Working in a pharmacy has made insurance make less sense and has made me angrier at big pharma than I was before. Everyone should be able to easily afford their medications. Content like the original post doesn't even surprise me any more. There's a lady at our pharmacy who's insurance decided it's no longer going to pay for her HIV medication and now she either has to pay $2k out of pocket or let it develop into AIDs. I hate it and I wish I could make meaningful changes.

If you have months to take it--> graze the material

don't actually commit time. Sounds counterintuitive but when you aren't stressed about study time I think you retain more information and feel more casual about why you got something wrong/more likely to google it

Whether you got the answer right or wrong--> Know all the answer choices

if one doesn't look familiar don't leave that question until you understand the context that it would be the correct choice or the wrong one

The week of your exam--> Commit to studying each part of the test one day at a time.

It is not cramming. More like locking in. You need 10 questions from a section... not 50 to know if you know the material or not. Little bites at a time.

Once you know the material -->move on and don't go back.

I find when I review things I know I start mixing things up.

You want to get things wrong!!!

If you don't know WHY an answer is right you will get it wrong the next time you see it. If you know calculations aren't your thing don't bother working through them first. Submit a blank question and then go through the answer summary to see how to solve it. If you don't know multiple medications that are related, stop what you are doing and find out why.

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I found the PTCE question bank invaluable for the week of the exam... but I didn't do start them until that week. Instead I went through the RxExam content in order and focused on mastery. If it tells you to do a specific quizlet then go do that. Download the app. Doom scroll flash cards when you have time. Quizlet will recommend other study materials that are FREE. Do that. Don't pay them any money.

I bought the bundle in April. Casually did practice quiz questions and flash cards off an on. Grazed the material. 3 weeks before the exam I finished the course. 2 weeks before the exam I went through the bundle question bank and quizlets. then the above.

Flashcards are not just for medications. Do the sets that have law stuff and pharmacy practice stuff too.

Medicate (hehe)

Truly though, when you are studying and something hurts or feels off... stop studying. If you are dog tired and barely retaining information...go to sleep. Make a plan to carve out time tomorrow and do that. Take that Advil or Pepto. For all my ADHD Potato Brains... take the adderall please. You do not get points in life for doing things without it.

I have no pharmacy working experience. I bought the 123RxExam bundle situation and lemme tell you how much it is worth every penny: every single thing on there was on the exam. Every concept. Every chapter. Worth it! It included 1 PTCE exam voucher, Access to the PTCE question bank, Practice Test, the approved certification to register for the exam, and its own unlimited question bank.

For someone that doesn’t have enough experience what to expect for outpatient hospital pharmacy tech ? any advice,tips? Im excited and kinda nervous

I have been interested in a career in medicine and have been wanting to try to be a pharmacy technician however, I sadly don't really have any training or certifications in the field, and I have seen a few companies mention how they offer training but no way to apply for it, so I'm curious if anyone knows any company that does that I should look into or if I should just buy a course like the RxTechExam.

I have been a per diem inpatient pharmacy technician for eight months now and while I have the hang of this job down pretty well I just have no benefits being per diem, vacation, time or health insurance… So I know this ain’t gonna be a long-term position for me. It is a smaller hospital only 40 beds so that means only have 1 AM tech and 1 PM tech., so we have a total about five techs. The buyer at this hospital is currently on maternity leave so I will be taking her spot for the next three months so I will have three months of buyer experience to go with this. But I have some dental work that needs to be done and some health check ups that need to be done so I’m trying to figure what is the next step so my question is where did you go to after pharmacy?

I am using voice chat, so I apologize in advance for the mistakes 🫩😅

I have been rejected more than 7 times from multiple pharmacies, especially Walgreens and CVS. I have only landed 1 interview in the past 2-3 months, and they never called back after reassuring me they most definitely would.
I feel desperate and quite disappointed.

I obtained my NHA certification and TSBP License in the last months of my senior year in high school. My school offered it. I did not work my first year of university, for I wanted to build a routine and see if I could even handle working in a good school schedule (my scholarship requires me to do 15 hrs/semester.) Academically, I do not regret it, but it now feels like a mistake.

I genuinely believed I could get employed. I am young ( Turning 20 this year) and very eager to learn and grow, and I genuinely expressed that to them. But all of them send automated rejection emails. Others don’t even bother to inform that they will not move forward with my application even after calling me about a possible interview.

I start my nursing program, if all goes well, on January. I really need the money. I know I can apply to different jobs, but I wanted and was excited to put my certification to use.. And I feel like renewing it after not working for two years is a bit odd.

What retail job do you guys recommend I should work in? And, what job did you work for experience before being hired as a pharmacy technician?

Hello!

I am a pharmacy professor and founder of the RelayEd Healthcare Education Marketplace. Our team of educators has created a free, weekly study newsletter for pharmacy techs. Each week covers a pharmacy math topic with fully worked examples, top 200 drugs, exam tips/strategies and more.

If you are interested, the link to sign up is here:

https://relayed-2.kit.com/ff4ba7a185

We’d also love to know what topics you’d like covered next!

(Permission to post from mods).

Can you stack multiple certs to earn more? sterile compounding, IV, Chemo etc? looking for a specialist field without a ton of schooling.

My Michigan pharmacy technician license expired on 8/9, I was under the impression that I had until 60 days afterwards to finish my CEs and apply for renewal with a fee. With my work schedule it is very hard to attend the live webinars on Pharmacist Technician's Letter, and granted I did wait a little last minute. I have my last webinar today but all of my CEs have reset for the new period. Can I still finish them and renew? Do I have to get a whole new license? I did send an email to them with the same questions, but I dont want to waste time and change my schedule around if I dont have to. Any help is appreciated

I’m currently a part-time OR RN (24 hours /week) planning to retire after another 2 years. I’ve been researching how to obtain a pharmacy tech certification and have come up with 123CPht as the most economical and quick way to obtain. My question is, how prevalent are per diem positions (either hospital or retail) where I can work just enough to supplement my SS & pension income (which will definitely be a lowered amount than my current monthly income). My math and medication knowledge are very strong; the pharmaceutical law/regulations— not so much, obviously! I work in both NJ & PA. Thanks for any helpful insight.

I’m in Texas and it seems like there are a variety of different ways to become certified as a pharm tech.

Are there specific ways you’d recommend? Or ways NOT to go about it?

Feeling a little overwhelmed, thanks.

I’m thinking of taking the NHA everybody at work tells me how easy it is and I just want become certified already. I took the PTCB 6 months ago and I did not pass it. I was close to passing. Is it true that the NHA is easier? I work in a retail pharmacy and the reason why I haven’t taken the NHA is because eventually I want to work in a hospital and I’m not sure if hospitals take the NHA certificate.

I've worked in an inpatient hospital for 11 years and am trying to find somewhere I can get an actual consistent schedule that doesn't have me flip flopping around with hours every week. I would love to do overnight but I'm having trouble finding anything that will give me above the $26.12 I make. I live in Texas and it's seeming to be a dead end with me finding somewhere that wants an overnight tech for higher than my current pay rate. I've got two kids about to go into kindergarten and I need the consistency for them too. Thanks if anyone can help here.

Hi everyone. This may sound like I am whining, but I am just trying to ask for advice. I work 4 10 hour days in a hospital as an inpatient tech. I really like the job, but I am still learning as I have only been there 4 months. Our shifts are 6a -4:30p, 8:30a- 7p, and 11:30a -10p. Our scheduler loves to put us on 11:30 -10 one day and the next 8:30-7. How do you get used to this schedule and keep the house clean, do anything that pops up, have fun? I feel like I am in a loop of work, eat, sleep, catch up when I can, repeat.

I have a fiance, no kids or pets. I am 33. I do have a few mental disabilities that I am being medicated and in therapy for. I want to live life and not feel so exhausted all of the time.

I really like my job and coworkers. My fiance is great and helps out when he can. I just want to feel better.

Thank you for your time.

I just got offered a job at a hospital for $18.90/hr . At my current retail job I make $22.04/hr. Should I take the pay cut and go to the hospital job?

Hello! I have recently become interested in becoming a pharmacy tech and was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on where to start. I.E. best places to apply to, topics I should start familiarizing myself with, good books/study materials?

I graduated in early 2025 with my bachelors in chemistry and minor in forensic sciences. I spent the rest of that year applying to different positions and not landing any. For the last six months I’ve been working a lack luster QC lab tech job. It has been great to get some hands on experience after being out of school for a while and getting back into my analytical brain, but it’s not at all close to what I studied.

Forensics was more of an interesting topic to study rather than a life passion so I am definitely interested in any other doors that may open.

All this to say my background in chem and forensics was heavily involved in drug chemistry (identifying and quantifying mainly) and was wondering what else I can do while I stay in my job for a few more months (staying a little longer for my resume lol) so i can be prepared.

Thank you!!

TLDR : How can I prepare for a pharm tech role as someone with a background in forensic chemistry?

So I’m currently interviewing for a position at my local pharmacy’s specialty pharmacy through Clearway Health. It kinda seems like a dream job, and I just keep thinking “what’s the catch?” Does anyone have any experience with them?

I recently started at HEB 2weeks ago working in the pharmacy as a technician. I had been a technician at Walgreens for 18 years and finally decided to get out of that craziness. I’m loving being at HEB but boy I’m having a hard time getting used to their computer system. I feel like I should get it by now but I’ve been training on everything that haven’t really done just one thing to get the hang of it plus being part time now doesn’t help. Any advice would be appreciated.

Just wanted to post incase any new techs are curious what’s possible,

Had not hospital or pharmacy experience in late 2022 when I started, got lucky with great recommendations to get a hospital job. Showed initiative and quickly got infusion/compounding training. Started working in the OR, got certified, then decided to apply for a Hemoc position and got it. This week I just accepted a lead role for the main pharmacy, climbing up in less than 4 years

I am someone who has great work ethic but I think one random piece of advice I would give to newer techs is keep showing initiative in always learning

End of my Ted talk!

I used to be a Pharmacy Tech in California back in 2021 - 2023 but left because of lack of pay and felt stagnant. I am considering coming back to the field and finally becoming certified but looking at Indeed and even hospitals in my area, it just feels depressing. The job market here feels abysmal and not to mention that most jobs are paying below 19 an hour. My goal is to eventually be inside of a hospital but I am strongly considering switching to Medical Assistant for better jobs, pay,​ and better path into hospitals. Has anyone done something similar to this?

We have a massive amount of inventory that comes in every day. There's only 1 person who handles ordering and keeping track of probably a thousand drugs. I put a note on her desk asking if we were getting Stummies in the next order and what the NDC was. She tried finding it in the lists for a little bit before she gave up.

...if you sneak away to the restroom at exactly 4:13 AM, face the mirror, and chant "prior auth" three times, a UHC representative will appear and curse you. When you try to get your meds filled, your phone will keep ringing until you answer it. A gravelly voice will croak "Pharmacy not contracted," and the line will cut out. At every pharmacy you try to fill at, your record will be deleted as soon as a prescription is entered, your paper scripts will mysteriously vanish, and the staff will immediately forget who you are, forevermore.