How many of you are pharm techs?

[mdr8]

As I am finishing my supplemental applications, I have been noticing a lot of them ask if I am a certified pharm tech and if so, when I obtained my license. I never became a certified pharm tech or worked in any pharmacies. Although I have a pretty solid gpa (3.6) and pcat score (88 percentile), I am wondering how much this will affect my chances of acceptance. How many of you are pharm techs and do you think this will affect me much?

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[Passion4Sci]

As I am finishing my supplemental applications, I have been noticing a lot of them ask if I am a certified pharm tech and if so, when I obtained my license. I never became a certified pharm tech or worked in any pharmacies. Although I have a pretty solid gpa (3.6) and pcat score (88 percentile), I am wondering how much this will affect my chances of acceptance. How many of you are pharm techs and do you think this will affect me much?

It should not affect you very much with your #'s although I'd be concerned at your overall EC package. How is it?

Even if it aces you out of one school you're not applying to just one school. You'll be fine, IMO.

I am a C.PhT and basically no one cares/d.

 

[mdr8]

My EC's are OK.... I was originally pre-med when I was in college so I have volunteer experience in the radiology department of a hospital and I have worked as a phlebotomist in a lab. Other than that I played intramural soccer, have been refing soccer for 10 years and worked in an isotope lab on campus.

 

[Passion4Sci]

My EC's are OK.... I was originally pre-med when I was in college so I have volunteer experience in the radiology department of a hospital and I have worked as a phlebotomist in a lab. Other than that I played intramural soccer, have been refing soccer for 10 years and worked in an isotope lab on campus.

As long as you interview well, and have no "WOOPS" moments on your app process, I'm thinking you're going to be A-OK sans C.PhT!

 

[pharm B]

I agree with P4Sci. I was a pharm tech for about a year at the time of interviewing, but I think that while being one is seen as a positive, not being one isn't really held against you. We have a few people in my class with no prior pharmacy experience.

Side note: my CPhT stuff expired in November, and all is well.

Looking forward to interning in the summer!

 

[1TB4RKSB4CK]

It would look nice but I doubt with a GPA and PCAT like that it wouldn't matter much. It'll give you more breathing room though.

 

[erin0522]

I think it could only help. Being a pharmacy tech really helped me get a good look into the pharmacy profession and helped a lot with my interview because I have had to experience many ethical situations and dealt with many types of people and issues.

But if you can get this sort of insight without being a tech, more power to you

 

[Electrode]

I agree with every post above mine...provided you don't bomb any other part of your application component & interviews.

 

[pharmschooler]

I'm a pharm tech on a volunteer basis. It's been an incredible opportunity to see pharmacy as it's practiced and invaluable in helping me learn some of the basics about how an outpatient pharmacy is run. It's also nice because it's helped me meet pharmacists.

Some states do require certification, which would be more of a pain, but registration (basically paying the state money for a registration) is all I needed to do to get my foot in the door here.

 

[222pharmD]

I'm a pharm tech...I've acquired both state and national PTCB license and have been working in a retail pharmacy for almost 5 years. I strongly believe that it helped me get into pharmacy school and would definitely recommend pre-pharmacy students to try and get these licenses. Of course the years of exp helped me out as well, but it does show the committee that you really want to become a pharmacist. I've spoken to a professor in a pharmacy school and was told that having a license makes your GPA appear as if it was bumped up by .20 (Ex. 3.30 + .20 = 3.50 GPA). Not sure how true that comment was, but it sure did help me out.
P.S. My overall gpa was 3.31 when I graduated with my B.S. in Biology. Hope that helps.

 

[Croutonz]

I passed the PTCB test a while ago and also obtained my state license for Pharmacy Technician.

My question is, Does chain stores like CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Target, Walmart, etc... hire individuals that just get their license from self-studying and not having any type of training?

I presume that many of these pharmacy would only hire experienced individuals. I have 5 years experience working in an academic setting, but not in a pharmacy setting. I volunteered a while back at an independent pharmacy but the pharmacist did not have the fundings to hire anyone. Some of my weaknesses are not being able to make out some of the writings on the prescriptions, unfamiliar with typing up prescription, and not being familiar with the whole insurance thing. Does the Pharmacy Train their Pharmacy Tech for the job at all? Stuff like this makes me wish I had paid a couple thousands for training. ( NOT really, but you know!)
I'm starting Pharmacy school in the Fall and I would like to make use of my tech license and earn some money for school. Do you guys have any ideas?

 

[222pharmD]

^ You did the right thing and just take those exams for the licenses. I wish I would of done that, however, I went through a program that taught me nothing and wasted 7g's. Most of the real pharmacy skills for technicians are taught on the job and insurance billing is definitely one of those skills. The program I went through didn't teach me a thing about insurance billing, so I learned it all as I worked in the pharmacy. We had to do an externship for the program, pretty much similar to volunteering for free. That allowed us to become familiar with the pharmacy and to show the pharmacists our capabilities. These days I hear its hard to get hired for a tech, but those who volunteer and demonstrate their capabilities are the ones most likely to get hired so it does take some time. If you have any other questions or concerns please don't hesitate to ask.
Regards.

 

[Electrode]

I passed the PTCB test a while ago and also obtained my state license for Pharmacy Technician.

My question is, Does chain stores like CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Target, Walmart, etc... hire individuals that just get their license from self-studying and not having any type of training?

I presume that many of these pharmacy would only hire experienced individuals. I have 5 years experience working in an academic setting, but not in a pharmacy setting. I volunteered a while back at an independent pharmacy but the pharmacist did not have the fundings to hire anyone. Some of my weaknesses are not being able to make out some of the writings on the prescriptions, unfamiliar with typing up prescription, and not being familiar with the whole insurance thing. Does the Pharmacy Train their Pharmacy Tech for the job at all? Stuff like this makes me wish I had paid a couple thousands for training. ( NOT really, but you know!)
I'm starting Pharmacy school in the Fall and I would like to make use of my tech license and earn some money for school. Do you guys have any ideas?

From my limited knowledge in this area, I don't think you'll be classified as a tech because you'll be a pharmacy school student. You should look into how to obtain an intern license for the state where your school is located.

Even better, try to find & contact some people that are currently attending that school on what advice they may have to offer.

As far as chains hiring techs, Walgreens at least - From a first hand experience, they mostly prefer people with 2+ years experience. However, every rule always have an exception & compromise - meaning that it doesn't always apply. But as an intern, I think you have to pray more for a job opening.

 

[pharm B]

My question is, Does chain stores like CVS, Rite Aid, Walgreens, Target, Walmart, etc... hire individuals that just get their license from self-studying and not having any type of training?

You bet they do! State regulations control the minimum amount of training, but in Texas we're not required to have any formal training. I was hired by a retail chain with just my PTCB certification, and they paid my registration fee with the state board.

I'd say I went from newb to decent tech in under a month. I then spent the next year trying to get as close to "super tech" as I could.

 

[owlegrad]

You bet they do! State regulations control the minimum amount of training, but in Texas we're not required to have any formal training. I was hired by a retail chain with just my PTCB certification, and they paid my registration fee with the state board.

I'd say I went from newb to decent tech in under a month. I then spent the next year trying to get as close to "super tech" as I could.

That's pretty good. Took me about twice that I'd say.