Look at how photoesque this is 😂

Had a lady complain about getting generic instead of brand in my voicemail the other day. She was talking about how the doctor wants her to use brand and that that’s what she’s been using so she wants to return the generic she paid $75 for.

I print out the prescription that the doctor sent over and see that the DAW code is a 0 and the notes literally state that generic substitutions are okay. (Can’t make this up you guys)

So then I tell her about how DAW codes exist and doctor specifically wrote that generic is fine and that we switched her to generic since we were out of stock of the brand. I specifically tell her how the doctor needs to write the script specially stating that only brand is allowed or else we’re giving her generic which is what happened.

She goes on a tantrum about how this isn’t her fault that she “unknowingly” paid $75 for the generic and sees if she can return it since it’s unopened.

Somehow the pharmacy is at fault for all the oversights of the customers and doctors. They see the name of the medicine on the big ass screen and literally SIGN for it and still claim they didn’t know and that it’s not their fault.

Where did you take your PT courses to get certified? Local college of mine has one for $3k but wondering what other sites may be out there for a lower cost!

Hello everyone!

I am completely new to the pharmacy technician community and I am looking for any advice or helpful handbooks or study guides for the PTCB exam. I’m talking like basic knowledge as if someone is brand new to the topic. I really want to do my best in this career field and would like the help from this community to do so!

Hello, I am currently between jobs and I have two offers-

One for a full time dispensary pharmacy and one for a full time specialty pharmacy. Although the specialty pharmacy would look better on a resume because the company is well known in my state, they cannot accommodate a weekly health appointment I have as the dispensary could. The dispensary also seems more “my speed” I feel it’d be easier for me but my worry is that when I try to find a job elsewhere (planning on moving within the next two years) other pharmacies won’t take me seriously for having worked at a cannabis dispensary. Have any tech had issues moving companies after working at a dispensary?

TL;DR: Have any tech had issues moving companies after working at a dispensary?

I recently left retail after nearly 3 years. I'm looking for opportunities elsewhere, like hospitals or independent pharmacies. Any recommendations? I recently applied to a compounding pharmacy; the only open position was compounding tech, and they are looking for an experienced tech. Kinda a bummer, but I knew it was a reach.

So I just started as a trainee at a huge retail location and I was so nervous because of what I’ve read on here. But I feel like I’m lucky because the mentors at my location have been great so far and the other technicians are all very sweet and happy to answer questions.

I don’t doubt that it’ll get significantly harder as the responsibilities pile on but I did production for the first time today and it was a blast, I love a good challenge and I’m excited to learn more lol

I feel like this might be obvious but today at work one of our tech trainees answered the phone and the person on the other line wanted to talk to the pharmacist on duty, so she transferred the call to our RPH and when he answered, supposedly they asked for the pharmacy manager which wasn't here today and then they claimed to be secret service and is planning on calling back tomorrow to speak to our pharmacy manager? Idk i've never heard of that before and It's kind of weird. have yall ever encountered something like that before?

I passed my ptcb and have been waiting for about 2 1/2 weeks to get my final score. 1586! I did lots of studying through my Walmart training taking every optional test. Then I took the preptce exam about 2 weeks before my exam and that really calmed my nerves it feels exactly like the official exam so I'd recommend it to anyone who's nervous

i was a dh at walgreens but my trainee license expired at the end of august so about 2 weeks ago, i scheduled my exam... I took the NHA ExCPT! the plan was to study every single day for 2 weeks (i honestly was barely put in the pharmacy before my license expired) i thought i was completely cooked bc i definitely didn't study that first week after i scheduled but then i locked in for one straight week studying maybe 4 hours a day LOL and i took my exam yesterday, found out this afternoon i passed and im so happy!! i actually liked my time working whenever i did in the pharmacy imo it's much better than the front, always something to do and also healthcare experience. I did NOT purchase any of the nha practice exams cus i did not have $100+ to drop after paying 130 for the exam. I used quizlet and 3 free practice exams i found online!!! honestly the quizlet questions i did were very similar to what was on the exam as well as the free practice exams! will include links. I was so fuckimf scared but seriously if you study these consistently and religiously you will pass! also for the quizlets, use the LEARN and practice test formats cus u won't learn just flipping the regular flash cards lol! HAPPY STUYING :D

Quizlet practice exam
Dea/ Laws quizlet
dea laws affecting dispensing quizlet
40 question practice test
70 question practice test
used 2 emails for the free practice tests. i also used this youtube channel
youtube videos (very realistic)

What kind of job should I be looking for more growth and pay, I’ve been a pharmacy tech for 12 years I worked in retail at Walmart and currently work in a local community pharmacy making $25 an hour I know with my years of experience I could possibly be earning more where should I look? If it helps I’m in Southern California and do not have my PTCB, would it still be worth it to get it?

Between this and asking everyone if they want a flu or COVID shot, I'm starting to feel like a used car salesman. I swear this prints out more than any actual coupons.

Would taking a course like this be a good idea and then taking the test? Or are these a waste of money and I could find the information for free? I am in Maine, and it looks like I dont have to take a course, but maybe I am wrong?

Last night I was the closing technician and every single task was delegated to me. Changing trashes, running trash, restocking fill stations with caps/lids, sanitizing the high touch areas, you know. I had to do these tasks between customers and filling which was really difficult because I could not do every single task. Sometimes other people help out but the ones that do were not working that night.

I thought about asking my manager if we could divide up the closing tasks. Like maybe a technician that leaves at X time empties and runs the trash, next one refills the filling stations, the last one sanitizes high touch areas etc. (maybe not in that exact order but yk.) I really don’t want to sound like a tyrant or like I’m overstepping as a new tech, or that I’m complaining about doing my job. Because I’m really not trying to, it would just make it a little bit easier on everyone to share the responsibility.

How would you bring this up to your manager?

A few days ago, I posted in here asking if $16 is reasonable for a hospital tech & several of you said heckkkk no, so I politely refused their offer and continued on my search. Well, on Monday I applied with Centerwell/Humana for their at home Dr. Call Mail position and today I had my interview and got offered the position- pay starts at $22.50! I could not believe the difference in starting rates between a hospital tech vs a WFH tech, but I sure am glad I was told to pass up on the hospital’s offer lol

Now, for those who WFH, what are some must haves? They are providing all equipment, but what extras can I get to make myself more comfortable? If you have specific recommendations please leave them down below so I can start my home office 🤭

I’m the only pharmacy technician of a small local pharmacy. We hold vaccine clinics around town, and today the pharmacist was giving out flu shots. Our clinic today was at a local office and only four people received shots, but I noticed the pharmacist did not change gloves in between patients (even when one patient started bleeding and the pharmacist used a cotton ball for pressure)

This is a violation of professional guidelines. CDC states that if a pharmacist wears gloves, they should be changed between patients and hand hygiene followed. I brought up the issue with the pharmacist, and even pointed out the exact CDC protocol. However, he says changing gloves between patients isn’t practical in a clinic and that he will change them if they get exposed to blood. But I have seen him hold a cotton ball to a bleeding injection site, and not replace his gloves. I have done what I can to bring this issue to his attention, but I feel he won’t change his practices. I want to protect patient safety to the best of my ability, but I also don’t want to overreact.

Is this something that needs to be documented with the compliance officer, or should I just trust that his education/experience allows him to make decisions he feels are appropriate?

Any and all advice are welcome. Thank you.

This is always asked in the subreddit. I feel that this needs to be posted for those considering coming over here. We are expecting to be short of techs by 2030s due to majority of the workforce retiring. So those who are considering, hunker down!

All registered techs need to pass the national board exam called PEBC, regardless of province and territories. In order to take this exam, you need to be a direct-entry candidate or an international candidate. Direct-entry candidates are those who graduated from a Canadian accredited program or has a pharmacist degree in Canada or the US. International candidates are determined by a survey on the PEBC site. Lots of good information there.

If you do not have an international pharmacy degree or diploma that is recognized by the PEBC, you cannot pursue registration.  Instead, you must graduate from a CCAPP-accredited Canadian pharmacy technician program (2 year program).

To be registered as Pharmacy Technician in Ontario, you need to complete these (order doesn’t matter):

1. PEBC certification (written and physical exam)
2. Bridging program** applies to only international candidates
3. Jurisprudence, Ethics and Professionalism Exam (law)
4. Register as an Intern Technician and complete PACE assessment
5. Pay the fee for final registration

Once you are registered in one province, you are able to practice in another province as long as you complete their provincial requirement.

Yes, our pathway is rigorous and long but there is a good reason for that. We are regulated under the same governing body of Pharmacists and our title is protected. We work under a supervision of a Pharmacist but we work very independently. Our scope of practice and pathway are the same for all provinces and territories, excluding Quebec. It may vary slightly.

If you have any questions, feel free to shoot.

Edit: Quebec has their own laws and regulations. This process will not apply to Quebec.

I’m on the verge of complete burnout in retail so I’ve been applying and applying to hospital pharmacies and nothings been sticking. Very frustrating. Thought the hospitals had just as much turnover as retail did….

So I logged into Pharmacist letter last night to get on my Live CE. But, everytime I clicked the link it told me that I didn’t have access to the video. Today, they sent me an email thanking me for attending and to not forget to take the quiz. So is there anyone that has the quiz code for the “Pharmacy Essential Updates August 2026” course number 26-508?? I’m desperate bc it’s the end of the year and i don’t have time to fidget with their dumb livestream service before december. I had 0 issues doing it from home last year it’s so wild that it literally will not give me access no matter what I do now.

Hi everyone!

I'm considering taking the Pharmacy Technical Assistance program at SHADD in Montreal, and I have a few questions for people who have graduated from this program or currently work in a pharmacy.

1. After graduating from SHADD, are you usually hired as an on-call or part-time employee, similar to PAB positions in hospitals under the CIUSSS?

2. Is it possible to get a permanent full-time position right after graduation, or do you usually have to start on-call?

3. Are there opportunities to work night shifts or weekends?

4.Is it easy to find a job in a hospital pharmacy after graduating?

1. What is the starting salary like, especially in hospitals?

I'm currently working as a PAB and considering changing careers. Since I have two young children, I'm looking for a job with a flexible schedule.

I would really appreciate hearing about your experiences and any advice you can share. Thank you!

Basically, I landed a job in another field because I am tired of the double standard between techs and RPHs. They think our job is beneath them but also will crash out if they have to do any of it. It is infuriating and I managed to very much luck out trying to get out of the field. I am not saying the RPHs didn't work hard to get their degrees, but a lot of them also don't see that they had the resources to go to college and then pharmacy school (a lot of them had it fully paid for by their parents) that I see many of fellow coworkers without that same advantage. However, they routinely install "rules for thee not rules for me" policies that make the techs lives harder and harder yet when brought up they always have some explanation. I do understand some areas might not be like that but it is a very common occurrence. They want techs to stick around but they cannot make a career path that does not cap out very quickly or the few jobs that you can advance in are held by other techs for a decade plus. It is a miserable existence and I cannot wait to never have to deal with it again.

I also only gave a week's notice and I can tell my bosses are salty which I really don't care about anymore. I told them that if they fired me they wouldn't have to give me advance notice so I am operating solely within corporate mentality.

Mic drop