Pharmacy Tech Question

[IrishOats]

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Hi there everyone, I've been lurking for awhile and I've found lots of useful information. What a great forum!
Before I ask my question, I'll give you a bit of background. I'm a junior undergrad majoring in biochemistry, and I plan on getting my bachelor's before applying to Pharmacy school. I'm looking to get a job as a pharmacy technician this summer, so I'd like to get certified. I have no pharmacy technician experience whatsoever.

I'd appreciate advice on which of the following options would be the best for someone in my position, with no experience:

1) Should I try to get hired or volunteer in a retail pharmacy just to get some experience, before even thinking about trying to get certified?

2) Should I take an online course? I've found some credible ones, but then I thought I might be able to just study from a PTCB review book for a few months and pass the exam.

3) Studying from a review book, without taking a class. Would this be a bad idea, considering I have no pharmacy technician experience?


Any guidance or opinions would be great.

 

[phuang06]

Hi there everyone, I've been lurking for awhile and I've found lots of useful information. What a great forum!
Before I ask my question, I'll give you a bit of background. I'm a junior undergrad majoring in biochemistry, and I plan on getting my bachelor's before applying to Pharmacy school. I'm looking to get a job as a pharmacy technician this summer, so I'd like to get certified. I have no pharmacy technician experience whatsoever.

I'd appreciate advice on which of the following options would be the best for someone in my position, with no experience:

1) Should I try to get hired or volunteer in a retail pharmacy just to get some experience, before even thinking about trying to get certified?

2) Should I take an online course? I've found some credible ones, but then I thought I might be able to just study from a PTCB review book for a few months and pass the exam.

3) Studying from a review book, without taking a class. Would this be a bad idea, considering I have no pharmacy technician experience?


Any guidance or opinions would be great.

1) If you can get hired or get a volunteer opportunity in pharmacy, then jump on it. If you can't, then think about getting certified.

2) If you have the ability to learn from a book, then there is absolutely no reason why you should take an online course, or any course for that matter, for the PTCE. A review book is fine.

3) Even without pharmacy technician experience, it isn't that hard to grasp the concepts presented on the PTCE, and it is not all that difficult to pass the exam anyway with a little bit of studying.

 

[mattc_85]

I second what was said above. If you get get a job or are able to volunteer at a pharmacy that would be great, it will only help you to solidify your decision to go into pharmacy. The PTCE is not that difficult. If you do end up working up in a pharmacy that will be enough to get you through the exam. I wouldn't take an online course, they are too much for what you can get from just working or studying a prep book. Good luck either way!

 

[PearLBenzene]

I was in the exact same boat as you.

The summer after my junior year I applied as a technician in training. I did mostly clerk stuff, but when they weren't as busy they would teach me as much as they could.

I got a book to study for the exam, took the exam in September and passed. Honestly, I learned the majority of the material from the book since I did not work as a tech most of the time. It's not difficult to pass.

One thing that really helps is to tell them that you are applying to pharmacy school. They seem more willing to help you out.

 

[collegegirl247]

I think its soooo much easier to get certified after you work in a pharmacy for a while so do that second. I would try to volunteer, or find a retail store that needs help....its much easier to get into a retail store without pharmacy experience if you are not being picky about location. My first technician job was in a retail store that nobody wanted to work at because it was really busy and had an older clientele.....the ride was 45 mins to get there...but after I had some experience I found that just about any pharmacy at any location would take me.

 

[laimyours]

I would get pharmacy experience before jumping into getting the certification. Without experience how could you know you want to be a pharmacist? Theres no way. Honestly, pharmacies HATE people that come out of tech school with no experience. We avoid hiring them, we'd much rather have a person with no license and experience. The only difference is a person with a license can count pills. We don't need any more pill counters...

 

[IrishOats]

Thanks for your advice everyone! I really appreciate it. I'm so glad to have found this forum, and hopefully I can give some helpful advice too, at some point. 😀