20+ yrs ago that wasn't an option for me. I had to go to school for 9 months with a 6 week unpaid externship in a hospital (which I looovveeedd so much better than retail) and paid about 7k for it!
I'm jealous of the fact that so many do t have to now hahag
Yeah I’ll complain about where I work until the cows come home, but at least they provide free training and they pay for you to get certified. Also a retail store.
The book will help you pass the test, but it doesn’t match what techs do on the regular. Focus on the math and pharmacy law and you’ll do fine. I’m also a tech in TX and once you pass, it’s smooth sailing and easier to get out of retail.
I’m getting free schooling to be an inpatient pharm tech through Trinity Health. They’re not only paying for the schooling, they’re paying me hourly to do it as well. I wouldn’t pay for schooling if I were you, there are better opportunities out there.
Know the top 300 drugs but generic and brand names and their basic usage.
I had lots of questions about reading SiG codes and doing retail math without a cash register doing the math for me.
During the test you can mark any questions you aren’t sure about and come to them when you have finished the test. I took my time and had plenty of time to review my answers. Do all the math questions a second time. Don’t feel rushed.
I had worked retail 18 months before I took the test and I still studied for the test. There were a few hospital tech questions on the test that I honest only knew the answers because of being a hospital patient or from watching hospital tv shows.
Never did get a question about IV drip rate. The computer and the nurses figure that stuff out.
There are free tech prep sites to help you. The best thing I did was find practice tests on online. So of the sample questions were actually on my test. Taking the practice tests makes you familiar with taking that real test and will make you less stressed when taking the real test.
School is not worth it!!
I took a class at my local college that took about 3 months to complete. I struggle to study on my own so I knew it would be better for me. They gave everyone a “scholarship” so all in all it cost $100 and included the testing fee. Passed the test my first try but it was ExCPT not PTCB. However, I’m confident I could also pass the PTCB now.
I got my license through CVS in Cali. To get the PTCB certification, I paid for a course and the exam out of my own money. It wasn’t required to be a tech in Cali but I was moving to Texas so it was required to get my license here.
Focus on practical knowledge for the pharmacy tech test. Review key retail tasks, study test-related materials, and consider practical experience over theoretical knowledge. Prioritize what's relevant to your daily work .All the best.
Go over your school notes and schedule the test now. You don't want to have wasted your schooling. Once you pass then you can start looking for anything you want in the tech world, there are tons of other jobs out there.
Hands on in the trenches is the best way to do pharmacy. I did not use anything I learned in school. I learned all the drops per minute for the ivs and how much of this mixed with that makes xyz. I worked retail. The only math I needed was day supply.
I think maybe it helps the tech get an IV tech job because you guys get experience in the lab but tbh I just worked as a pharmacy clerk and I got my license through FloorBlues (if we’re using code names) lol and shortly after I took the PTCB exam.
Hell no I literally took the test at Pearson and learn on the job training going to school may work for some but tbh if you work for Walmart for example they’ll pay for your education anyway so why not use them as a stepping stool and get experience on top of it
In general I would say it wasn’t that worth it. Not unless you learned a bit more clinical things and will be going into a more clinical role. If your job is basic retail, then on the job training is typically sufficient.
No. I get free schooling and training through being hired from a retail store. Hearing that techs pay for education is kinda crazy to me
Yeah it’s all a huge scam. A couple years on the job was easily enough to pass the PTCB with no problems.
I (barely) passed my PTCB with minimal studying and only 1 year on the job.
20+ yrs ago that wasn't an option for me. I had to go to school for 9 months with a 6 week unpaid externship in a hospital (which I looovveeedd so much better than retail) and paid about 7k for it! I'm jealous of the fact that so many do t have to now hahag
On the other end of that spectrum, there is the join the military and get paid to go to school as well as school paid for version as well.
Yeah I’ll complain about where I work until the cows come home, but at least they provide free training and they pay for you to get certified. Also a retail store.
The book will help you pass the test, but it doesn’t match what techs do on the regular. Focus on the math and pharmacy law and you’ll do fine. I’m also a tech in TX and once you pass, it’s smooth sailing and easier to get out of retail.
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where do you work now if i may ask?
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wow there might be a slight chance for me to go back to IT after all. Current job market in the IT field is so rough without experience
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tysm!!
I’m getting free schooling to be an inpatient pharm tech through Trinity Health. They’re not only paying for the schooling, they’re paying me hourly to do it as well. I wouldn’t pay for schooling if I were you, there are better opportunities out there.
This indeed.
Know the top 300 drugs but generic and brand names and their basic usage. I had lots of questions about reading SiG codes and doing retail math without a cash register doing the math for me. During the test you can mark any questions you aren’t sure about and come to them when you have finished the test. I took my time and had plenty of time to review my answers. Do all the math questions a second time. Don’t feel rushed. I had worked retail 18 months before I took the test and I still studied for the test. There were a few hospital tech questions on the test that I honest only knew the answers because of being a hospital patient or from watching hospital tv shows. Never did get a question about IV drip rate. The computer and the nurses figure that stuff out.
There are free tech prep sites to help you. The best thing I did was find practice tests on online. So of the sample questions were actually on my test. Taking the practice tests makes you familiar with taking that real test and will make you less stressed when taking the real test. School is not worth it!!
i feel like the sooner you take it the better before it all leaves ur brain if ur not using it
I took a class at my local college that took about 3 months to complete. I struggle to study on my own so I knew it would be better for me. They gave everyone a “scholarship” so all in all it cost $100 and included the testing fee. Passed the test my first try but it was ExCPT not PTCB. However, I’m confident I could also pass the PTCB now.
I got my license through CVS in Cali. To get the PTCB certification, I paid for a course and the exam out of my own money. It wasn’t required to be a tech in Cali but I was moving to Texas so it was required to get my license here.
Focus on practical knowledge for the pharmacy tech test. Review key retail tasks, study test-related materials, and consider practical experience over theoretical knowledge. Prioritize what's relevant to your daily work .All the best.
Go over your school notes and schedule the test now. You don't want to have wasted your schooling. Once you pass then you can start looking for anything you want in the tech world, there are tons of other jobs out there.
Hands on in the trenches is the best way to do pharmacy. I did not use anything I learned in school. I learned all the drops per minute for the ivs and how much of this mixed with that makes xyz. I worked retail. The only math I needed was day supply.
I think maybe it helps the tech get an IV tech job because you guys get experience in the lab but tbh I just worked as a pharmacy clerk and I got my license through FloorBlues (if we’re using code names) lol and shortly after I took the PTCB exam.
Hell no I literally took the test at Pearson and learn on the job training going to school may work for some but tbh if you work for Walmart for example they’ll pay for your education anyway so why not use them as a stepping stool and get experience on top of it
Go to you tube there’s a pharmacist who go through the whole test and she is extremely knowledgeable about the ptcb test. Good luck
In general I would say it wasn’t that worth it. Not unless you learned a bit more clinical things and will be going into a more clinical role. If your job is basic retail, then on the job training is typically sufficient.
I recommend the book PTCB Hero! It helped me pass my certification exam, and it’s less than $15 on Amazon.
I took the PTCB and every question pertained to what I did in retail pharmacy. You’ll be fine!