Pharmacy Tech - Schedule?

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Aidan

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Hello :) I'm going to be looking for a pharmacy technician job in about a month - in a week or so, I'm registering for spring term of 09.

I'm kind of confused as to how I should coordinate my school schedule - should I be assuming that I will be working 9-5 as a pharmacy tech (retail, that is) and then schedule classes from ~5:30 on? Or should I be assuming that I'll have school in the morning and work at night?

Basically what I'm asking is, what hours are needed/required more? Daytime, or night?

Thanks :):)

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The busy hours for a pharmacy is generally from 3pm to 9pm

It starts getting busy at 3pm

Gets crazy after 5 pm (almost everyone gets off work at this time)

and sometimes, the craziness does not end til 9pm or when the pharmacy closes its doors.

(Of course, business for different pharmacies will vary on what day of the week or month)

What I listed are from my own limited experience working at pharmacies. good luck :)
 
When I got my tech job, it was at a 24/7 pharmacy, and they have been really accommodating as far as scheduling goes. In my case, I told them flat out that school came first and I'd only work these ours, but that was just what they were looking for (weekends and the occasional monday or friday afternoon).

We get a rush around 11pm, seems to be prime time for ER patients to want their Lortabs. And from 4pm to 6pm it's insanely busy, but this is one of the highest volume stores in Minnesota.

Were I in your shoes, I'd decide which were more vital: working full time or school full time, and schedule around that. In my case, I can get by working part time since I go to classes full time and have no life to speak of :)
 
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I would suggest trying to work it so that you will be able to work at least some in the daytime. There's a lot of stuff that goes on during the day (doctor calls, inventory, etc.) that you won't get exposed to if you only work nights and weekends.
 
I would suggest trying to work it so that you will be able to work at least some in the daytime. There's a lot of stuff that goes on during the day (doctor calls, inventory, etc.) that you won't get exposed to if you only work nights and weekends.

:thumbup: That is some great advice! I worked retail for about a year and a half - only working nights and weekends because I had another full-time "real" job. Even after over a year, there were still so many things I couldn't or didn't know how to do because I was never there when they were done.

OTOH, if you are going to school full-time and working part-time, school is your #1 job and priority. I would personally get my schedule of classes first then decide what hours I'm able/willing to work (unless you are trying to get hired full-time as a tech). Good luck!
 
I also plan to work part-time and full time school. I am just wondering what pharmacy technicians actually do. Is it like receiving phone call, refill pills, and stuffs? So I will know what to expect. How long do you actually get trained? I called several places, but I think they are looking for pharmacy students more. Pre-pharmacy students do not seem to get that opportunity and with the economy as it is, unless they are really lucky.
 
The busy hours for a pharmacy is generally from 3pm to 9pm

It starts getting busy at 3pm

Gets crazy after 5 pm (almost everyone gets off work at this time)

and sometimes, the craziness does not end til 9pm or when the pharmacy closes its doors.

(Of course, business for different pharmacies will vary on what day of the week or month)

What I listed are from my own limited experience working at pharmacies. good luck :)

Hmmm, ok.. I hadn't thought of that. For some reason I figured that the morning/late morning hours would be the busiest, but duh.. everyone is at work :) I've been working in a restaurant for too long :p. So, you think that I should go to school maybe like, 8 AM - 2 PM, and then work from 3 PM on? Would that be what pharmacies need the most, possibly?

I'm looking to work full-time, also.. not part-time.

I also plan to work part-time and full time school. I am just wondering what pharmacy technicians actually do. Is it like receiving phone call, refill pills, and stuffs? So I will know what to expect. How long do you actually get trained? I called several places, but I think they are looking for pharmacy students more. Pre-pharmacy students do not seem to get that opportunity and with the economy as it is, unless they are really lucky.

Pharmacy technicians assist the pharmacist in a lot of ways: filling/refilling medications (the pharmacist has to supervise and "check" afterwards), ringing up customers, recieving phone calls, etc. In a hospital there's other stuff, like compounding meds and aseptically mixing IVs in a flow hood, delivering them to the floors, getting signatures, checking to make sure that all the floors are following controlled substance regulations, keeping stuff clean, etc etc. There's a lot.

Also, pharmacy students (usually) get hired as a pharmacy intern, not a pharmacy technician.
 
When I got my tech job, it was at a 24/7 pharmacy, and they have been really accommodating as far as scheduling goes. In my case, I told them flat out that school came first and I'd only work these ours, but that was just what they were looking for (weekends and the occasional monday or friday afternoon).

We get a rush around 11pm, seems to be prime time for ER patients to want their Lortabs. And from 4pm to 6pm it's insanely busy, but this is one of the highest volume stores in Minnesota.

Were I in your shoes, I'd decide which were more vital: working full time or school full time, and schedule around that. In my case, I can get by working part time since I go to classes full time and have no life to speak of :)

Wow, 11 PM rush, haha. That's pretty insane. I really don't know which is more "vital", that's the main problem I'm having - I need both equally, school for obvious reasons, and work because I have to pay my bills hehe. I can go to school anytime I want, but I want to make sure I'm available at the times pharmacy techs are needed the most, so that I can A. get hired easier, and B. work during the busiest periods (for optimal experience).

I appreciate all of your guys' answers very much! :)

I would suggest trying to work it so that you will be able to work at least some in the daytime. There's a lot of stuff that goes on during the day (doctor calls, inventory, etc.) that you won't get exposed to if you only work nights and weekends.

I agree, that's really good advice, considering doctors' offices close around 4-5 PM here.
 
[/quote] Also, pharmacy students (usually) get hired as a pharmacy intern, not a pharmacy technician.[/quote]

I also thought of that kinda weird when I talked to one of the pharmacy technicians, she said they look for pharmacy students more, so I thought pharmacy interns would do similar duties as pharmacy technicians but with more experience and interaction with patients.
 
Hello :) I'm going to be looking for a pharmacy technician job in about a month - in a week or so, I'm registering for spring term of 09.

I'm kind of confused as to how I should coordinate my school schedule - should I be assuming that I will be working 9-5 as a pharmacy tech (retail, that is) and then schedule classes from ~5:30 on? Or should I be assuming that I'll have school in the morning and work at night?

Basically what I'm asking is, what hours are needed/required more? Daytime, or night?

Thanks :):)

Since you posted this a few months ago, Would you please tell me whether you got a job or not? I am a pre pharmacy student, and want to work first as a pharm tech trainee and then as a pharm. tech.
If pharmacies are not hiring pre pharmacy students, then how are we supposed to have 'Work experience at a Pharmacy' before getting in to a pharmacy school?
I can volunteer at a pharmacy, but everyone says that it isn't as beneficial as working at a pharmacy, right?
Have you passed your pharm. Tech. Exam? which books did you consult?
I will be looking forward to your reply, Thnx...........
 
Since you posted this a few months ago, Would you please tell me whether you got a job or not? I am a pre pharmacy student, and want to work first as a pharm tech trainee and then as a pharm. tech.
If pharmacies are not hiring pre pharmacy students, then how are we supposed to have 'Work experience at a Pharmacy' before getting in to a pharmacy school?
I can volunteer at a pharmacy, but everyone says that it isn't as beneficial as working at a pharmacy, right?
Have you passed your pharm. Tech. Exam? which books did you consult?
I will be looking forward to your reply, Thnx...........

Not always are you required to be a certified pharmacy tech. 80% of the techs in my pharmacy, including me, were hired with no experience and trained on the job. I'm actually still training.
 
Not always are you required to be a certified pharmacy tech. 80% of the techs in my pharmacy, including me, were hired with no experience and trained on the job. I'm actually still training.
Same here; I had no meaningful experience as a technician when I was hired, but was trained. The only thing was that I had to be a CPhT within a year of being hired, so I had to go take the test.
 
Same here; I had no meaningful experience as a technician when I was hired, but was trained. The only thing was that I had to be a CPhT within a year of being hired, so I had to go take the test.

I don't have work experience of any kind. There was no concept of work+study back in my country. How long does it normally take to find a Job at Pharmacy? What are the chances they would hire me (with no previous work experience of any kind)?

thnx 4 replying to my previous post..............:)
 
I am also pretty much in the same boat as Swansong, I have been actively looking for a position in my area (Western Chicago Suburbs) for almost the past two and a half months and nothing to show for it. I also have heard that Mosby's book is a good source for the PTCE, Yet is it adequet for one without any experience in the field?
 
I don't have work experience of any kind. There was no concept of work+study back in my country. How long does it normally take to find a Job at Pharmacy? What are the chances they would hire me (with no previous work experience of any kind)?

thnx 4 replying to my previous post..............:)

sooo No work experience.....EVER? wow must be nice for parents to pay for it all......
wellyou can get some work experience by applying at a fast food place or something to have something to put on your resume........then try a pharmacy
i have been working since I was 15, therefore i have work experience and obviously it has gotten me nowhere. i still cant find a pharmacy tech job so dont take it personal... but the economy sucks, so everyone is suffering....
i just recently studied and took the pharmacy tech exam on my own and passed it and i started calling places (at least i am certified so they dont have to pay for it) and everywhere i have called says that they are cutting hours for people and have absolutely no room to add anyone else on (but then again, I am in CA and uhhhhhhh our unemployment rate is one of the lowest in the country...go figure)
so dont sweat....blame the economy and try to get some sort of job to obtain some crediablity and work ethic...
good luck:luck:
 
Ive worked in a pharmacy for 3.5 years and i would say schedule school during the busiest times of the day. Try to work in the morning when flow is light rather than at night when its crazy and the customers never stop coming. Its a lot less stressful and you can try to maintain some of your sanity.

Let the full time techs work at the busiest time and try and get out before it gets crazy. I work 8-2 T & Th then 10-6 Sunday so I usually never get to see the busy rush hours that would drive me crazy.
 
where i am from, everyone works an 8 hour shift. regardless of when you show up, you must add into consideration hours when they may need you may not be hours you hope for. if you are just starting out, you will probably have training. these hours may be more flexible but if you continue to work as a pharm tech after training, you might float around; picking up shifts where people can't work or don't want to. if you find a pharm tech job that is full time in this economy cheers to you! i would put school before work though. pre-reqs > experience
 
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