Questions about getting a job as a Pharmacy Tech

[VeilofMaya]

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My friend said she started out at $18.50 as a Pharmacy Tech according to my mom who got it from her mom. I looked up the median salaries/wages for a Pharmacy Tech, however, and found it to be much lower than what she hers. However, my area does seem to pay in the top 10 percentile for Pharmacy Techs.

Everyone on SDN seems to think taking courses is a waste of time and you'd be better off just taking the test. My question is what books are helpful for this exam and how often is the test given out? I'd really like to hear from people who have taken the PTCE.

 

[rx515]

You might have more luck with this in the Pharm forums. As for $18.50 a hour it probably depends on the market and environment (hospital or retail). I've never been a certified tech, but as an intern while in pharm school I didn't even make that.

 

[cbrons]

My friend said she started out at $18.50 as a Pharmacy Tech

18.50 ... LOL. Dude there is no way I believe this -ish. I'm a retail pharm tech, and I also interviewed at the hospital. The most they were paying to start was $8.50.. maybe tack on a buck if you have CPhT (which is a worthless certification - especially for retail, I might also add). The questions on the CPhT are flooringly hilarious. Asking about MOAs, laminar flow, etc... basically a bunch of stuff you, as a pharmacy tech, will never be able to use in practice (for good reason). A little knowledge is dangerous. In my experience with learning this 2% of pharmacy knowledge, I've come to see how an ancillary profession (like nursing) can come to think they are as qualified as those who went to school for 4 whole years to learn this stuff. A little knowledge is a dangerous thing indeed.

 

[cbrons]

My friend said she started out at $18.50 as a Pharmacy Tech according to my mom who got it from her mom. I looked up the median salaries/wages for a Pharmacy Tech, however, and found it to be much lower than what she hers. However, my area does seem to pay in the top 10 percentile for Pharmacy Techs.

Everyone on SDN seems to think taking courses is a waste of time and you'd be better off just taking the test. My question is what books are helpful for this exam and how often is the test given out? I'd really like to hear from people who have taken the PTCE.

Taking courses = waste of money. There is some book that my retail chain gave me to study for it and a bunch of flashcards.

Being a pharm. tech is good clinical experience, though, if you are interested in medicine.

 

[bwg002]

I have been a registered Pharmacy Tech for almost two years now, and I am also certified by PTCB. I don't know where you are from, but I took the course at a school in my area and frankly it was a waste of time and money. Any book should suffice for teaching you the skills required for the PTCE, I used Mosby's exam book and that helped quite a bit. All schools teach differently, and there is no standardization on teaching the course as far as I am aware, so your curriculum may be different than mine. Passing the test is entirely possible without the class.

The PTCE is basically a skills assessment. You need to be comfortable with algebra for dosing calculations, and you need to be familiar with standard pharmacy protocol which will all be outlined in the books preparing you for the test. Memorization is not necessary, do not spend your time memorizing names of specific drugs, you will learn this through work experience and will not be tested on it.

PTCB will offer you a test day and time slot if you wish to take the test, you will have to call them to schedule an appointment and location.

Hope this helps,
-B

 

[phospho]

LOL, i worked as a pharm tech for kroger a few years ago... i was making 6.30/hour!!! the interns were making somewhere around 9/hour... that 18.50 you're talking about is impossible...

 

[Kaustikos]

LOL, i worked as a pharm tech for kroger a few years ago... i was making 6.30/hour!!! the interns were making somewhere around 9/hour... that 18.50 you're talking about is impossible...

Yeah, the pay was ****. But honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed working at the retail pharmacy I worked at. The pharmacists were great and the environment was nice. The only thing that sucked was working weekends/slow days.

I still drop in from time to time to fill in. Don't look for this job for pay and I have never heard of ANYONE making 18.50/hr as a pharmacy tech. Your friend is getting a ridiculous pay.

 

[VeilofMaya]

Thanks for the replies guys, but I have a few more questions.

What does the PTCB mean by you have to apply for the PTCE? How do I get rejected?

Also only $8.50 an hour? Minimum wage in my state is $8.00/hour. I hope I would get paid more than 50 cents an hour above minimum wage.

 

[Kaustikos]

Thanks for the replies guys, but I have a few more questions.

What does the PTCB mean by you have to apply for the PTCE? How do I get rejected?

Also only $8.50 an hour? Minimum wage in my state is $8.00/hour. I hope I would get paid more than 50 cents an hour above minimum wage.

Why? You're just shoveling pills into a bottle

But really, why do you feel entitled to a larger wage?

 

[Jolie South]

Why? You're just shoveling pills into a bottle

But really, why do you feel entitled to a larger wage?

I've been a pharm tech, and it's more than that. Battling with insurance companies isn't fun. Dealing with patients whose insurance won't cover their viagra or who are going on a romantic Caribbean vacation and need their oral contraceptives but have no refills left can be a huge headache.

 

[fastnfurious]

I get $10/hr and I work in retail pharmacy, but $18 is a bit ridiculous for someone starting off. hospital pharm techs do make more. some pharmacist at a hospital tried convincing me to switch b/c he was telling me they pay somewhere around ~14 to 15/hr. With a couple years of working, someone could probably get near 18....ps hospital pharmacy is a lot more boring

 

[Kaustikos]

I've been a pharm tech, and it's more than that. Battling with insurance companies isn't fun. Dealing with patients whose insurance won't cover their viagra or who are going on a romantic Caribbean vacation and need their oral contraceptives but have no refills left can be a huge headache.

My comment wasn't meant to be taken seriously. I've worked as a tech (see previous post). My comment was, more or less, a reflection of the general consensus about what it is a pharmacy tech does.

 

[cbrons]

It is possible for pharm. techs in retail to make up to $18.50. In fact, there are a few at my store who are not far away from it. Granted they are pharm techs as their career and have been with the retail chain for some 10+ years, have certification, formerly train new techs, know everything about insurance, etc. So it is possible but not for someone who plans on going to med. school, you'll be outta there long before you even hit $12 (usually)