Pharmacy Technician Questions Thread

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I was wondering if it's worth it to pursue this just for the sake of saying I have it on my resume. I would not use it in my life whatsoever. If my GPA is in the 3.8-3.9 range and I hope my PCAT will be high too, and I do not mind finishing a bachelors degree before I start, is it worth it to get a pharmacy tech certification?

Pros:
It looks good?

Cons:
course is 610 dollars not counting cost of exam (which is an extra 100).
(can't bypass it because you can't get a CPhT license w/o taking an approved course first)
it'll take up time that I need (or could use for more directly useful things, like studying for the PCAT)

Also, I will have a pharmacist (can have two) write me recommendations and I shadowed in a pharmacy for a year. I also have plenty of healthcare experience and my parents are physicians so I'm pretty exposed to what it's all about.

So, do you all think I need it, given my stats? Btw I am planning to apply for Fall '11 so my time is kinda limited.
 
Pharmacist2 said:
I was wondering if it's worth it to pursue this just for the sake of saying I have it on my resume. I would not use it in my life whatsoever. If my GPA is in the 3.8-3.9 range and I hope my PCAT will be high too, and I do not mind finishing a bachelors degree before I start, is it worth it to get a pharmacy tech certification?

Pros:
It looks good?

Cons:
course is 610 dollars not counting cost of exam (which is an extra 100).
(can't bypass it because you can't get a CPhT license w/o taking an approved course first)
it'll take up time that I need (or could use for more directly useful things, like studying for the PCAT)

Also, I will have a pharmacist (can have two) write me recommendations and I shadowed in a pharmacy for a year. I also have plenty of healthcare experience and my parents are physicians so I'm pretty exposed to what it's all about.

So, do you all think I need it, given my stats? Btw I am planning to apply for Fall '11 so my time is kinda limited.
Click to expand...
i wouldn't. 610 dollars can be spent on some new clothes, shoes, whatever.

If you're not going to use it and it expires in two years (by then you'll probably be in pharm school) & have your intern license, what's the point?
 
I dunno, I thought it would help me get into pharmacy school. I spent my time in undergrad doing other things though like international volunteering in Africa lol (really though) so thats why I never really pursued it..pharmacy is really competitive though so I wondered. thanks for the insights.
 
Pharmacist2 said:
I dunno, I thought it would help me get into pharmacy school. I spent my time in undergrad doing other things though like international volunteering in Africa lol (really though) so thats why I never really pursued it..pharmacy is really competitive though so I wondered. thanks for the insights.
Click to expand...

Only a couple of schools really care at all about you being a C.PhT...

And usually they are explicit about their requirement of you having experience in a pharmacy.

Just being a C.PhT doesn't mean anything. The test is stupid easy and everyone knows it... kind of like getting a degree from University of Phoenix, you know?

I mean, by all means, drop $129 and take the PTCE and get your initials, and try to find a job, but I wouldn't make it a priority.
 
Yeah, your stats look solid. Don't waste your time or money on that. Where do you live in which you have to take the course to get certified? That kinda sucks for you. Are you saying you already shadowed under a pharmacist or you would if you got certified? I'm not sure what the LoR requisites are for the schools you are applying to, but I didn't use any teachers or TAs for my LoRs and still got interviews for several schools, especially the one I really want to get into. (My grandparents and aunt told me to apply to 30-40 schools and gave me money to do so haha....god supplemental applications are annoying.)

Anyways, yeah looks like you don't need it.
 
how about for someone.. who doesn't have that good of a stats..?
 
88888888 said:
how about for someone.. who doesn't have that good of a stats..?
Click to expand...

Yeah I would definitely go for it. Here are my stats... I did as much as I could to make up for my GPA.

GPA : 3.1
PCAT: 80%tile composite
700+ hours tech experience
130 hours volunteering at a hospital
And letters of recommendation that I'm almost certain that I got all high marks on.

This got me interviews for several schools so far, including UTexas, which is the most important one to me. I'm still working on supplemental applications. I don't know why my grandparents and aunt wanted me to apply to so many schools, because flying to interviews is going to be a pain in the ass.
 
88888888 said:
how about for someone.. who doesn't have that good of a stats..?
Click to expand...

i have okay stats ... last year i didnt get into any of the schools i wanted to. since then, I have gotten my tech license, but havent made a dime with it after putting down hundreds of dollars to get it. however this year I got several interviews.

did it help? probably a little. would i recommend it? only if you are going to get real pharmacy experience out of it. I think the only plus side for me to getting the tech license was being exposed to the pharm law, names of drugs, and some calculations when studying for the certification and thats definitely not worth the x hundreds of dollars i put down.
 
hundreds of dollars? i thought the test cost like.. 130?
hmm.
I see, I'm a 2nd year low gpa.. working towards hopefully a 3.5 gpa before i apply..
 
Passion4Sci said:
And usually they are explicit about their requirement of you having experience in a pharmacy.

Just being a C.PhT doesn't mean anything. The test is stupid easy and everyone knows it... kind of like getting a degree from University of Phoenix, you know?

.
Click to expand...
:laugh:
I'm a phoenix.
 
88888888 said:
hundreds of dollars? i thought the test cost like.. 130?
hmm.
I see, I'm a 2nd year low gpa.. working towards hopefully a 3.5 gpa before i apply..
Click to expand...

I'm not sure how it is in other states, but in CA its pretty expensive. i dont remember the price of the test, but probably like you said, $130, add in $50 (depends on your state, but for CA is 50) for the board to process your license, $72 or so to get your finger printed (live scan), $20 or so for a passport picture, $10 bux to get your certificate notorized.

if you have a 3.5, dont bother with the tech license unless you need a job. if you want pharmacy experience, try to find a volunteering position.
 
I just ordered the Brady review book from Amazon. I'll look it over. I learned a lot of that, judging by the table of contents, when I was in paramedic school so hopefully I can take the test soon. I don't mind paying the fees. Past that I'll start shadowing, and I recently applied for a couple of part-time pharm tech jobs although I'm sure I won't get them. I have a full-time job now but will likely quit to go finish math, phys, and o-chem this May. Right now I'm taking botany with lab which is a prereq for pharm school here.
 
Cool, thanks everyone for the experiences and remarks. I hope this info helps other people as well. lmaonadestand, I live in Virginia, and it's required to complete a formal course before they give you a license, even if you pass the test on your own. and I already shadowed under a pharmacist so, yeah, I guess like everyone says, it's pretty pointless. btw 30-40 schools is a lot, thats like 50% of the schools in the country lol.
 
Pharmacist2 said:
Cool, thanks everyone for the experiences and remarks. I hope this info helps other people as well. lmaonadestand, I live in Virginia, and it's required to complete a formal course before they give you a license, even if you pass the test on your own. and I already shadowed under a pharmacist so, yeah, I guess like everyone says, it's pretty pointless. btw 30-40 schools is a lot, thats like 50% of the schools in the country lol.
Click to expand...

Not quite 50%...

If we just take the number on PharmCAS right now, 116 schools, 40 is a bit far from 50%.
 
Hey! this is my first post on this board, and I'm really look forward to gaining knowledge from all of you guys. I know this will help me in the long run in a huge way.

I'm actually interested in getting a pharmacy tech license because I think it will help me get into pharmacy school. Can anyone help me on how the process is to get the license/certificate.

Thanks for the help. I'm looking forward to being an active member on this board throughout my pre-pharm time.
 
moose pharm said:
Hey! this is my first post on this board, and I'm really look forward to gaining knowledge from all of you guys. I know this will help me in the long run in a huge way.

I'm actually interested in getting a pharmacy tech license because I think it will help me get into pharmacy school. Can anyone help me on how the process is to get the license/certificate.

Thanks for the help. I'm looking forward to being an active member on this board throughout my pre-pharm time.
Click to expand...

The license itself won't help you get into pharmacy school. Your experiences as a technician will help you get into pharmacy school. Taking the test and getting certified will help you get a job at a pharmacy. What state are you from? Each state has their own application for a pharmacy technician license.
 
docss26 said:
The license itself won't help you get into pharmacy school. Your experiences as a technician will help you get into pharmacy school. Taking the test and getting certified will help you get a job at a pharmacy. What state are you from? Each state has their own application for a pharmacy technician license.
Click to expand...

Thanks. I'm in Texas, and that's exactly why I want to get the license. I need exposure and experience to pharmacy, and get as many hours down as I can.
 
moose pharm said:
Thanks. I'm in Texas, and that's exactly why I want to get the license. I need exposure and experience to pharmacy, and get as many hours down as I can.
Click to expand...

Get the license. http://www.tsbp.state.tx.us/techregintro.htm

It will help you get a tech job. If you can't get a tech job, get experience by volunteering at a pharmacy. Independent pharmacies are generally more willing to take in volunteers than other stores. Good luck!
 
And hospitals are even one step better than indy pharmacies. They have (usually) larger staff requirements and many more departments for a volunteer to work in, even in the pharmacy... and the C.PhT will be largely useless in both of those venues because without being an employee you're legally not allowed to perform technician duties that your license would cover.

That said, it can't hurt to have it. If you don't sacrifice time spent on more important things, then you might as well get the tech license. Don't count on that getting you a job in this economy, though. There're plenty of people out there with that same license and lots of experience (And, at least in CA, no one hires sans experience anymore).
 
Hi,

I intend to apply for a program for high-schoolers called the Walgreens Career Explorers program, which is run jointly between Walgreens and STLCOP. I looked online for some information, but all I really found was that it is done over the summer for 1 month. Apparently you do some sort of experience/training thing, then I think you work as a tech in a pharmacy for a couple of weeks...Has anyone done this before? What was it like? Was it worth it? It's really competitive; it only accepts around 25 students, and it has an interview. Can anyone who's done this tell me what the interview is like. I haven't even been interviewed for a job before, so I really don't know. Thanks! 🙂

Oh and by the way you get $1200 at the end! 🙂)))))
 
Do it if you want a step into a career as a pharmacist, especially for a major company such as Walgreens.
 
I can't see how that can be, at all, ever, a bad thing!!! It's like a mini-internship mixed with volunteering... and I'm sure would look stellar on any application package for school.

Would probably make you a shoo-in for 0-6 programs assuming the rest of your stats added up.
 
Same, in Va, you won't get hired without experience, even with the license. Unless I guess there are certain circumstances. But since you're just starting out and aren't in a time jam, it's a good idea to get one. And yeah, I kinda overshot with my 50% guess, lol, but still, 30ish% is still a lot.
 
Oh yes! I will definitely try to get into it, I was just wondering if anyone here had done it before and could tell me what it's like. Thanks for your encouragement! 🙂 🙂
 
Does anyone know how to apply for a pharm tech job at a retail pharmacy- most don't seem to post job listings or email addresses...
 
Even though I'm certified, I'm having a REALLY hard time finding a PRN position (I'm in college full time) because I have NO experience! TIPS PLEASE?
 
Does anyone know how to apply for a pharm tech job at a retail pharmacy- most don't seem to post job listings or email addresses...
Click to expand...

You could either go to job websites such as careerbuilder.com or some other websites to find pharmacy tech job listing. Base from my experience, if you either volunteer or intern at a retail/hospital pharmacy, there is a higher chance that you can land a job. I have some friends who land a job at a hospital inpatient pharmacy after volunteered around 1months. It is just that some supervisor rather train you while you volunteer (nonpaid) than paying you a salary while training you. It kinda waste their time training you and paying you at the same time.

Good luck finding one!!😀
 
john87 said:
you could either go to job websites such as careerbuilder.com or some other websites to find pharmacy tech job listing. Base from my experience, if you either volunteer or intern at a retail/hospital pharmacy, there is a higher chance that you can land a job. I have some friends who land a job at a hospital inpatient pharmacy after volunteered around 1months. It is just that some supervisor rather train you while you volunteer (nonpaid) than paying you a salary while training you. It kinda waste their time training you and paying you at the same time.

Good luck finding one!!:d
Click to expand...
thank you!🙂
 
how do you get experience..if they never offer you experience?
 
I'm a pre-pharmacy student looking to get into becoming a pharmacy tech while I’m taking my prerequisites. Has anyone heard of the online course through the National Pharmacy Technician Association (pharmacytechnician.org)? Do you think this might be a good idea to go this route? I know some people say to just buy a book and study it but in California it's required that we take some type of certification course or get an AA degree in pharm tech.

 
88888888 said:
how do you get experience..if they never offer you experience?
Click to expand...

That's the problem with any job. So many employers want to hire people with experience in the line of work with which the position is in, but how do new people get experience if the employer will only hire those with experience? At some point all those experienced people are going to die off, lol, and there'll be room.

I got into my jobs by having related experience rather than exact experience, i.e. substitute teaching got me a teaching job. Being a good paramedic student and doing ride time with the service got me a good job at that service. Teaching actually helped me get into law enforcement as did the paramedic. blah blah blah
 
I know some people say to just buy a book and study it but in California it's required that we take some type of certification course or get an AA degree in pharm tech.
Click to expand...

That isn't true. You can receive your shiny piece of Board of Pharmacy license without stepping foot in a course.

And really, the only benefit to taking a course is to get the internship/externship that they often (and should!) offer. If it's just a course that won't offer you EXPERIENCE, then it's completely useless, since most employers want to see experience now before they hire you (And just the course won't matter at all).
 
cheeseboy2 said:
I'm not sure how it is in other states, but in CA its pretty expensive. i dont remember the price of the test, but probably like you said, $130, add in $50 (depends on your state, but for CA is 50) for the board to process your license, $72 or so to get your finger printed (live scan), $20 or so for a passport picture, $10 bux to get your certificate notorized.

if you have a 3.5, dont bother with the tech license unless you need a job. if you want pharmacy experience, try to find a volunteering position.
Click to expand...
I was working at Walmart as a "pharmacy technician in training." I paid $129 for the certification exam, passed, and Walmart reimbursed me with cash. So the test can be free...
 
:xf:Seems as if a lot of the information in DelMar's Review is easily grasped aside from the long listings of drugs...... Are these really all necessary? Will they show up on the PTCB?
 
Zekecb said:
I was working at Walmart as a "pharmacy technician in training." I paid $129 for the certification exam, passed, and Walmart reimbursed me with cash. So the test can be free...
Click to expand...
How did you apply to be the "pharmacy technician in training" at Walmart ?
 
itsmylife said:
:xf:Seems as if a lot of the information in DelMar's Review is easily grasped aside from the long listings of drugs...... Are these really all necessary? Will they show up on the PTCB?
Click to expand...
I studied prontopass's notecards, but had a hard time grasping all the drug brand/generic names - I didn't have any hands-on experience...So, I knew mostly all the other stuff besides the drug names and still managed to pass on my first try. So, I'd definitly say there's alot of that stuff on the test (although I don't really remember any exact questions). I'd recommend studying prontopass- they have a great system and it's guarateed. But, DelMar's sounds good too. Keep in mind, though, that I took the test this was about a year and a half ago, so you should check to make sure the standard test/studying ifo hasn't changed.
I hope this was helpful - GOOD LUCK (I'm sure you'll do great😀😉)!
 
Sean93 said:
Hi,

I intend to apply for a program for high-schoolers called the Walgreens Career Explorers program, which is run jointly between Walgreens and STLCOP. I looked online for some information, but all I really found was that it is done over the summer for 1 month. Apparently you do some sort of experience/training thing, then I think you work as a tech in a pharmacy for a couple of weeks...Has anyone done this before? What was it like? Was it worth it? It's really competitive; it only accepts around 25 students, and it has an interview. Can anyone who's done this tell me what the interview is like. I haven't even been interviewed for a job before, so I really don't know. Thanks! 🙂

Oh and by the way you get $1200 at the end! 🙂)))))
Click to expand...

Hi Sean,

I have know a couple of high school students that did that Walgreens/STLCOP program and it is a great deal for several reasons. First if you are on the fence about Pharmacy you get some great exposure. The do many field trips and get to observe almost every modality of Pharmacy, including the work with the animal medications at the nearby St. Louis Zoo.
As you mention you also walk out with your Pharm Tech licsense and completely trained. I think they try to assign you to a Walgreens in your neighborhood and many of the studens stay on as part-time pharmacy techs for their Senior year of HS. A good way to get experience for your applications and more exposure to determine of Pharmacy is right for you.

I don't remember them thinking the interview process was very stressfull but as you said they are relatively selective. Also the stipend makes it a pretty good summer job for the time you put in. I say go for it, even if you don't pick Pharmacy it will be a positive experience and earn you some money.
 
itsmylife said:
:xf:Seems as if a lot of the information in DelMar's Review is easily grasped aside from the long listings of drugs...... Are these really all necessary? Will they show up on the PTCB?
Click to expand...
I studied Delmar's, and it wasn't that good. Half of the questions on the test weren't even in the book, and I think I remember some information in the book being inaccurate. The newest edition is kind of dated, and revisions have been made to the exam since.

dashing said:
How did you apply to be the "pharmacy technician in training" at Walmart ?
Click to expand...
Well, I stocked OTC drugs for a while, I and developed a good relationship with the pharmacy manager. When a position opened, she gave me an interview as "a formality" and the position.
 
i wish they had something like that in my state. 🙁
 
In short, just wondering if i should renew my pharm tech license (expires this month) just for the sake of renewing. Pharmacy school will start in August and i'm not currently doing anything that requires it. I'll make sure to keep my ptcb cert up-to-date though.
 
Mine expired the beginning of this month. If you're not working as a tech I don't see why you would need it. I didn't renew mine either.
 
It all depends on your situation. In Texas (and some other states) you can't be an intern until P2 year. That means it's worth it for me to renew my certs until I get my intern license. If you can intern right away or don't care about working, then no need to worry about it. 😉
 
I agree there is no need when you're an intern. Mine will expire soon also.

Really what is CPhT certification? An elementary multiple choice test which may guarantee to a pharmacy manager that you're at least smarter than a box of hair.
 
pharm B said:
It all depends on your situation. In Texas (and some other states) you can't be an intern until P2 year. That means it's worth it for me to renew my certs until I get my intern license. If you can intern right away or don't care about working, then no need to worry about it. 😉
Click to expand...

Where did you get that information from? (No rudeness intended in that question). I'm a P1 in Texas, and the State Board came to speak to my class about applying for our intern cards a few weeks ago. My class is currently applying and should get the cards in June.

I currently have a pharmacy technician trainee license that expires in April. I'm just going to let it expire, (hopefully) get my intern card by June and hope that I don't need to make money/work during May.
 
ChulRx said:
Where did you get that information from? (No rudeness intended in that question). I'm a P1 in Texas, and the State Board came to speak to my class about applying for our intern cards a few weeks ago. My class is currently applying and should get the cards in June.

I currently have a pharmacy technician trainee license that expires in April. I'm just going to let it expire, (hopefully) get my intern card by June and hope that I don't need to make money/work during May.
Click to expand...
Keyword, in JUNE. Most schools wrap up their Spring semester in May or June... that means your P1 year will be over and you'll be a P2 by then.
 
Hey Everyone,
Tried looking for it but i could not find anything about this so sorry if it is a repeat post.

I was wondering if i should get a pharm tech license in order to look good for pharm school or if i should just volunteer/shadow. Planning on starting research over this summer. Im in my second semester of college freshmen year.

Thanks,
Sunny
 
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