks for the reply,

I'll probably get into a pharmacy program if they have 1 at Fresno State, or get a Bachelors in Science. With the Bachelors in Science what else could I go into or get a job as, if I dont get into a Pharmacy School?

As for the Pharmacy Tech, a college here is doing a 8 month $13,000 program(wow didn't think it'd be that much, guess i don't have a choice).

 

[mochiko]

Don't waste your money or time on a pharm tech program. You can spend $30 on a PTCE review book, spend a few weeks maximum studying, and be more than prepared to pass the test. Do a search and you'll see lots of posts about what people recommend studying (concentrate on math, law, and procedures while ignoring brand/generics).

What you can do with your bachelors will depend on your major. Biology covers the most pre-reqs by far but will mostly allow you to work in research labs. In my opinion and from my experiences, biology is not the way to go unless you are planning on doing extra schooling after your bachelors (eg. PhD, masters, professional health schools). Chemical engineering is one major that will cover many of the pre-reqs while also giving you one of the higher starting salaries for a bachelors, but it will be more difficult for most than biology.

 

[PharmD321]

Thanks for the reply,

I'll probably get into a pharmacy program if they have 1 at Fresno State, or get a Bachelors in Science. With the Bachelors in Science what else could I go into or get a job as, if I dont get into a Pharmacy School?

As for the Pharmacy Tech, a college here is doing a 8 month $13,000 program(wow didn't think it'd be that much, guess i don't have a choice).

If you get a bachelors in science degree, there are many good fields. Like if you go for biology degree, you can be a ecologist, biologist and toxicologist. these are excellent jobs after only 4 years of education....

More info about the BS degrees:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=563777

My Pharmacy Technician was a private school and they charged me 800 bucks for 12 weeks and that was good enough practice for the Pharmacy Tech Certification Exam....my scholarship told me that if I told them about the classes, they could have paid it for me. But I didn't because I was too late but I think it was a decent deal and if you worked before you get certified like at walmart or somewhere, they can reimburse the $130 exam fee.

Mochiko: yes, you can study by yourself but learning in a classroom give you more experience...like I told the hospital that I had experience in classroom and they liked my resume and emailed me back real quick.....can't wait until the end of this week to see if I am seleted in the Pharmacy technician Oncology department...

 

[117296]

I think your plan is good so far but....

there are many programs that you can do in a university. I am doing a 3 year pre pharmacy program (basically a major in pre pharm and minor in law studies). After 3 years then I will go to the Anschutz medical school for 4 years. Mine will last 7 years altogether. The other route is to get a bachelor of science degree for 4 years (can be biology, chemistry, or other science degrees) and then go to medical school which will be 8 years altogether. But, remember that pre pharm prepares you better because the course are already made (mixture of biology and chemistry and other science related courses) so you can prepare to take the PCAT (Pharmacy College Admission Test) before you get in pharmacy school.

For the pharmacy technician job, I noticed you need to be registered in California. There is a website called the California State Board of Pharmacy and I think (I am not sure) you need to registered there, here is the link: http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/. The PTCB (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board) is also recognized in your state. So I strongly advise you to take a class and take the exam. I took a simple 12 week course in Health Education Resources of Denver (I found this class in Craigslist haha) and passed the PTCE (Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam) first try. This test will make it easier to get a job and will look good in your PharmCAS (application to med school). If you want to know more about what is going to be on the exam, please look at my blog:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=1332

Also, if you really want to know how much a tech makes, look at this forum:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=265727

Anyways, hope you do good and good luck!!

Pharmcas= application to some pharmacy schools.

+1 to not going to tech school. Not needed, just buy a book to study for it and take the exam.

 

[Sparda29]

I beg you, not to take any courses for the PTCB exam, Hell, you don't even need a course for the PCAT.

I'd just buy a workbook and look at that for a week. That's all you ever need to do for the PTCB test. You do get a calculator, so the math shouldn't be too hard.

However, I think the best preparation to getting the certification for that test is to just work at a pharmacy.

 

[ASDF 686]

Pharmcas= application to some pharmacy schools.

+1 to not going to tech school. Not needed, just buy a book to study for it and take the exam.

I'd be more than happy to just do it like that, but I believe in California you need to go to a tech school to get certified.

Man would be great to be a Pharmacy Tech 3 weeks out of high school.

 

[PlantMan]

I thought I'd chime in to the Pharmacy Tech part of the question.

My father is actually a Pharmacy Manager in a retail chain here in California (East Bay). What part of California are you in? I ask because especially in california there is a HUGE surplus of pharmacy techs out there. Many who hold certification never land a pharmacy tech job. I actually asked him about this just a few days ago, too.

He's in charge of hiring and all that, so I trust his word. I wouldn't put too much effort into getting a pharm tech license if you plan on using it to land a job. Ironic... surplus of techs and a shortage of pharmacists.

 

[Snake Doctor]

Go for it. You're in the Central Valley. I'm pretty sure there isn't a surplus of technicians compare to major cities in Cali. It's worth a shot. Everybody is a bit different. So if you're more comfortable with a course, then do that. There are pros and cons to whether you should to take a course or not.
As for your Bachelor's, shoot for a subject that you enjoy. You only get to be in college once, so study what you love and kick ass on the pre-reqs. B.A. or B.S., it doesn't really matter.

 

[mochiko]

I'd be more than happy to just do it like that, but I believe in California you need to go to a tech school to get certified.

Man would be great to be a Pharmacy Tech 3 weeks out of high school.

Going to tech school will not get you certified. Passing the test will. There is a difference between getting certified and getting your license, the latter of which is the only requirement to work as a tech in California. Here is a recent post I made with more details on how you can go about getting your tech license in California:
http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showpost.php?p=7102126&postcount=12

 

[ASDF 686]

I thought I'd chime in to the Pharmacy Tech part of the question.

My father is actually a Pharmacy Manager in a retail chain here in California (East Bay). What part of California are you in? I ask because especially in california there is a HUGE surplus of pharmacy techs out there. Many who hold certification never land a pharmacy tech job. I actually asked him about this just a few days ago, too.

He's in charge of hiring and all that, so I trust his word. I wouldn't put too much effort into getting a pharm tech license if you plan on using it to land a job. Ironic... surplus of techs and a shortage of pharmacists.

Wow that would suck, I live in Fresno, California(central valley). I really just want to work as a Pharmacy Tech until i become a Pharmacist(hopefully) to get experience and pay for college.

 

[ASDF 686]

So I was looking threw PTCB Website and noticed in the requirements that Pharmacy Tech course was not required. So dose this mean I can get a couple of Pharmacy tech books and study like crazy form now until I graduate and take the Certification Exam and become a Pharmacy Tech out of High School?

If so anybody got books they'd like to recommend.

 

[PharmD321]

Wow, I see a lot of people disagree here. It's okay though, I just want to let you know that the PTCE preparation class did help me a lot and I passed the PTCE first try (I even have proof of my certification if you want to see what it looks like). It made my life a hell lot easier and I made some friends in class too. There were also some cute chicks in there too! (there were about 20 people that took the same class with me)

Also, not only that, the class not only made me study for the PTCE, but it actually taught me how to be more confident in testing. It was a great experience to have before I went to college...

Also, i made some reviews of my books so here it is:

http://forums.studentdoctor.net/blog.php?b=1338

 

[ASDF 686]

Yeah I guess that's what I'll do, 8 month program come out ready and certified.

I don't mind being in a class(actually prefer) just didn't want to pay the 13 grand

 

[mochiko]

Again, pharmacy tech courses will not get you certified. Only passing the exam will make you certified. Either route will allow you to apply for the license, but one way will cost thousands of dollars and several months more than the other.

 

[Pauligirl]

Again, pharmacy tech courses will not get you certified. Only passing the exam will make you certified. Either route will allow you to apply for the license, but one way will cost thousands of dollars and several months more than the other.

Yep, this is pretty clear by reading through the website...

[FONT=Arial,Bold]Indicate below how you qualify for registration as a Pharmacy Technician:.

​

​

Associate degree in Pharmacy Technology Training Course

or
​

Military Training Graduate of a school of pharmacy

or

​

!!! Certified by PTCB - Date Certified: !!!


http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/forms/tch_app_pkt.pdf Link, ok!

To the OP (original poster) ASDF 686: The questions you're asking are very basic and could have easily been answered by searching the forums and Googling "registered pharmacy technician california". That link above was the first result I got.

What good is a 3.5 GPA if you don't take the initiative and make an effort to perform simple research for answers to basic questions? Yeah, a H.S. student should know how to perform simple research. And btw, my research on pharm schools and what they require tells me that they look at the entire "picture" of the applicant...not just the GPA.

O.K., enough of my lecturing .

 

[thanawalt]

I took one of those adult-ed programs. Mine was only $2000 for 8 months. I'm guaranteed an internship after the lecture portion is over with. That was my only reason I enrolled.

 

[ASDF 686]

Yep, this is pretty clear by reading through the website...

[FONT=Arial,Bold]Indicate below how you qualify for registration as a Pharmacy Technician:.

​

Associate degree in Pharmacy Technology Training Course

or
​

Military Training Graduate of a school of pharmacy

or

​

!!! Certified by PTCB - Date Certified: !!!


http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/forms/tch_app_pkt.pdf Link, ok!

To the OP (original poster) ASDF 686: The questions you're asking are very basic and could have easily been answered by searching the forums and Googling "registered pharmacy technician california". That link above was the first result I got.

What good is a 3.5 GPA if you don't take the initiative and make an effort to perform simple research for answers to basic questions? Yeah, a H.S. student should know how to perform simple research. And btw, my research on pharm schools and what they require tells me that they look at the entire "picture" of the applicant...not just the GPA.

O.K., enough of my lecturing .

LOL, Thanks man definitely cleared it up

 

[PharmD321]

Yeah I guess that's what I'll do, 8 month program come out ready and certified.

I don't mind being in a class(actually prefer) just didn't want to pay the 13 grand

Wow, I see that some people pay a lot to just get certified.....mine was only $800 (even with the books) for the whole 12 weeks!! The website is here if you want to check it out: http://herdenver.com/

mochiko: "Again, pharmacy tech courses will not get you certified. Only passing the exam will make you certified. Either route will allow you to apply for the license, but one way will cost thousands of dollars and several months more than the other. "

I never said anything about the class giving out certification. I just said "PTCE preparation class." I did not guarantee anyone that they are going to pass the exam. Also, I can guarantee that they will get experience in pharmacy in a classroom setting. So, I just wanted to tell everyone about my experience, that I did enjoy the class and how much easier and less stress it was for me when I took the PTCE.

Edit: by the way, my course did not cost more than a thousand bucks. It was 800 and 12 weeks, not several months!

 

[mochiko]

^ I was referring to ASDF's post, not yours...

 

[ASDF 686]

Wow I called up all the junior college's doing the Pharmacy Tech program's here in Fresno, CA and cheapest program was 9 month $10,000. And it went up from their, one was even 22 month's long $24,000. OMG

 

[Pauligirl]

Wow I called up all the junior college's doing the Pharmacy Tech program's here in Fresno, CA and cheapest program was 9 month $10,000. And it went up from their, one was even 22 month's long $24,000. OMG

Hey! It seems you really want to go through a pharm course program. The high prices you've mentioned and others are ridiculous. Don't ya think? Expecially since they're not required for taking the PTCB or getting the Cali certification.

For around $1795 Gatlin offers a pharm tech program in conjunction with a college in your area. They also say they can possibly hook ya up with an externship after completing their program.

http://www.gatlineducation.com/search.php?course_id=11

Their courses are offered entirely online and in conjunction with major colleges/uni's. Of all the online career schools that offer pharm tech training, Gatlin seems to be the most reputable.

I haven't gone through the program so don't take my word on it!

I've also noticed that some public school systems offer a training course through their adult education dept. and some community colleges offering it through their extended learning departments.

 

[Farmercyst]

Wow I called up all the junior college's doing the Pharmacy Tech program's here in Fresno, CA and cheapest program was 9 month $10,000. And it went up from their, one was even 22 month's long $24,000. OMG

Here's where I went for mine.
http://www.valleycollege.edu/Instruction/Files/Catalog/2008-2009/SBVC_Catalog_0809_pg132-216.pdf
(page 160-161 has the Pharm Tech requirements on it) At $26/unit x 60 units for AS it would be $1560 + books. The certificate program would be cheaper.

As mentioned, as of right now all you need is PTCB certification in CA. I never finished school because I had to finish pharm school prereqs and getting into pharm school was a higher priority for me. So I just used the info from the first few classes to pass PTCB (super simple test if you've got half a mind for math) It took 3 weeks for the certificate and 4 weeks for my Pharm Tech license. A lot shorter than 4 semesters for 60 units + $1560&books.