Pharmacy Experience Needed! and PTCB

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Hello all!

I am looking into pharmacy experience and how to get it. I began my search last fall, but I was set back because every where seemed to require a pharm tech license! I asked around at a couple pharmacies to see if they were hiring, but I guess with the job market right now no one is... Right now I guess my only option is to drive an hour to a hospital and back every week (or two) to shadow a pharmacist in a hospital. I was trying to get into a closer one to home (I am located in the chicago land area) but I can only find one that seems to accept anyone and everyone.

And how long should I shadow for? Do they allow people who shadow to do more than just watch? Because if it is just watching I feel like I cannot justify going back there repeatedly. I would just do a day or two.

I was also going to take the PTCB test to become a pharmacy technician, but my question is do you think it is worth it to spend those hours to study and pass? The spring semester starts Monday and I do not want to overload myself! Some people say it is easy... but I got a study book and it looks like I gotta put in some hefty hours!

I am also a volunteer at a hospital close to my house, but I cannot get into the pharmacy volunteer program because there is a waiting list and you need to be a certified pharm tech. My volunteer supervisor also says the wait time could be a year or more (!) because volunteers can choose to stay longer.

Sooo.... I guess I would like all of you fabulous peoples' advice on how to get the eperience, and if I should just suck it up and take the job shadowing opportunity.

 

[mbpuffer]

I was also going to take the PTCB test to become a pharmacy technician, but my question is do you think it is worth it to spend those hours to study and pass? The spring semester starts Monday and I do not want to overload myself! Some people say it is easy... but I got a study book and it looks like I gotta put in some hefty hours!

I bought a book off Amazon and studied on my own for a couple months, on and off. The test wasn't hard. It turns out I over studied.

 

[JayhawkPharm3r]

I asked around at a couple pharmacies to see if they were hiring, but I guess with the job market right now no one is....

I volunteered at a hospital pharmacy for an entire semester (+200hrs) before they offered me a job there. When they did, I declined because I was unexpectedly transferring schools. (Note: I studied in my off time while going to school and volunteering to earn my PTCB.) When I got to the new city, I was persistent in finding a job. I spent 3 days applying to 34 pharmacies until one offered me a job. I looked for this job with a 60mile radius around the town - so I visited nearby cities.

That job search wasn't done "online", my friend. That was boots-on-the-ground. 4 tanks of gas and a bunch of resumes - I had already applied online and anticipated my app getting lost in the application abyss along with the millions of others. Do you think the people at Walgreens get 5-10 apps a week? Try 50-100...or more. But how many people walk into the store to follow-up? I've seen 0 in the year and a half since I've worked in retail.

Right now, I commute 45minutes three times a week to work as a pharm tech - with a smile! 😀

If you want to achieve your dream, you'll do what no one else will do to accomplish it. Don't give up so easily!

 

[NickW9682]

The PTCB exam is not hard. The math is incredibly basic and the only somewhat difficult part is memorizing the drugs. I studied for like 3 days and got an 833 out of 900 (i think 650 is passing?). Also, are you applying to these pharmacies online or in person? Most companies like Walgreens, CVS, etc have those stupid questionnaires during the application that require certain answers. After talking with a friend in HR at one of these companies I found out that if you don't answer the questions "correctly" then your application essentially goes down the crapper without ever getting reviewed. Your supposed to answer each question with "strongly agree" or "strongly disagree" This is a link to the answers that will actually get you a real interview and assure that your application wont get overlooked...

http://www.timothyhorrigan.com/documents/unicru-personality-test.answer-key.html.

this is a great study guide for the PTCE, its cheap and has 2 practice test that are VERY similar to the real thing...
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/Ph...rtification Quick Study Guide-_-9781582120980