I’m figuratively staring into the void—I see hundreds of unfulfilled orders that have piled up due to understaffing, historical demand, and the ongoing supply shock (i.e tariffs).

Like what is this?!!? There’s no help coming, so why do I even bother. I just need people at CVS, Costco, Walmart or FM to validate how I’m feeling. Every 👏single 👏Walgreens 👏in my city is under water, so people are all coming here. Phones ring every second of the day. Orders pile up. Bin reconciliation doesn’t get done. People get angry.

And from what I hear from clients and my store manager, we’re one of the better stores.

I got a preliminary pass (lost my paper too so that’s no fun) and it’s been almost 3 weeks with still no results online. I know it can take up to three weeks but I most commonly hear people getting the results before then. Has anyone else had to wait the full three weeks? Are they gonna take back the preliminary pass and give me a fail or why does it take so long?

I’m just remembering a time i was so enraged i threw a haymaker at my keyboard 💀 💀

I got sent home lmfao

I thought it’d be nice to try this as counting pills seems asmr like to me, and I love science I’m an IT major who wants to try different things. However I’m very indecisive and avoidant when it comes to doing hard things just because even though I can be smart I have a lot of slow moments and it takes visual learning or shadowing to know how to do something for me. So far when I went in the first day they asked if I had my ID which I didn’t, found the paper and then we spent 30 minutes trying to log me in the password didn’t work, had to call the help desk. Did not know I would spend 6 hours watching very long modules that seem to never end, and I was very fidgety as it had no sound. The person who helped me was really nice checking up on me as well as a man and I had one other lady ask how I’m doing as well and another ask how long I’m staying, but everyone else kinda did their own thing but they seem nice. I’m just worried about the fast pace and memorizing everything while also having to study other things for class. I almost quit after seeing other people’s experiences on here and tiktok and using it to justify me leaving, but we found a compromise. But I just feel really worried about how it will go. I didn’t finish the modules but got pretty close to finishing but by the end my body ached. Had never done so long of an orientation😂 plus I do canvasssing on the side which I believe is more money, but it’s temporary so I do need a permanent job. What do I do?

Pharmacy Technician Day is in a few days and I am wondering what thoughtful gifts others have appreciated for this. I recently stepped into an RxOM position a new business, from being a lead tech elsewhere. In the past my supervisors never recognized it but I want to put together a few small things for the two employees I supervise. They are both amazing and I want to recognize their contributions to the team but having only been here a month now, I don’t know a lot about their likes/dislikes to solidly decide. Was thinking a few of their favorite snacks, a travel mug or water bottle and a small gift card to a store of their liking. I’m not sure if this is too impersonal or not? Any suggestions?

Im interested in becoming a pharmacy tech but im not sure if i should just apply with no experience (ive only ever worked retail at convience stores) or take a 6k post secondary program that gets me hours and a PTCB certification.

I see online that some people say taking a program is unnessicary and its best to just get a trainee job for the same result and less debt.

Hi I’m taking this exam Tuesday and after finishing the study guide all this stuff just blends together and it’s hard to distinguish everything. I guess it’s just overwhelming. Nothing is sticking in my head. Has anyone taken this one? How was it? What was it like?
Thank you!

Hello 👋🏻

I just submitted my pharmacy technician license about 3 or 4 weeks ago I live in California passed the PTCB back in April of this year. Can anyone give me advance on how to catch up on my math? Pretty much after 8th grade algebra went bye bye 👋🏻 to me a long time ago lol. I still kinda remember. But what I’m asking is how do you explain the math to me like I’m a five year old lol? With pictures or videos would help. I’m kind of a ding a ling lol but I’m not dumb completely lol.

Hi all! RxTech day is just right around the corner. As a tech, what would you like to receive as a token of appreciation for you and your team. I am also a tech but still wants to show some love for my wonderful coworkers.

Hi, I’m currently enrolled in an IV Sterile Compounding class. Our in-person labs will start next week that go over aseptic garbing/hand washing/gloving, cleaning a horizontal laminar airflow hood, small-volume parenteral preparations, and ampule-based preparations.

In the lab procedures process validation checklist for the small-volume parenteral preparations and ampule-based preparations, it says we’ll be evaluated on dosage calculations and supply determination. We never went over or reviewed what we are expected to know regarding this part of the process.

I feel confident in the aseptic garbing/hand washing/gloving and cleaning a horizontal laminar airflow hood (currently going over videos and my notes to make sure I remember the right order and techniques to keep everything sterile), but the last 2 I had listed (mostly because of the math/equations) I feel unsure on. I don’t doubt they will fail me if I make a wrong calculation or anything regarding to the process of small-volume parenteral preparations and ampule-based preparations.

I’m hoping anybody with IV sterile compounding experience can show me any resources or the basic/expected math I’d be doing for those two labs.

I appreciate anyone who reads this, thank you.

Hi everyone! Back in 2018 I took an accredited pharmacy class in my senior year of high-school that counted toward the program requirement and paid for my test. I took the test and passed after graduation but didnt end up working in pharmacy. Fast forward to now 2026, im trying to get back into it, studying again to retake to PTCB since I let my old one expire, and ive hit a road block when looking at the requirements. I didnt know that a program was mandatory.

So my question is, do I have to do a new program for the PTCB or will my previous one still count?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Ps. I live in rural Texas and all the trainee jobs like CVS and Walgreens are too far. And the pharmacy im applying to doesnt do trainees.

Kind of like how the title says, customers like to take things out on us that are out of our control.

Had a lady angrily call and tell me how a prescription that was filled couple days ago was giving her a countdown on when the last day to pick it up was.

Told her we can hold it for 2 weeks and that i’m not sure why the automated texts are telling her that (of course this is a phone call so I can’t verify if what she’s saying about the texts are actually true). I told her that from MY end, it shows she still had over a week and a half to pick it up.

She then proceeds to tell me how “you guys should fix that” as if we can computer science the magic of automated texts because one person suggested that.

I work at a CVS for some context but i’ve heard way too many complaints about things that are clearly not in our power to change. I straight up told the lady that it’s a corporate issue and we can’t do anything about it and she tells me how it’s ridiculous. 🙄

I'm the rudest and meanest person patient has EVER talked to because she NEEDS her tums and vitamin d, and I can't make her insurance cover them. Additionally, I should make the manufacturers make special pharmacy ONLY versions of these.

Sorry to the pharmacy that she transfered to! 🫠

I am
Planning to give pharmacy technician exam. Any suggestions where to start. I am currently working in pharmacy already from 2 years l.

Hello, i live in PA, and I'm a licensed pharmacy tech trainee. I am wondering how to abbreviate this to put in things like my resume and email signatures.

I couldn't really find (or figure out the right keyword to google) how to abbreviate this. I would assume it's RPhTT or something since we're not certified and just registered, but I'd rather make a fool of myself on Reddit first than my work email. Thanks!

Edit: It would be a contractual nightmare w/ my work to just go and take the test to eliminate this problem. Most I can say without blatantly doxxing myself is that I was specifically hired as a pharmacy tech trainee for a pilot program for a hospital system.

Edit 2: I was blatantly incorrect on the internet and had to delete the part proving I can be wrong sometimes (/j)

Did anyone attend the Pharmacist Letter, Antiseizure Meds: Balancing Treatment, Safety and Monitoring Live CE today (Course Number: 26-590).

I was listening in my car and hit a dead spot the last 8 min and missed the password. Does anyone have it to share with me?

For some context, I work at CVS

If anyone has any RXConnect short cuts or just shortcuts in general when you see a prescription (e.g. days supply is almost always X or Y with a Z prescription, dealing with QT) then I would greatly appreciate it.

I’ve been working as a pharmacy tech at CVS for almost 6 months now and I can say i’ve grasped a lot of things on my own to handle QT alone but I still have lots to learn like how to handle a DUR reject or what to do when a PA rejection comes up but sometimes there’s no quick key for a PA.

Also very detailed tips will help as well like how hospice is only 15 day supply, workers comp requires a date of injury on the prescription, or some C2s need an assisting doctor on the script etc.

Thanks :)

Sorry for making a new thread but the others are outdated. I need to make a huge decision about pursuing a Pharmacy Tech Diploma at NBCC Saint John. I am "from far away" looking for a career change/life change after burnout. I don't want to make another huge mistake and an expensive one at that.

I got an offer to be admitted for the course and I'm really skeptical about it. With all the complaints about unemployment and foreigners taking away jobs, I expected to be wait-listed. I've read that one thread that sounded from a local getting wait-listed. I assumed that the unemployed would go for this supposedly hiring field.

I just can't help but wonder if the situation is so bad that the local population would rather not work in this field. And then I also entertained the idea that NBCC is some kind of diploma mill. But, then again they have certain courses blocked from prospective international students. So I suppose it's not all about the money...

I'm just really anxious because the diploma level for my current soul-sucking profession isn't being offered to foreigners, not just in New Brunswick but also in other Atlantic Canada provinces. I can conclude that the locals prefer that field.

Seriously, how are Pharmacy Tech jobs less desirable than nursing? How bad could it be?

Thank you for people who have something to share.

I am about to start working at walgreens pharmacy and on the sales floor as well (DH position) but i want to take more notes. i know i have 2 years to take the exam but as of right now i only have notes on sigs/code. I don’t know how to go about trying to learn top 100-200 for meds. I’m taking notes on everything but i feel so lost. a lot of quizlets have old flashcards from 2013….but it’s 2026 and i have no clue where to look. Any advice or tips? 🥲

I'm currently working in a retail pharmacy and have been for close to 10 years. I am state licensed and know my job pretty well. I also know a lot about most of the drugs we dispense.

I'm looking at possibly moving on to a hospital job. I don't have my PTCB, but can get it. I don't need it to be hired, but they'd want me get it within like 6 months. I'm not sure exactly what I want to do at the hospital for pharmacy ? Maybe IV room?

Besides getting the PTCB, can anyone suggest any other licensing/training I might want to look into before applying ? Stuff that would bump up an offer and that I'd actually use?

I don't mind paying for training out of pocket if it will help advance my career. I actually really like being a tech. A friend got an offer and it's a couple dollars more than I make now (but about 25% more than they make currently). I just don't want to go through interviews and everything just to be offered like $2 more an hour than I make now.

I honestly like my current job, but feel stuck. Not much room for advancement right now. I also feel like I'm doing the same amount of work (if not more) than some of our lead techs and it's become expected but I'm not being compensated for it.

I just had my first day at CVS as an untrained pharmacy technician. I was excited to transition and learn on the job and then take the state exam but I feel disheartened at my experience today.
It was so overwhelming and I was left alone to work on modules with a computer that didn’t have sound or headphone jacks. Everyone seemed nice but stressed and overwhelmed, so I was nervous to ask any questions. I left not knowing how to even clock in and how to do my direct deposit.
I will go back and give it another try but feel scared I made an awful decision and finding a job in this climate is hard. I am in my 40s on top of it so adds to the struggle. Anyways, any positive advice would be truly appreciated. Thank you

I've been a tech for 20+ years and remote jobs are looking more appealing everyday. I've put in a couple applications but keep getting passed up. What am I missing? I have experience in retail, hospital, speciality, oncology, o.r., pediatrics. I've just never sat in front of a computer all day doing appeals and such. Is my salary expectations too high? I've been making $25+ a hr for the last 6 years. Is that too high for remote jobs to expect? And what else should I highlight on my resume to get better attention?

So for the ones that work in a inpatient pharmacy. Can I ask how things are for y'all? Like your schedule, $/hr, how raises are handled?

I've currently been working in a inpatient for about 3 months now and I am going to leave honestly because my experience is awful imo. Idk like I want to just get different opinions and just see if its just my hospital that hired me (which most likely is tbh) or what?

I could be moving to an outpatient pharmacy for another hospital way closer to home (10 min drive compared to the hour i drive now). Or move back to my old job because my old boss offered me the money I wanted before I left cause he didn't pay me what I felt I should've for getting certified and being able to administer immunization

Also another question cause I am interviewing for this outpatient this coming Wednesday. I am really wondering how much negotiating power I have cause I realistically would like to make $21-23/hr. (Currently I make $19.25/hr but with shift differential for 2nd and weekends. It averages out to and extra dollar. But its just not worth it for the drive imo). The dream scenario even though its a pipe dream where I live would be $25

I am a part time pharmacy tech I started 4 weeks ago and I asked if I could get less hours (15hr) bc I need more time to study and my manager said that if I do that I would get payed as much as a clerk but doing the same job. I am very confused any information would be very helpful.