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Pharmacy tech? - LeavingMT

Posted: Jan 17, 2013

Need a job that does not require longterm training/education commitment as I am approaching age 60. I'm finished with MT, after 30+ yrs. Anyone have experience with pharm tech? Thanks, ladies.

I've checked into it...SM - Old Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
My local community college has a course. It cost $2500. I've talked to the coordinator about it. It takes about 4 months. You have to pretest to get in (language/writing skills, math) because they were getting too many people who did not have the prerequisites to be successful. They also place you in an internship at the end of the course and arrange for you to sit for the state license exam. In my state, you need to have a license to work in medical facilities but some retail pharmacies don't require it. I've also heard that CVS Pharmacy hires licensed pharm techs to work in their call centers for mail-in prescriptions (hopefully that won't get outsourced too!) I'm thinking of doing it. Next course starts in May of June.

Call centers - Anonymous

[ In Reply To ..]
If pharmacy techs are working in call centers, it's already been outsourced.

Not entirely true...SM - Old Anon

[ In Reply To ..]
Call center work is just one of the employment options. Hospitals and clinics still use techs on site. Their pharmacy services cannot be outsourced, at this point anyway. I supposed many years down the road there will be no more brick and mortar retail pharmacies and everybody will be doing mail order RX. I have at least 20 years left to work, and most states require a tech to be licensed, so I'm thinking it will be a while before the job will be "off-shored". I wouldn't mind at all working in a call center. In fact, CVS has one about 10 minutes down the road from me. I'm still going for it.

Thank you... - Leaving

[ In Reply To ..]
I appreciate your insight. I have a local cc that offers a program, too, and will contact their office with questions. It looks somewhat promising!

PHARM TECH - MLS

[ In Reply To ..]
My daughter in law is a pharmacist for Walgreens. They hire pharmacy techs with no experience and train them with computerized classes and pay them for that. They then pay for them to take the test to get certified. When they pass they get a raise. They make about $12 per hour in Mississippi. They make more with experience.

thank you for that - Leaving

[ In Reply To ..]
I will investigate this option further. I saw mention of something similar online and wondered about it. Appreciate the tip.

pharmacy tech - gltrgrami

[ In Reply To ..]
There is one more thing to consider. Pharmacy techs have a HUGE responsibility. They are filling prescriptions. Even though you are under the supervision of a pharmacist, it is still a huge responsibility. There is NO room for error. When you take the course they will go into more detail about that, i.e. the organizations, departments, federal law, etc. that you have to know. Depending on where you live, the pay varies. I live in California, and have to be licensed. The max pay here for pharm tech is only $15.00 an hour. For the amount of responsibility, it's just not enough. The starting wage is 9.50. Something for you to think about.

Techs can make more than $15 an hour where I live - married to RPh

[ In Reply To ..]
I'm in a position to know that retail techs start out higher than that and can go above $15/hr. Since my state generally pays people less than CA across the board, I'm not sure that your information is correct.

You can start out in retail, get a little experience under your belt, and move on. I'd get myself into a hospital pharmacy as fast as I could and take advantage of every opportunity to get further training. I've known many people who have done just that.

I completely agree with most of your post. A good tech is worth her weight in gold! I'll bet you are amazing and I hope you'll find a great opportunity to earn more- if that's what you want to do.

Pharmacy tech - gltrgrami

[ In Reply To ..]
Great idea to pretest, that's is what Career Steps should have done; I wouldn't have lost my $1400. Their course was 6 months. Although, I have to say that Career Steps was really a good school, especially if you wanted to do it on your own time in your own home. My teacher really tried to help me, no complaints there. The internship that you are talking about is fantastic. Even though $2500 is a bit high, sounds like the way to go. Good luck!

A local CC has a 3-4 mo program. The course & books - Me

[ In Reply To ..]
Are less than $500. It is very popular and fills up quickly. There are lots of openings but most want 6-12 months of exp or 2 plus if hospitals are formulating pharmacies. Starting pay is about $9/hr in drugstores.

I may take the course as an additional skill as I pursue RN degree.

Pay is very low, field full of kids whose parents - or social workers pushed them into

[ In Reply To ..]
finishing a little four-month certificate. I know one personally, a 22-year-old whose parents give her gasoline money if she does her homework. I'd keep looking. Like a two-year certificate program that starts you at a whole different level.

I hear you but... - Leaving

[ In Reply To ..]
Problem is, by the time I finished a 2-yr program, I would be edging toward retirement. Sigh.

Pharmacy tech - gltrgrami

[ In Reply To ..]
Good for you! I also am long-timer, 28 years and am sooooooo sick of it. I actually tried pharmacy tech school about 1-1/2 years ago. Paid $1400 to Career Steps, got about 1/3 of the way into it, and OMG algebra, algebra and more algebra. Pharmaceutical calculations is about 75% of the course. I am horrible in math and never took algebra. My husband tried and tried and tried, but I just didn't get it. So, I dropped out and lost my money. So if this is something that you are thinking of, be absolutely sure that you are really really good in math, cuz your gonna need it. It's not only algebra, its the metric system and much more. Just not my cup-a-tea. I wish you much luck!

More info about Pharmacy tech profession - married to an RPh

[ In Reply To ..]
Pharmacy techs work in all kinds of different areas. The hardest work is probably in retail and the least physically rigorous is call center work. I've seen a lot of people who simply study for the licensing exam and pass. I wouldn't pay money to a course just for a tech license. It's just not that hard, especially for an MT.

You can work in a call center, a retail chain, an independent pharmacy, as a trainer (pharmacists need training on the software specific to a chain when they start. They usually hire techs for that), nuclear pharmacy, long-term care, and many other areas. If you can get an employer to pay for IV certification or other training for compounding medications, then you will be extremely marketable.

Some mail order companies have a union, too. I think that Medco is one. The union is terrific. When my husband worked for Medco we had fantastic insurance. Another option is working for a poison control center. Good luck!

Thank you! - Leaving

[ In Reply To ..]
I appreciate your sharing your wisdom. I will begin checking into all the details this week and hope that I can become informed and begin the process.

You are welcome - sm

[ In Reply To ..]
Be sure to take whatever the schools tell you with a grain of salt. No one I know hires people from the certificate programs/matchbook schools anymore, and I know a great many pharmacists and hiring managers.

It's sad. The "graduates" from many nearby programs, some of which are supposed to be good, cycled through my husband's pharmacy as volunteers. He could not hire any of them and could trust them only to do things like file prescriptions. One of them used the opportunity to steal narcotics and is now in jail. I guess the schools aren't sharing the fact that pharmacies have many cameras.

A pharmacist's license is at risk for everything that he or she signs off on. They don't want to take a chance on someone who can't pronounce drug names, can't pay close attention to details, who can't communicate with nurses, or who needs other training that no one at the pharmacy has time to give.

Many pharmacists have also been burned by young people who steal narcotics and/or don't have the ability to compassionately deal with sick, angry customers. Most prefer to hire pre-med or pharmacy students if they can. The downside to that is that those hires often need a specific schedule and may move on quickly.

An energetic 60 year old with a great background like yours would be a terrific asset. I'd hire you in a second and I'm sure that others would as well. I hope that what I am sharing is helpful. It's been a really long day for me, but I wanted to take a few minutes to encourage you. Good luck.

How wonderful you are... - Leaving

[ In Reply To ..]
I am now more encouraged and ready to move with this. You have given me some very good points to consider, and I especially value your thoughts as you have first-hand experience with the whole picture. It's thoughtful people like you that are rare these days, and I thank you so very much.

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