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Reveiw guide for pharm tech
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If you have any sort of education past high school math, you won't need much in that respect.
I would maybe look at a website listing brands and generics.
I'm not sure what's on those tests, but I can't imagine they would be too difficult. I know some people who passed them and I wouldn't trust them tying their own shoes.
But they have been cracking down on techs lately, so maybe it's different now.
I would maybe look at a website listing brands and generics.
I'm not sure what's on those tests, but I can't imagine they would be too difficult. I know some people who passed them and I wouldn't trust them tying their own shoes.
But they have been cracking down on techs lately, so maybe it's different now.
Back when I took the exam (about 4 years ago), JPHazleton would have been right. Now, however, they've really raised their expectations. I'm doing one of my externships now in community practice, and the tech there showed me her review book for the exam. They're expecting the techs now to know things like allegation and advanced calculations (which, granted isn't THAT hard... just something that isn't all that intuitive,) basic pharmacology (beyond "X is the generic for Y") and even a little bit of pharmacy practice management. Its a pretty diverse test with a lot of hospital oriented IV admixture stuff.
I THINK that if you go to the PTCB web site, they have listed a reference for study guides. Also, most retail pharmacies (I know that CVS has this) have a guide of their own. If you know anyone that works there, you could probably get them to lift one for you.
I THINK that if you go to the PTCB web site, they have listed a reference for study guides. Also, most retail pharmacies (I know that CVS has this) have a guide of their own. If you know anyone that works there, you could probably get them to lift one for you.
You're absolutely right! Perhaps this change for the tech has occured because the role of the pharmacist is shifting as well????I was told that the test was not that difficult at all.However a pharmacist I spoke to said it would be a wise decision ro get a review book of some kind.Her daughter and son are both in pharmacy school and she said her son was "definitely not ready to take the exam." I became curious because I thought the exam was pretty much easy stuff.I have gone to a couple of websites and have seen different books.I just wanted to know which one was the best.
Yes they are "cracking" down on the pharm tech.At least in my state.If you are not certified your duties are limited to answering the phone,ringing up customers etc. The video-I think it is from the ptcb website?- does not make this test seem like a cakewalk.The review books I have seen do not appear to be books you can review in a few hours if you are not familiar with the pharm techs duties. I realize that the exam is not difficult but when some people say-no one on this board so far-you don't have to study for this exam,it really is misleading.You at least need *working* knowledge of the pharmacy to get thru it from what I have read.
I know at CVS they publish their own book for techs, it is quite involved for tech work. Although, after about one semester of classes it looks like I could pass the tech exam. The book they have is published by the American Pharmaceutical Association, their website is aphanet.org. The book published is the "Pharmacy Technician Certification Quick Study Guide."
Hope this helps
Hope this helps
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I don't know if this will help, but I would try asking any RPh you work with if they have a pharmaceutical calculations book they can lend you. It will go over all the math and more. Also, you might want to organize some tutoring sessions a couple of weeks before the test. Basically you ask an RPh or a very knowledgeable tech (who has taken the test recently) to present review material and then go out for beer and pizza afterwards! I do this for my techs and it seems to work well!
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Anyone who has even taken this course knows that 80% of the techs out there who work in retail wouldn't be able to understand much past the front cover.
I don't want to sound like I don't have no respect for techs (I am one myself), but many of them have been working at the job since high school...or right out of high school.
I've worked with techs who have difficulty calculating a day supply on a qd med written for #30. Sad, but true.
Pharmacy is a fascinating profession with a tremendous ability to impact patients who don't understand their medications or are looking for better ways to care for themselves and their families. Techs need to be better educated. I am also happy to see that interns are getting more responsibilities as the pharmacists become more burdened with responsibility due to increased workload and decreased graduating colleagues.
If you want to be a tech, make sure you follow a few simple rules.
#1. Don't worry so much about brand/generic conversions. There are always pocket guides for that. I use one myself sometimes.
#2. TAKE YOUR TIME. The pharmacist has enough to do other than re-entering data you screwed up or having you re-count something.
#3. What the pharmacist says behind the counter is law. You are working under his/her license. Something goes out mislabeled and its YOUR fault, who do you think gets hammered?
#4. Triple check all of your math. Double check the pharmacists math. A good tech (like me!) has a great math background and can do calculations in his/her head. Do it on the calculator, in your head, and on the calculator again.
#5. The customer is always right...unless it involves insurance. They want brand, give them brand.
Again...don't take this job lightly. The only other job that I have done where I felt more responsibility is when working as an EMT, both on the street and in an ED. There are plenty of things that can go wrong in a pharmacy, and plenty that can hurt or kill patients. You hear stories all the time about pharmacists getting in trouble or even killing themselves due to mistakes from the bench.
Oh, and again...it's not that I don't have a lot of respect for techs...many of them do a fantastic job. But again, there are a good number who are grandfathered into the position who have little or no education other than "experience". Future pharmacists be wary...and remember, it's not only my ass on the line (if I EVER get out of medical school), it's yours as well...not to mention a good number of peoples lives.
Best of luck.
You have stated so eloquently a good part of what I have been trying to say. I think it was a wise decision to have pharm techs certified.If you have ever viewed the ptcb's video I think that it will become obvious that the role of the pharm tech is changing into one with greater challenges and more responsibilities.
While I am unsure of my plans for the summer i still believe that pharm tech is a good career choice.
I have never considered pharmacy techs being really a career choice - they hardly make enough in retail to get by. The last time I checked those in retail made around what the guy working at McDonalds made.
One thing I never figured out was an associattes degree program at one of the community colleges were I used to live. Why would you spend 2 years learning tech duties when companies will do on the job training in about a month and pay you?
True maybe about the career choice,but to each his own right? The pharm techs I know actually seem pretty happy with their jobs.And they have decided not to go to pharmacy school. Maybe they will change their mind who knows...but if they are content,then good for them.
I can see your point tho about the associates degree.From scanning a few websites it looks as tho the 2 year program-obviously-goes a little bit more 'into' the pharm tech's duty,responsibilities than the 6 month program.I think what is contradictory are the three phases of this seem out of sync with each other: the training,the test,the duties.
And I believe the training you are referring to is dependent upon where you live.Most openings here are for "certified" techs.
