Career Focus on Pharmacy Technician

[WhiteRhinoPhantom]

Is there a way to find out what herbs you can mix? Or what are the cheapest herbs?

[ANthonyfoofighter]

Can they work For Mercy or Kaiser or another Hospitibal too?

[20Jennifer10]

I'm in high school and this summer i am being considered for a pharmacy program where i can become a pharmacy tech but i would only be 17. Is there any type of law or rule or anything that would prevent me from working until I'm 18?

[thecareerschools]

Regulations may vary by state -- check to see for sure. Otherwise, it would be up to the pharmacy you work for.

[cope]

yea, cant wait to take this carrer

[racequad9]

Would a Pharmacy Technician diploma be good thing to get?? Cause i was looking into Penn Foster (DOT) com and they offer a diploma in this feild??

[HookerBooker69]

You can take the PYCB with no "formal" schooling. Read and study on your own would be the cheapes. Three of us at walgreens never went to pharm tech school. We just studied a book. But you do need a good math background (metric) and prealgebra.

[scooterinnc84]

I just applied for a pharmacy tech position at Walgreens in NC. Is the starting pay pretty good? Do they pay for you to take the PTCB test? I want to work there over the Summer to gain experience to work in a hospital. I have 8 years experience working at a veterinary office as a vet assistant, so I have dealt with medications before. I have taken medical courses at a community college, but I'm tired of going to school. What is it like at Walgreens?

[thecareerschools]

Walgreens tends to pay better than most retail settings.

With that they also tend to be the better retail sites to work for.

I have never worked there but others have remained there for a long time.

I do not know if they pay for the PTCB, you will have to ask the store or pharmacy manager. --jb

[Marvel450]

I dont know if its a high demand career but I do think that if you only passed the PCYB test and got hired...then the pharmacy must have really needed someone and did not care if you took any classes.

[thecareerschools]

You'll have to check the regulations of the state you live/work in. Somewhere around 32 states now require certification. Ohio just passed what is called "Emily's Law" which requires everyone to be certified. You may have to have approved training. Again, check with a pharmacist to see what the regs say.

[thecareerschools]

Drug screens are quite commonplace in today's workplace -- ESPECIALLY in the medical field.

[thecareerschools]

There's been a lot of comments of not going to school to be a Pharmacy Tech. Somewhere around 32 states now require certification. Ohio just passed what is called "Emily's Law" which requires everyone to be certified. When you have other peoples' lives in your hands, you need to be a real professional. So, with malpractice suits climbing, most places -- if they don't already -- will probably soon require certification.

[cope]

are pharmacy techs drug screened often?

[thecareerschools]

Why would that be a problem? You're not on DRUGS, are you?

[xLilLx21]

never went to college for this... trained for 10 weeks at my job and passed the ptce!!!

[Johnrosssssss]

lol its gonna take me 2 years up in Canada... how the hell is it taking them 8 months in the US!!!!!!!! this is outrageous!!!

[RebirthedKarma]

It's only going to take me six months, one evening a week.

I'm not sure why it's taking you two years, that does suck.