Pharmacy Technician

Since the careers of the members here is so varied are there any current or past PT's here? I will be starting class on Monday and I was hoping to get some insight and advice. I also just learned that pharmacy's such as Walgreens and CVS have internships but I have not had the opportunity to discuss such a position with either pharmacy. I will talk with our career specialist after class this week but I think it may be to soon for me to get into an internship, I don't know. I am also curious if these internships are paid positions?

I am already thinking ahead on how I can set myself apart from others in my class and make myself immediately employable.

Thanks,
Gregg

 

This is the thread you should be asking this question in...http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/silver-subscribed-private-forum/439972-thread-fchat-leos-2.html#post143114145 .

Please keep this thread on topic.

 

For many reasons.

 

Ryan I realize you as well as others are curious why I chose 'Pharm Tech' as a new career path so I would like to amend my last post. I chose this field mainly because I have held an interest in it even before I became a LEO and as most here know via my LEO thread I have grown tired of being denied for, what I deem, as irrelevant reasons. What I have known for years now is that the field of 'Pharm Tech' is experiencing huge growth thus making the job opportunities greater for me. I am not getting any younger and will soon be 50 so I am also taking into consideration a career that I can vest my last 25-30yr's in the work force, make decent money, have decent benefits and a decent retirement package and I still get to help people.

 

Talk about information OVERLOAD for the first week !!!!!!!!!!!

The first weeks test, which is part of our overall grade, included questions on material that we have not even covered yet. On top of that the online test questions and answers differ from the information in our syllabus but out grades were adjusted so I am still holding steady at a solid 93.

Part of our curriculum is in algebra and I never took algebra in school! What the hell did I get myself into?!?!?

 

So basically it is all about finding the value of X, right?

 

Matthew 7:1-3
"Judge not, that ye be not judged."

 

The next few weeks should be interesting, good times.

 

There is a certain amount of automation today yet it mostly deals with bar coding, weighing scales, robotics, and automated counting machines to facilitate the counting of large quantities 100+ tablets or capsules. Most of the duties of a pharm tech still need and require a 'hands on' approach mainly because it is a safety precaution and prescriptions are double checked if not triple checked and one of the duties of a pharm tech is dealing with insurance. The real question is what pharmacies beit retail or high volume independent community pharmacies want to invest in these very expensive machines and even if they did I still think the filled prescriptions will receive a final check by a person.

I only just finished my 2nd week (so I still have eleven and a half months to go) so I am still a total newbie but I do know that the pharm tech field is not only experiencing huge growth but there is also a shortage of certified techs in regard to the demand. I am kind of the odd duck simply because I put monetary reward second to personal reward. One of my instructors verified that a L1 PT makes around $25K-$30K a year starting pay (I made less than $25K/yr when I was a deputy sheriff) and the monetary compensation increases with each level so I will still have three levels to shoot for with L4 mainly being administrative and most likely being a six figure income/position.

 

The school I am attending never did this but I can only relate my personal experience.

You are correct sir and I have already thought of this but I appreciate your reminder. When I graduate retail is the easiest position to obtain for a new/no experience PT. PT's who work in hospitals make quite a bit more than retail PT's and I hope to get accepted to one but I have been told that getting a position with a hospital is tough and will require at least a few years of "on the job" experience ie retail.

I am good with all this and heck I may go from retail to hospital only to find that I enjoy retail more.

 

I am very fortunate and I know this. I had a credit card 30yr's ago with a very low limit of $1K but I soon realized it was just another form of debt so I paid it off and cancelled the account. Some people like to put an age limit on learning/personal growth but the smart people realize that these things have no age limit.

Thanks Scott.

 

Yes sir it is.

I hold knowledge that my fellow classmates do not possess simply because it is based upon my age and life experience and the average age of my classmates is around 24yr's old. My hurdle is the math although I am quickly catching on. Everyone learns at a different pace so I exceed in some subjects/topics but I struggle in others, I will be ok.