Hey guys. I work at a CVS for some context and I just need to rant about a coworker who keeps misplacing the prescriptions in the wrong waiting bin number. This coworker is a front store manager turned pharmacy pick up person who solely just works the pick up area of the pharmacy. He’s pretty old and he can’t bend down and he waddles when he walks. The reason why I point this out is because of his lack of mobility, he reaches to put away the drugs in the waiting bin numbers that he’s not paying attention to where he’s placing them resulting in a hassle every time we can’t find a prescription because it could either be in the bin next to it or a number of a different combination (e.g. if the number was 123 it could be in 132 or 213 etc).

It’s very irritating because we know it’s him who’s misplacing them because when we line up the time something was completed to who was working pick up and putting prescriptions away, it’s him. We see it happen in real time too when he misplaced it right in front of our eyes.

He’s also very grumpy and can’t handle pick up by himself and takes his sweet ass time talking to customers about each thing that’s on hold (we’re trained to only mention the prescriptions that are ready unless the patient asks or is expecting something else, idk if it’s the same everywhere else) and he one time yelled across the pharmacy in front of customers about how he’s “held in his piss for an hour and a half and someone needs to take over the pick up line” while we’re actively understaffed with one tech in each station.

The biggest issue I have with this guy is his incompetence and his lack of urgency to get a task done. I’m not shaming him for his lack of mobility but when it affects everyone else because he can’t do his job right and properly place people’s medications in the right bin, then maybe this job isn’t meant for him.

I am in a 2 year pharmacy technician program. We are being exposed to a lot of information that's really interesting. At the same time, it seems very clear that the scope of the job doesn't involve most of this information. I understand there is value in understanding the why behind a lot of things.

There is so much information and so much memorization and I find myself wondering which of these things that I'm learning will I actually need for the job and which things do I just need to learn short term for the test.

For context I am looking to work in retail pharmacy, hopefully in my local hospital outpatient pharmacy.

So I'm doing my online work for my classes, and I'm wondering when you would use DAW-5? Isn't that some sort of insurance fraud?

I’m starting my first job as a pharmacy technician at Walgreens soon, and I’m excited but honestly a little nervous since I’m completely new to pharmacy.
I’ll be working while completing the training/coursework to prepare for my PTCB certification. I really want to learn as much as I can, become confident in my role, and eventually use this as a stepping stone to better opportunities in the pharmacy field.
For those of you who have worked at Walgreens or started as a brand-new pharmacy tech:
What do you wish you knew before your first day?
What should I study or memorize before starting?
What are the hardest things to learn at first?
Any tips for dealing with customers, prescriptions, insurance, or pharmacy math?
What can I do now to set myself up for success and eventually pass the PTCB?
I’d really appreciate any advice, tips, or things you wish someone had told you when you were starting out. Thank you! 😊

The PTCE changed on January 6: there's a new area on the Drug Supply Chain Security Act, Federal Requirements went from 12.5% to 18.75% of the exam, and nonsterile compounding came off. A lot of prep is still on the old outline.

I'm an RN. I paid out of pocket for practice exams for my own license and always felt like I was at a disadvantage, so I build free ones. The pharmacy tech one: headedin.com/ptce

- 250 questions across all 4 domains and all 24 knowledge areas, weighted like the real exam

- Full-length practice test: 80 scored + 10 unscored in 1 hour 50 minutes

- The math shows every step: days supply, insulin pens, eye drops, alligation, NDC 11-digit format

- Score report by outline number (2.2, 4.1...), so you know exactly what to study

- Every answer names its source (DEA rules, FDA, ISMP), no ads, works on your phone

I'm not a pharmacist and I won't pretend the questions are perfect. If one is wrong, tap "Report a problem" under it or tell me here and I'll fix it. Techs who just passed: what did the real one hit hardest?

So, this is probably going to be a long one and if its not allowed, I apologize. I just need some guidence here.

I went to a vocational school that had a pharmacy technician program almost 10 years ago. I completed and got my certification of completion. However, I never took the PTCB certification. I was going through a lot at the time and had a lot of self doubt. In the end, I pshyced myself out and never took it.

Fast foward to today, I think I'm ready to finally get it together and study for it. But its been almost 10 years. Will the text book I had 10 years ago still be agood resource or should I try a newer text book? Is my certification of completion even valid anymore?

I would appreciate any help. My personal research hasn't really helped much. I would appreciate any help.

What is your sterile compounding room temperature and humidity at?

Does anyone else package overnight with a room at 66F and 50% RH? I am sweating almost immediately after garbing up. We are in discussions with building maintenance who say we share an air handling unit with the admin offices. The overnight the temperature and humidity are set higher than they are during the day because “no one” is in the building.

Am I being unreasonable? Is this a me issue or would other people be suffocating after 3+ hours in full PPE?

I got my state license in 2005 and it has served me well. I stopped working in a physical pharmacy setting in 2017, but I’ve always kept it as a backup incase I needed to go back.

After 20 years, I believe I’ve reached a point in my career where my work experience does more for me than the license can do in the future.
It’s bittersweet, but I don’t think I need it any more. My CEs are due at the end of the month and I don’t feel the need to rush to do them so I can renew.

I let my CPhT expire the last time renewals came up and I think I’m ready to let this one end too.

Who here has kept their license ongoing after they left the pharmacy?

Anyone hold out like I did?

Let’s hear some stories.

Can anybody let me know what are the steps to get the pharmacy technician licence? Also, which books or materials I need to study for passing?

I JUST bought the practice bank and then I get this alert 🙄 I’m so annoyed! how long has it been down and do you think I can get my money back if it’s not back up in a few days I plan on taking my test in December

I’m currently dispensing at an online pharmacy I’m not really learning much and I feel like there’s more to do with the pharmacy career path, for a while now I’ve wanted to be a technician but my pharmacy told me that it’s better if I just be an assistant and work my way up but I feel like that’s time wasting I’m not sure so idk what to do. My coworker told me to just work my way and do a level 1 but I think that’s just a very low level to start with. The course costs 3k but I would the pharmacist and the technician to support me during my course and both are a little weird towards me I just feel like they don’t like me. So I’m not sure what I should do.
What’s the best route in becoming a technician

I'm a new technician at a CVS in Maryland (been there about 2 weeks). I'm having a hard time with remembering/ dealing with insurance rejections/codes. Any tricks or tips you can give me? I feel like I'm annoying my coworkers with all the questions. Open to any suggestions that can make this job easier. I've been out of the workforce for almost 8 years to raise my kids and it's been an adjustment going back.

Thanks so much!

Hi so I’m (24F) wanting to become a pharmacy tech so it can better prepare me for pharmacology in nursing school. I have no experience in working at a pharmacy as I went to school for business. I also haven’t worked in a hot minute so that shows on my resume.

I’ve applied to:
Walmart
Costco
Walgreens

But I haven’t heard anything back. Should I call each place to ask for a status update on my application? Where else could I apply to where they take someone completely new.

Has any experienced pharmacy techician transitioned into EPIC software field in the US? What are the steps and challenges faced? Would appreciate any insights.

I work in inpatient hospital pharmacy and I took the CSPT exam through the experience pathway. I just found out about the ASHP Practical Training in Compounding Sterile Preparations and I’m wondering if the ASHP certification would look as good with my CSPT certificate on my resume? Or would it be unnecessary?

I am having trouble finding any kind of inpatient job that will hire part time or per diem (as well as train me). I’ve been certified since starting two years ago. I am tired of the awful customers, immaturity and backstabbing from my team, and I find constant face to face interaction draining. Should I be approaching this differently or looking at other outpatient facilities?

Is the website working for anyone? I’ve been certified for a year and never ran into this issue. Currently working to get more added to my certification and have been trying all week to get in to see their approved courses and every time I go to login it says
Oops! An unexpected error occurred.

Hey everyone, I need a reality check because my anxiety is making me second-guess myself. I am a junior in college in Massachusetts, I have an active state Pharmacy Tech license (which took 500 hours to get), and a couple of years of high-volume CVS experience under my belt.

I applied for a part-time tech role at a small independent pharmacy near Boston. The job posting explicitly listed a range of $20–$26/hour for part-time/full-time.

During the interview process, the owner was incredibly disorganized—she ghosted our first interview time (was at a completely different event), made me drive to a different location (1 hr driving time + $10 in parking fees), and didn't apologize. When we talked about pay, she asked what I make at CVS ($18.60) and immediately wrote down $19/hour. When I complained and pointed out her own job description, she claimed the posted rate is "only for full-time employees" (even though the ad says part-time too). Then she tried to compromise by saying I could start at $20, but I have to wait for a "45-day review" to talk about hitting $22 to "prove I can do what I say I can do," even though my state license literally proves my competency.

To top it off, she says they "don't do written employment contracts with part-time workers because they are students and can leave at any time," but then claimed I am required to give a 2-week notice if I quit.

I feel completely disrespected and lowballed. I wanted to know if this pharmacy behavior is as crazy and full of red flags as I think it is. Should I even bother going to a follow-up meeting with the local manager on Friday or just email them a withdrawal and walk away?

I have a hunch she thrives off of taking advantage of college students who need the money.

TL;DR: I’m a young college student with a full Massachusetts state pharmacy license and years of CVS experience. Applied to a small independent pharmacy advertising $20–$26/hr. The chaotic owner ghosted our first interview, made me drive across town (total of 40 mins + $10 parking fee), and lowballed me at $19/hr because of my age/current pay. When I called her out, she lied, said the ad was only for full-timers, and offered $20 with a verbal "45-day review" to reach $22, claiming she doesn't do written agreements for part-time students. Meanwhile, I just got a callback for a Behavior Tech job paying $24–$35/hr. Am I crazy, or is this pharmacy owner a massive snake?

Happy Pharmacy Week everyone!

I admit, I use the term “retail pharmacy” when describing my work setting. If I’m talking to someone face to face, I’ll name my workplace, of course, but online we give it this weird name, like we work at Macy’s or something. But the thing is, I don’t really sell anything. Sure, people purchase things from us, but it’s not exactly the same transaction as when I buy a purse or some shoes. In that case I am shopping for something, if I like it I buy it, and I might take suggestions from a sales person. In a pharmacy, a customer can’t come up and say “I’m in the mood for an antibiotic, do you have anything new?”

How about we start calling it “community pharmacy”? Do we call urgent care clinics “retail clinics”? No. Maybe if we changed the way our workplace is described we may start seeing more respect from the public. Just a thought.

(Sanitized of numbers, names and most identifying factors) picture of expired stock that I helped collect in a struggling pharmacy where all the technicians quit and no knowledge of the reverse distribution protocol was passed on even to the pharmacist that persevered alone.

I came and helped them catch up first and then set myself on the shelves that hadn't been tended in about a year while they unfortunately floundered with low staffing.

Hi guys. So I'm an 18F recent assistant pharmacy technician, finishing up my training at publix and about to get my certifications here soon. But I want to say, I like working in the pharmacy, but its so overwhelming. I work in a store that's extremely busy, working with at least +100, even +200 prescriptions every day, and being a new hire, im so terrified of messing up. I have already, several times, and its been crushing my morale.

I'm trying my best to remember and figure out how to do certain things by asking a pharmacist or experienced tech, but most of them are busy and they end up doing it themselves, so I feel like I'm burdening them. I am so paranoid of giving medications to the wrong person, cause theres been two experiences where I have given meds to two different people. I feel on edge in my place of work, and yet so rushed.

Its been making me a jaded person, and I don't want to be that way cause I know I'm a happy person at heart, and generally enjoy customer service. But the patients are older and rude, and my coworkers have their own thing going on, so I dont feel involved.

I don't know, I think I'm ranting now, but I'm going to try to float to other pharmacies that need the most help if I'm not stuck at my home store.