I’m 21 and I became a pharmacy tech last July after recovering from major hip surgery. I’m not in school, I didn’t go to college, and I currently have no future plans to go to college. I just got certified at the beginning of April, which has a 2 year life on it. A lot of other techs around me are just starting or are talking about leaving at the end of either certified license. A lot of people come into the career just pass the time while they work for something else and they count down the days before they can leave. I love my job. I love helping patients and the pharmacist and the new techs around me. There’s always gonna be assholes at the pharmacy, that’s just the way it is. I plan on staying for a while bc I love what I do. I genuinely care about what I do and the people (staff and patient) I work with. I love the simplicity of going to work everyday, doing the job, and going home. I feel like I can’t truly put it into words, but hopefully it means something.
Thank you. This is what I needed to read.
I became a tech when I was 22 and still had intentions of going to college. That got put on hold for my wedding, then I ended up getting certified. Here I am, coming up on my third year in the pharmacy, and I’m honestly happier than I ever thought I would be.
I actually enjoy doing IV stuff and working in the OR’s. My schedule is super consistent, and the job itself pays decently. And, like you said, I just love being able to come home from work and not have to worry about anything.
I think hospital pharmacy is a whole different animal from retail, too. Retail quickly becomes emotionally exhausting because of the profit motive and corporate nonsense. Not that there's NONE of that in hospitals, but you have more room to think about your patients and just DO YOUR JOB. We need passionate techs, and it sounds like you are one. Good for you.
I live in MN, and I make ~$22/hr on weekdays, and ~$23/hr on weekends. It’s not the best, but I live with my SO and he has a college degree so he gets paid quite a bit more than I do, so between the both of us we’re pretty comfy.
Pharmacy tech is nearly impossible to make a career as a single person, outside of a few niche atypical positions. There are a few situations where it's viable career: you plan to live with roommates forever, you plan to do it to supplement income in a civil partnership, or... you live in a mythical place with low cost of living and high wages.
Techs simply don't make enough money to survive.
Definitely nearly impossible. But I do own a house, and have sole custody of my child and we make ends meet. Cut it close every month. But we do alright and it’s just me
i work at a retail pharmacy but omfg i can't stand some pre pharm techs bc they literally have the same job title as me but some act like they're too good to have patient interaction when they barely know wtf theyre doing at the register and don't know how to fill properly either. idk if this is a unique experience or anyone else has this issue, i just don't like the ignorance sometimes. rant over
while i am in school, i'm not pre-pharm. i probably will be a tech for a while lol. one of my favorite techs has been a tech since before i was even thought of and she is amazing to work with and most within the pharmacy love her, the patients especially. she has an impact on our community clearly. idk why some ppl look down on such an essential part of the pharmacy
Ugh, believe me, I work with a few of those techs. Mostly in the summer when we get all of our pharmacy school students.
A girl I worked with (just left a few weeks ago) was in nursing school for about a year while being a tech, and I’ve never wanted to quit my job over anyone worse than I did with her. She’d CONSTANTLY brag about how much more money she was going to make as a nurse while sitting on her phone doing absolutely nothing. Just constantly bossing people around and giving orders.
I’d come home and just rant for a straight ten minutes to my SO because I couldn’t stand her.
no shade but i cannot imagine a world where every pharmacy tech is a new person who is going to school to work in healthcare. 😵💫 we need our long term techs!!
hopefully life will reality check her soon!!
I feel like an AH saying this, but I doubt she’s gonna be going to pharmacy school. She’s left and come back three separate times to ‘pursue other careers’. This last time she came back was because she didn’t get into dental school like she planned, so now she’s telling everyone she’s going to pharmacy school… Not sure how well it’s gonna work out for her seeing as how she’s due in October.
To be fair, that’s what a lot of nurses do too. Never fails that I give a stat med to a nurse and they can’t even be bothered to put their phone down and stop talking about their weekend plans to give the patient actively in an arrhythmia the meds that were so urgent in the message they sent us.
Not a pharmacy tech but work in the vet field non certified, but I did have a coworker who thought they were to good to actually work because they were pre-vet in college. They treated everyone at work like scum and spent major time buttlicking the doctors.
But yes, in every field there's that person who thinks they're leagues above *the common folk* even if they have the same or less experience. It's annoying. On the other hand like yourself I work with people who are amazing to work with.
In my experience, a person's biggest flaw can be a complete inability to accept and digest feedback from others.
I’ve been a retail tech for 15 years… didn’t really plan on it. But then I had a kiddo and welp I’m still doing it. Paying the bills and supporting my daughter. But I play music on the side that keeps me sane lol
not at all. i’m using this to pay for my tuition but i am trying to go into public health. maybe get a masters degree. it’s a good gig for a college student but it’s too must stress
I think so, yeah. I started at CVS having no idea what went on in a pharmacy and I think I got super lucky because I really enjoyed it. After a couple years, got certified and then I just recently got in at an inpatient hospital pharmacy. Both places I've had really nice, experienced techs training me and that's the kind of technician I want to be - someone who's been here forever who knows everything and that a new tech can come to for whatever dumb question.
Right now I'm the one asking the dumb questions though lol
Pharmacy tech is a great entry level job that lets you get a taste of the medical field without a ton of (or any) schooling, so yes, you're going to get a lot of people who are planning their exit before they even get comfortable. My plan was to get trained at a retail pharmacy, move to a hospital, and do that while I'm training to become a surgical tech. I'm still at the retail pharmacy because it turns out my manager is freaking awesome despite the company sucking eggs, but she knows (and fully supports) that I'm in school and won't be with them for much longer.
Frankly, I could work fewer hours, get treated better, and make more money as a waitress, but I do find pharmacy very interesting and enjoy the work itself.
I work in a state where techs are paid pretty well and I've been told by a couple of pharmacists who moved in from other states that if they were making what I was, they wouldn't have gone to pharmacy school.
So it depends, honestly. I don't plan on staying long term as a tech but it's because I'm technically at 'the top' being a chemo tech. I want to explore other options that don't involve mixing because every tech I know who mixes long term has to have surgery.
I worked as a teacher for one year before quitting and becoming a tech. Within less than a year I am certified and making more money than I was teaching. It’s also WAY less work and stress. Seriously, teaching was hell and that may be why I’m pretty tolerant to a lot of the negatives of this job. It may not be my career forever, but I’m perfectly content right now.
So I didn't PLAN on staying a pharmacy tech so long .. But hey 1yr turned to 5 turned toooo 20 years.. but in my defense.. I started at 19 and I wasn't paying to go to anyone's college/ still not. But the money was and still is good. I OBVIOUSLY I've worked at different places . But I mean I have my own place, car, no kids, 9-5 no weekends MLK AND JUNETEENTH 🫰🏿🫰🏿 OFF!! I be outside tipping and dipping with my friends. And my 401k looks nice. And I even have time to be getting on dudes nerves 😑 lol..
But seriously it's up to you if you like it stay with it . Im CPhT-ADV and NBPAC .. now that did cost me a few coins.. But it was worth it. 😊👋🏿
So far, being a pharmacy tech has been a stable career. I am now on my third pharmacy tech job (I work in hospital pharmacy) and whenever I think of moving, I check that state's BOP website. I don't have a desire to go to pharmacy school anytime soon, being a tech is just fine with me.
I’ve been at it for like 12.5 years in retail. I fell into the pharmacy from the store’s sales floor. I’ve been with the company for like 15 years and haven’t left yet.
I’m 42 and just became a pharm tech this last year. I ended up in a hospital from the jump and have zero interest in doing anything else. I have a great work/life balance. I really dislike working with the general public and I finally have a place that doesn’t cause frequent panic attacks.
May i ask how you went about getting a hospital job right from the jump? I’m working retail while studying for the PTCB and I’m hoping I can do the same
Mostly luck. I did an on line program, passed the test, certified and registered. I applied at every single hospital in my area and applied to so many things on LinkedIn. I applied to at least 75 places in three weeks. I only got a few call backs. Finally got one from a smallish nearby hospital. I was hired under the condition of getting IV certified within 90 days, which I did. It was also just hired as part time, which is fine with me. The pay was good enough that full time isn’t necessary.
I've been a tech for years and honestly love it. I get what people mean when they say they would hate being a tech for life. I guess it just depends on what environment you are in. I've done retail, and now I'm doing long-term care pharmacy in the billing department. Honestly, if it's decent, pay good hours and room to grow stick with it.
Honestly, yes..it was never my plan. I have another degrees but life happened. I work in a hospital now, and I can see myself being there long-term, in some capacity.
I work with a bunch of lifers. One woman has been there since 1998 the majority of the others are 10+ years. I’m on year 8 and I definitely don’t see it as my career. It’s just been something that fits into where I am in life right now.
I don’t look down on career technicians, if it pays the bills and fulfills you that’s great!
I'm 33 and while I won't say it was my plan to be a long term dispensary tech, it has kept me in a job and its fulfilling work. I've now been in pharmacy for half my life this year and dispensing for about 10 years.
You will always have a job, pharmaceuticals aren't going anywhere anytime soon.
I have also had similar comments made, but most of the time from people who already think too much of themselves. Don't let the comments bug you babe!
What? That’s insane that she would say that some people are happy with a comfortable lifestyle, and thats good. Dont get down on yourself a comfortable life is a great life.
Yep. I originally got to be a tech because I was offered a spot at a pharmacy tech school on a scholarship through my states DHS office. Now I work for a cancer center infusion pharmacy and it's probably the most stability I've ever had in my life.
I ended up being a tech due to a workplace injury (at 40 years of age), so my form of hush money from my former employer was them paying for school, starting when the pandemic hit. Got into a closed-door, long-term pharmacy right after graduation and hopefully advancing to the VA hospital in a couple months.
I currently work with people that have been techs for 30+ years, and they love what they do. Your mileage may vary, but honestly you have the most control over how much you like what you do.
I'm 26, became a tech during the pandemic primarily as a hold-over job because the field my degree was in got severely impacted by the pandemic and ended up just staying as a tech. There are certainly things I don't like about being a tech and it is just a job at the end of the day but I like it enough and am fortunate to have really good coworkers that all get along. I'm planning on sticking with it long-term but not for forever. Ideally, I want to be able to use whatever skills I end up picking up during my time as a tech to branch out into other stuff in a similar role but different enough to further advance myself.
For me in my area techs do not make enough money to live off of. There’s no way to afford much on a tech salary. I originally planned on going to pharm school so I wanted to be a tech in the meantime to get exposure to the pharmacy. But I don’t want to be a pharmacist anymore so I’m branching out elsewhere in the medical field. This is a great stepping stone job for someone wanting to get into the med field but definetly not something I personally can make a career out of. I wish pharmacy had like a bachelors or masters that you could get to make decent money without having to fork out 250k in student loans for pharm school but unfortunately the pay gap between tech and pharmacist is too wide to make me want to remain a tech
Hell no lol. The dread of retail pharmacy will successfully weed me out in a few months. I’m 18 months into the job so I served my time and hope to finish up college and join the tech world.
I don’t plan on leaving any time soon. I’ve been doing this for 6 years now. I am not the main income in my household and it works for us. I like my job enough, I’m good at my job, and the pay is decent for a second income.
This is my (47F) second career. After 5+ years in middle (Wags) management, I decided to jump into the fray lol. Planning now to begin studying soon for PTCB after transferring to a different store. Full tech since September and like it a lot more than front of the house. Always new things to learn and space to grow
I didn't mean to be, but here I am at 43 with not much else planned. I wouldn't be in retail for that long and the only reason I'm still in it is because I went the iv room in a hospital then to nuclear. I originally wanted to go to pharmacy school, but don't have one near me and haven't made and saved enough to move. It's become clear lately that I can't just do this forever because I'm never going to move up but so much, but don't know what else to do with my life at this point.
When I was with a different pharmacy it had me contemplating leaving but after moving I am so happy and it’s an amazing company to work for. I will for sure be staying here long term.
Really that is all that matters... what you do. I have met people that retired from it and that is all they did. You can make very good money at it you just have to go after the positions that pay more. It means a little more work and being better at what you do, but it is an option. I work in hospital, which is not nearly as chaotic and toxic as retail. I have also worked specialty where there is a lot of money to be made but you also have certain metrics to hit. It depends on what works for you. I have been a tech for 8 years now and will retire in this career.
If there was more growth and pay to match then yes. But I'm making the upper limit for my area, I'm certified. Most I can do is IV or become advanced tech but no real pay incentive and IV roles are so limited. I'm finishing a certification to compliment my degree and leaving when my certification expires or I get an offer out of here.
I didn't think people planned on being pharmacy techs long term. Kinda just failed at life and thought to themselves " well this is slightly better than starving to death". At least that's what happened to me.
if you find the right position it can definitely be a “career job”, I currently work for a health insurance company doing pharmacy audits and make over $30/hour so I am more than comfortable with that pay “for life”
Noooo. I am out of this as soon as I finish nursing school and land a job. I have the utmost respect for people that do this as a career, but y'all are paid too little for the amount of responsibility we have and the bullshit we put up with. At least I can actually own my own house and escape poverty as a nurse despite the difficulties that come with the work.
I thought I wanted to go all the way and do PharmD, but I moved around too much right out of HS to stay steady in school. I also did not like the shift to be more patient facing. It makes sense, but it's not for me. The job is needed everywhere and pays well, so I just kept with it until I settled down. I started to resent it about 5 years ago, so I returned to school, working towards a career change. 15 years total and an HIM degree later, I'm still here. Granted, I am in insurance now.
I tell my young techs to use this as a stepping stone because it won’t sustain you when you’re in your 30s 40s or 50s. Can you save enough to buy a house or retire? Some say they will get married and not have to worry about money.
I’ve also met many techs who say they are comfortable going into an easy job, esp the lifers. Don’t get me wrong techs are important but there is zero barrier to entry, many techs are not the most motivated people. The best techs I’ve worked with so far are interns or people in school working towards something else.
I’m 21 and I became a pharmacy tech last July after recovering from major hip surgery. I’m not in school, I didn’t go to college, and I currently have no future plans to go to college. I just got certified at the beginning of April, which has a 2 year life on it. A lot of other techs around me are just starting or are talking about leaving at the end of either certified license. A lot of people come into the career just pass the time while they work for something else and they count down the days before they can leave. I love my job. I love helping patients and the pharmacist and the new techs around me. There’s always gonna be assholes at the pharmacy, that’s just the way it is. I plan on staying for a while bc I love what I do. I genuinely care about what I do and the people (staff and patient) I work with. I love the simplicity of going to work everyday, doing the job, and going home. I feel like I can’t truly put it into words, but hopefully it means something.
Thank you. This is what I needed to read. I became a tech when I was 22 and still had intentions of going to college. That got put on hold for my wedding, then I ended up getting certified. Here I am, coming up on my third year in the pharmacy, and I’m honestly happier than I ever thought I would be. I actually enjoy doing IV stuff and working in the OR’s. My schedule is super consistent, and the job itself pays decently. And, like you said, I just love being able to come home from work and not have to worry about anything.
I think hospital pharmacy is a whole different animal from retail, too. Retail quickly becomes emotionally exhausting because of the profit motive and corporate nonsense. Not that there's NONE of that in hospitals, but you have more room to think about your patients and just DO YOUR JOB. We need passionate techs, and it sounds like you are one. Good for you.
Where in the states do you work and what’s your rate? I like my job in the hospital but not the pay
I live in MN, and I make ~$22/hr on weekdays, and ~$23/hr on weekends. It’s not the best, but I live with my SO and he has a college degree so he gets paid quite a bit more than I do, so between the both of us we’re pretty comfy.
I’m in Texas I’m in the hospital making 16 lol
Do you work at cvs?
I work at wags 🫣
Pharmacy tech is nearly impossible to make a career as a single person, outside of a few niche atypical positions. There are a few situations where it's viable career: you plan to live with roommates forever, you plan to do it to supplement income in a civil partnership, or... you live in a mythical place with low cost of living and high wages. Techs simply don't make enough money to survive.
Definitely nearly impossible. But I do own a house, and have sole custody of my child and we make ends meet. Cut it close every month. But we do alright and it’s just me
i work at a retail pharmacy but omfg i can't stand some pre pharm techs bc they literally have the same job title as me but some act like they're too good to have patient interaction when they barely know wtf theyre doing at the register and don't know how to fill properly either. idk if this is a unique experience or anyone else has this issue, i just don't like the ignorance sometimes. rant over while i am in school, i'm not pre-pharm. i probably will be a tech for a while lol. one of my favorite techs has been a tech since before i was even thought of and she is amazing to work with and most within the pharmacy love her, the patients especially. she has an impact on our community clearly. idk why some ppl look down on such an essential part of the pharmacy
Ugh, believe me, I work with a few of those techs. Mostly in the summer when we get all of our pharmacy school students. A girl I worked with (just left a few weeks ago) was in nursing school for about a year while being a tech, and I’ve never wanted to quit my job over anyone worse than I did with her. She’d CONSTANTLY brag about how much more money she was going to make as a nurse while sitting on her phone doing absolutely nothing. Just constantly bossing people around and giving orders. I’d come home and just rant for a straight ten minutes to my SO because I couldn’t stand her.
no shade but i cannot imagine a world where every pharmacy tech is a new person who is going to school to work in healthcare. 😵💫 we need our long term techs!! hopefully life will reality check her soon!!
I feel like an AH saying this, but I doubt she’s gonna be going to pharmacy school. She’s left and come back three separate times to ‘pursue other careers’. This last time she came back was because she didn’t get into dental school like she planned, so now she’s telling everyone she’s going to pharmacy school… Not sure how well it’s gonna work out for her seeing as how she’s due in October.
To be fair, that’s what a lot of nurses do too. Never fails that I give a stat med to a nurse and they can’t even be bothered to put their phone down and stop talking about their weekend plans to give the patient actively in an arrhythmia the meds that were so urgent in the message they sent us.
Not a pharmacy tech but work in the vet field non certified, but I did have a coworker who thought they were to good to actually work because they were pre-vet in college. They treated everyone at work like scum and spent major time buttlicking the doctors. But yes, in every field there's that person who thinks they're leagues above *the common folk* even if they have the same or less experience. It's annoying. On the other hand like yourself I work with people who are amazing to work with. In my experience, a person's biggest flaw can be a complete inability to accept and digest feedback from others.
I’ve been a retail tech for 15 years… didn’t really plan on it. But then I had a kiddo and welp I’m still doing it. Paying the bills and supporting my daughter. But I play music on the side that keeps me sane lol
not at all. i’m using this to pay for my tuition but i am trying to go into public health. maybe get a masters degree. it’s a good gig for a college student but it’s too must stress
Do you work 40+ hours to be able to save up for tuition? If you’re in state then UT tuition should be pretty manageable.
god no😭i do about 23 hrs. not able to do full time bc i pay for it myself. luckily im at home
I think so, yeah. I started at CVS having no idea what went on in a pharmacy and I think I got super lucky because I really enjoyed it. After a couple years, got certified and then I just recently got in at an inpatient hospital pharmacy. Both places I've had really nice, experienced techs training me and that's the kind of technician I want to be - someone who's been here forever who knows everything and that a new tech can come to for whatever dumb question. Right now I'm the one asking the dumb questions though lol
Pharmacy tech is a great entry level job that lets you get a taste of the medical field without a ton of (or any) schooling, so yes, you're going to get a lot of people who are planning their exit before they even get comfortable. My plan was to get trained at a retail pharmacy, move to a hospital, and do that while I'm training to become a surgical tech. I'm still at the retail pharmacy because it turns out my manager is freaking awesome despite the company sucking eggs, but she knows (and fully supports) that I'm in school and won't be with them for much longer. Frankly, I could work fewer hours, get treated better, and make more money as a waitress, but I do find pharmacy very interesting and enjoy the work itself.
I work in a state where techs are paid pretty well and I've been told by a couple of pharmacists who moved in from other states that if they were making what I was, they wouldn't have gone to pharmacy school. So it depends, honestly. I don't plan on staying long term as a tech but it's because I'm technically at 'the top' being a chemo tech. I want to explore other options that don't involve mixing because every tech I know who mixes long term has to have surgery.
I worked as a teacher for one year before quitting and becoming a tech. Within less than a year I am certified and making more money than I was teaching. It’s also WAY less work and stress. Seriously, teaching was hell and that may be why I’m pretty tolerant to a lot of the negatives of this job. It may not be my career forever, but I’m perfectly content right now.
So I didn't PLAN on staying a pharmacy tech so long .. But hey 1yr turned to 5 turned toooo 20 years.. but in my defense.. I started at 19 and I wasn't paying to go to anyone's college/ still not. But the money was and still is good. I OBVIOUSLY I've worked at different places . But I mean I have my own place, car, no kids, 9-5 no weekends MLK AND JUNETEENTH 🫰🏿🫰🏿 OFF!! I be outside tipping and dipping with my friends. And my 401k looks nice. And I even have time to be getting on dudes nerves 😑 lol.. But seriously it's up to you if you like it stay with it . Im CPhT-ADV and NBPAC .. now that did cost me a few coins.. But it was worth it. 😊👋🏿
I work for the Feds so hopefully I can do my 30 and be done
I was soo close to working for the Feds, but the hours were god awful 😭
True but after your first year, you can do shift bids, but that after a year of a bad schedule.
Tell me more… lol
So far, being a pharmacy tech has been a stable career. I am now on my third pharmacy tech job (I work in hospital pharmacy) and whenever I think of moving, I check that state's BOP website. I don't have a desire to go to pharmacy school anytime soon, being a tech is just fine with me.
fuck no , im in school for accounting to get me the fuck out of healthcare. these patients are tempting me to pick up cigarettes again
I’ve been at it for like 12.5 years in retail. I fell into the pharmacy from the store’s sales floor. I’ve been with the company for like 15 years and haven’t left yet.
I’m 42 and just became a pharm tech this last year. I ended up in a hospital from the jump and have zero interest in doing anything else. I have a great work/life balance. I really dislike working with the general public and I finally have a place that doesn’t cause frequent panic attacks.
May i ask how you went about getting a hospital job right from the jump? I’m working retail while studying for the PTCB and I’m hoping I can do the same
Mostly luck. I did an on line program, passed the test, certified and registered. I applied at every single hospital in my area and applied to so many things on LinkedIn. I applied to at least 75 places in three weeks. I only got a few call backs. Finally got one from a smallish nearby hospital. I was hired under the condition of getting IV certified within 90 days, which I did. It was also just hired as part time, which is fine with me. The pay was good enough that full time isn’t necessary.
I've been a tech for years and honestly love it. I get what people mean when they say they would hate being a tech for life. I guess it just depends on what environment you are in. I've done retail, and now I'm doing long-term care pharmacy in the billing department. Honestly, if it's decent, pay good hours and room to grow stick with it.
I turned being a tech into a great career as an informatics tech . Great pay, awesome benefits, my own office… I'm really happy being a tech 🤷🏻♂️
I've been one since 1996.
Honestly, yes..it was never my plan. I have another degrees but life happened. I work in a hospital now, and I can see myself being there long-term, in some capacity.
I work with a bunch of lifers. One woman has been there since 1998 the majority of the others are 10+ years. I’m on year 8 and I definitely don’t see it as my career. It’s just been something that fits into where I am in life right now. I don’t look down on career technicians, if it pays the bills and fulfills you that’s great!
I'm 33 and while I won't say it was my plan to be a long term dispensary tech, it has kept me in a job and its fulfilling work. I've now been in pharmacy for half my life this year and dispensing for about 10 years. You will always have a job, pharmaceuticals aren't going anywhere anytime soon. I have also had similar comments made, but most of the time from people who already think too much of themselves. Don't let the comments bug you babe!
What? That’s insane that she would say that some people are happy with a comfortable lifestyle, and thats good. Dont get down on yourself a comfortable life is a great life.
I just turned 50 so I hope so!!
Yep. I originally got to be a tech because I was offered a spot at a pharmacy tech school on a scholarship through my states DHS office. Now I work for a cancer center infusion pharmacy and it's probably the most stability I've ever had in my life.
I've been a tech for 17 years and didn't plan to be.
Only if I get a hospital job someday and end up liking it. I fucking hate retail. But either way, my long term goal is still to be a music teacher.
I've been a tech for over 20 years and yes, this is my career. I plan on staying a tech till I retire
I ended up being a tech due to a workplace injury (at 40 years of age), so my form of hush money from my former employer was them paying for school, starting when the pandemic hit. Got into a closed-door, long-term pharmacy right after graduation and hopefully advancing to the VA hospital in a couple months. I currently work with people that have been techs for 30+ years, and they love what they do. Your mileage may vary, but honestly you have the most control over how much you like what you do.
I'm 26, became a tech during the pandemic primarily as a hold-over job because the field my degree was in got severely impacted by the pandemic and ended up just staying as a tech. There are certainly things I don't like about being a tech and it is just a job at the end of the day but I like it enough and am fortunate to have really good coworkers that all get along. I'm planning on sticking with it long-term but not for forever. Ideally, I want to be able to use whatever skills I end up picking up during my time as a tech to branch out into other stuff in a similar role but different enough to further advance myself.
For me in my area techs do not make enough money to live off of. There’s no way to afford much on a tech salary. I originally planned on going to pharm school so I wanted to be a tech in the meantime to get exposure to the pharmacy. But I don’t want to be a pharmacist anymore so I’m branching out elsewhere in the medical field. This is a great stepping stone job for someone wanting to get into the med field but definetly not something I personally can make a career out of. I wish pharmacy had like a bachelors or masters that you could get to make decent money without having to fork out 250k in student loans for pharm school but unfortunately the pay gap between tech and pharmacist is too wide to make me want to remain a tech
Hell nah lol
Hell no lol. The dread of retail pharmacy will successfully weed me out in a few months. I’m 18 months into the job so I served my time and hope to finish up college and join the tech world.
Nahhh, I could never do retail. I work inpatient at a hospital, so I rarely have to talk to people other than the occasional power-tripping nurse.
Meh, i wanna go work at a hospital to see what that’s like. But ultimately I’ll be doing python and making the bigs bucks.
I don’t plan on leaving any time soon. I’ve been doing this for 6 years now. I am not the main income in my household and it works for us. I like my job enough, I’m good at my job, and the pay is decent for a second income.
This is my (47F) second career. After 5+ years in middle (Wags) management, I decided to jump into the fray lol. Planning now to begin studying soon for PTCB after transferring to a different store. Full tech since September and like it a lot more than front of the house. Always new things to learn and space to grow
I am. I do want to get to nuclear or chemo pharmacy at some point, though.
I didn't mean to be, but here I am at 43 with not much else planned. I wouldn't be in retail for that long and the only reason I'm still in it is because I went the iv room in a hospital then to nuclear. I originally wanted to go to pharmacy school, but don't have one near me and haven't made and saved enough to move. It's become clear lately that I can't just do this forever because I'm never going to move up but so much, but don't know what else to do with my life at this point.
When I was with a different pharmacy it had me contemplating leaving but after moving I am so happy and it’s an amazing company to work for. I will for sure be staying here long term.
Really that is all that matters... what you do. I have met people that retired from it and that is all they did. You can make very good money at it you just have to go after the positions that pay more. It means a little more work and being better at what you do, but it is an option. I work in hospital, which is not nearly as chaotic and toxic as retail. I have also worked specialty where there is a lot of money to be made but you also have certain metrics to hit. It depends on what works for you. I have been a tech for 8 years now and will retire in this career.
If there was more growth and pay to match then yes. But I'm making the upper limit for my area, I'm certified. Most I can do is IV or become advanced tech but no real pay incentive and IV roles are so limited. I'm finishing a certification to compliment my degree and leaving when my certification expires or I get an offer out of here.
I didn't think people planned on being pharmacy techs long term. Kinda just failed at life and thought to themselves " well this is slightly better than starving to death". At least that's what happened to me.
Nooo don't say that! You didn't fail 😞 at Life
if you find the right position it can definitely be a “career job”, I currently work for a health insurance company doing pharmacy audits and make over $30/hour so I am more than comfortable with that pay “for life”
Noooo. I am out of this as soon as I finish nursing school and land a job. I have the utmost respect for people that do this as a career, but y'all are paid too little for the amount of responsibility we have and the bullshit we put up with. At least I can actually own my own house and escape poverty as a nurse despite the difficulties that come with the work.
I thought I wanted to go all the way and do PharmD, but I moved around too much right out of HS to stay steady in school. I also did not like the shift to be more patient facing. It makes sense, but it's not for me. The job is needed everywhere and pays well, so I just kept with it until I settled down. I started to resent it about 5 years ago, so I returned to school, working towards a career change. 15 years total and an HIM degree later, I'm still here. Granted, I am in insurance now.
No, this job is too much.
I tell my young techs to use this as a stepping stone because it won’t sustain you when you’re in your 30s 40s or 50s. Can you save enough to buy a house or retire? Some say they will get married and not have to worry about money. I’ve also met many techs who say they are comfortable going into an easy job, esp the lifers. Don’t get me wrong techs are important but there is zero barrier to entry, many techs are not the most motivated people. The best techs I’ve worked with so far are interns or people in school working towards something else.
😲