how to become a pharmacy tech/online courses??

[dr1989]

will the certifcate i get allow me to become a pharmacy tech?

(my state is california so anyone know if i only need a certificate to work as a tech or do i have to pass some test first?)

im really new to this whole pharmacy thing-so please dont bash me (at least not yet😳)

and how reputable are online certificates? there arent any schools nearby and im also a ft worker/ft college student (20 years old) and i would like to have some experience as a pharmacy tech on hand and then im thinking about getting some sort of internship at amgen next year when i start my bio undergrad (that univ has some hookups with amgen 😀)

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[dr1989]

oh-i just looked at that website again, and the only thing they really are doin is preparing you for the certificate test! so that means, i could study myself and then just pay the fee and take the test right? so why take the course?

 

[JJVmom]

I'm in CA also. I emailed w/the state board b/c so many people told me that you "have to" take a course. Since you checked the state website, http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/forms/tch_app_pkt.pdf, you saw that it says there are 3 ways to become a tech: take a course, be trained by the military, or pass the test. So, you don't have to take a course. Once you pass the test, you're then certified. You then have to send in to the state board for your license.

I looked into taking a course. The prices ranged from $1700 for a 6 mth self-paced online course to $14,000 for Kaplan College. I guess the only benefit would be that you get "trained." I heard that it is difficult to get hired if you just pass the test and have no training. But I haven't personally tried yet.

If you're just looking for some experience...If you're near a military base, you can volunteer at the base hospital pharmacy as a pharmacy clerk through the Red Cross. Since my chem and bio classes are consuming me right now, that's what I'm going to do so I don't have to ask for time off to study.

Good luck!

 

[aboveliquidice]

I'm in CA also. I emailed w/the state board b/c so many people told me that you "have to" take a course. Since you checked the state website, http://www.pharmacy.ca.gov/forms/tch_app_pkt.pdf, you saw that it says there are 3 ways to become a tech: take a course, be trained by the military, or pass the test. So, you don't have to take a course. Once you pass the test, you're then certified. You then have to send in to the state board for your license.

I looked into taking a course. The prices ranged from $1700 for a 6 mth self-paced online course to $14,000 for Kaplan College. I guess the only benefit would be that you get "trained." I heard that it is difficult to get hired if you just pass the test and have no training. But I haven't personally tried yet.

If you're just looking for some experience...If you're near a military base, you can volunteer at the base hospital pharmacy as a pharmacy clerk through the Red Cross. Since my chem and bio classes are consuming me right now, that's what I'm going to do so I don't have to ask for time off to study.

Good luck!

Great info - I had heard that taking a course was mandatory in Cali now - its nice to hear that is not the case.