Hiring a tech without cert in CA

[elitehacker1337]

Hello Pharmacists,

I am in undergrad and was wondering if I should get my certification for the PTCB/PTCE before looking(applying) for a job.

In your pharmacies, is it common to hire techs without licenses and vet them through a program and pay for their test?

I understand CA is very competitive due to population density so I was wondering if I should pay 129 for the exam. I'm tight on cash right now since I am a full time student. My location is central cali so not as populated as Bay area or LA (nor-cal/so-cal).

Thank You. All feedback is appreciated.

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[steveysmith54]

I am in so cal, we have a lot of tech schools, like community colleges and private schools sending in apps and externs so not That common in my area but I am sure it happens...

 

[Thankyou2017]

"In your pharmacies, is it common to hire techs without licenses and vet them through a program and pay for their test?"

Company pays for my test? I wish. I am good but would they see the value of my hard work?

In California, if you are not licensed as tech, you are hired as Clerk which has lower pay (and you can not count or repackage drug because of State Law). Ask the places you want to apply. They may like to pay you low as Clerk and take you in now. Then you secretly take PTCB and show them license so they can upgrade you to tech...But I have seen Clerk getting paid as clerk even with Tech License for over 3 years because the managers don't have budget or don't like to promote clerk to tech. Either way of getting hired as Clerk or Tech has pros and cons. I was clerk, passed PTCB with my own money and became tech by learning at home with a few days of learning and felt sorry for folks that pay 15 thousand dollars for tech programs that lasted 9 months. Your call and good luck.

 

[elitehacker1337]

"In your pharmacies, is it common to hire techs without licenses and vet them through a program and pay for their test?"

Company pays for my test? I wish. I am good but would they see the value of my hard work?

In California, if you are not licensed as tech, you are hired as Clerk which has lower pay (and you can not count or repackage drug because of State Law). Ask the places you want to apply. They may like to pay you low as Clerk and take you in now. Then you secretly take PTCB and show them license so they can upgrade you to tech...But I have seen Clerk getting paid as clerk even with Tech License for over 3 years because the managers don't have budget or don't like to promote clerk to tech. Either way of getting hired as Clerk or Tech has pros and cons. I was clerk, passed PTCB with my own money and became tech by learning at home with a few days of learning and felt sorry for folks that pay 15 thousand dollars for tech programs that lasted 9 months. Your call and good luck.

yeah I'm just trying to pass the PTCB at this point and then apply. I called a CVS and they will hire someone that can only work weekends so I decided to keep studying.

Did you take the PTCB recently? I'm only taking 1 week to prepare for it until Fall semester craziness begins. I'm using Mosby's review but there are just so many laws to memorize, it's insane.

The math is relatively simple though, thankfully. I mean I did finish calc II so I would hope to do basic arithmetic and conversions

 

[BidingMyTime]

This obviously differs by state. In IL, yes, the common practice in both hospital and retail is to hire someone who has never worked in a pharmacy before, and then pay for them to take the PTCB test (which a technician is required by law to pass within 1 year of their hiring date.) Unless you live in Chicago, then they just hire pharmacy students (who don't have to take the PTCB.)

 

[Sine Cura]

I don't think any drugstore chains allow just "clerks" to work in the pharmacy since you could theoretically (LOL) "pull" people from the front end to help with the registers. WM is still allowing people to hire "clerks" just to work in the pharmacy although with cuts to "supportive personnel" hours and increased standards for supportive personnel there may not be room for someone who is "just" a clerk because they can't fill.