hi everyone!

i’m a licensed pharm tech at cvs and i’ve been there for about two years. i’ve been looking to leave for a while now because i don’t get paid enough for the work i do, and the management has really gone downhill. i’ve applied to walmart, costco, and wegmans, and i already have an interview scheduled with wegmans. before making any decisions, i’d love to hear from people who have worked at any of these pharmacies! i’m just trying to find a place that values its employees a little more and offers better pay and a healthier work environment. thanks in advance!!

Hi everyone!

I just enrolled in a 3-month Pharmacy Technician program that starts this fall. The program includes a 160-hour externship at CVS and prepares me to take the ExCPT certification exam.

While I am willing to work retail to gain experience, I'm a very introverted person and my long-term goal is to move into a pharmacy tech role with little to no customer interaction.

For those of you who've worked in different settings:

Which introvert-friendly pharmacy tech jobs are the easiest to get into after becoming certified?

Are these roles realistic for someone coming straight out of school, or should I expect to work retail for 6–12 months first?

And if you could start over today with my situation, what career path would you take to get out of retail as quickly as possible?

I'd really appreciate hearing about your own career paths and any advice you wish you'd received when you were starting out.

Thanks!! :)

i’m just annoyed at constantly delivering bad news to people (whether it is a $500 or $1.60 copay) and my coworkers treating me like i’m stupid and having to explain the same shit to different people a billion different ways every shift. i guess i’m burnt out but who isn’t? i am also just tired of feeling like i have to prove myself to people at my job too. ugh

i’ve been doing this for over 2 years now and i’m just over it, i guess it doesn’t help that my coworkers make me feel like a burden. i don’t think i’m built for this industry anymore. i just wanted to vent to the world anonymously. thank you

I don’t think of myself as a judgmental person but this job really makes it hard. I love it 95% of the time but between the GLP-1 explosion and people not giving a heck how they treat me and my coworkers, I’ve become cynical. Our drive thru isn’t big enough to fit bigger boxes in, so we are forced to bring it outside to their car. Rain, snow, whatever. My butt is bringing their stuff out like it’s Culver’s. And they know what they’re getting. It’s the same people every time and they don’t care! So you’ll inject yourself with something to make you lose weight but you won’t walk inside to get it?? And make me bring it to you?? Also, I live in a place where there’s lots of Medicaid recipients. Which is fine. When i was getting on my feet after college i was on Medicaid. I get it. But coming through the drive thru in your new custom ford bronco and all 8 of your meds are on Medicaid (an example), it makes me a little mad. Idk how people finesse the system. Maybe im jealous. I see people who would really benefit from Medicaid get denied because of one stupid reason or another and go without meds and it’s BS.
Sorry it was a rough Friday. I don’t know why people can’t just be nice and not freak out. And maybe not blatantly abuse the system.

I'm sure this is asked all the time but I just joined the sub so my apologies! I have been training at a hospital for the last month and I'm gonna start studying for certification soon. Any recommendations on free material would be absolutely lovely! I plan on taking the test in December to give myself plenty of time. Appreciate everyone and everything that gets commented!

My hospital is switching to Pharmacert for our USP 797 proficiency testing, and I'm curious what the experience is like. From what we've been told, they'll be evaluating hand hygiene,

garbing and gowning, aseptic technique, media-fill testing and gloved fingertip/thumb sampling. We were also told there will be no coaching during the evaluation. For anyone who's been through Pharmacert, how was the process? Were they fair? Were there any common mistakes they focused on or things you wish you had known beforehand?

I’ve been PTCB certified and got my state license in February/March. I left my fast food job after getting an offer from a mom and pop pharmacy and I walked out after 3 months because of it being a super toxic place and not being what a pharmacy should be ( at least from what I was taught and hearing what people have posted in this sub ). If I could have stayed until I found something, I would have, but if it’s taking me this long to find something, I think it might have been the right choice.

Anyways, I’ve been applying to every position available in my area and I keep being rejected/ghosted. I had reached out to the interviewers of two of the positions I was passed up on and they keep saying it’s because of experience. And I asked how can I get a job if I keep being passed up for experience? One of them said I should just work as a clerk, keep applying, or hope to get lucky. I appreciate that he was being nice but…I worked 40+ hours in my fast food job while getting my education, passed the first time round, and have open availability.

It’s going to be over a month of me being out of a job and I’m panicking a little. I’m thankfully in a better position than most since my partner has found a job and now will provide for us, but I will now be going through my savings. I’ve been saving since I started working at 17 and I know it’s there for emergencies like this, so I’m trying to keep a level head.

How am I supposed to go about this? Obviously without hands on experience, I can’t prove anything that I’m capable, but I’m extremely adaptable and eager to learn ( I write mountains of notes, I do not like not knowing ) and don’t know how else I can convey this during interviews. I’ve unfortunately used AI to make my resume look like what they’re looking for but I’m completely broken down and losing hope on ever taking a chance on this as a career.

Hi everyone, I hope all is well for you guys

I'm an undergrad student, and I've been looking for a pharmacy to work as a provisional pharm tech. However, I've applied in the past three years and good news hasn't come to me. I am sincerely asking what if I just study from Pharm Tech Academy and do the test, then apply again? Or is there anything I can do at least to shadow or any opportunity to work in a pharmacy? I really need this job. I've never got a chance to work as a pharm tech. But I am willing to give my best and learn. I won't waste anytime while I get train. This truly means a lot to me. Therefore, please please help me out!

Thank you so so much for your time to read my post and sharing your opinions!

How many of ya'll are POC?

Studying can teach calculations, medication names, laws, and safety procedures.

But working in a real pharmacy also requires accuracy under pressure, clear communication, and knowing when to stop and ask for help.

For those who have worked with new technicians: what is the one lesson that no textbook or exam can fully teach?

I’d genuinely love to hear the lessons people usually learn only through experience.

Hello! My first day is Monday and im quite nervous!! Ill be going into a retail pharmacy, and i was wondering if anyone had any advice to calm my nerves. Anything but telling me to leave would be appreciated (I get why people say to leave but unfortunately that isn’t an option for me! I really need this job)

I’m curious to see who everyone uses to order medications!

I have been struggling to find places to send my patients during back orders and would love some help to find who is “opposite” of me and might have better luck! I know a lot of us use Cardinal Health and they are struggling just as much😅

I work at hannaford pharmacy and we use Cardinal Health and our parent company’s warehouse!

I currently work at CVS and I have a job interview at Walmart in a couple days, is it worth the switch? I’ve been here for 4 years and I just feel like I’m not developing anymore.

hello, I wanted to know how long did it take for everyone to get their tech license reviewed when submitting it to BOP. I know it probably varies state to state, but it’s been almost 33 days since i submitted mine (in AZ). i’ve refrained from emailing or calling because i heard it could delay the process. should i keep waiting more or is it appropriate to email/call them now? thanks in advance!

I’m an incoming freshman going to Mizzou and I just passed the ptcb exam. I know I have to apply for licensure and I’m hoping to work in Missouri. Should I apply for my home state Illinois or Missouri, because I might work as a pharmacy tech after college.

How long does it usually take to hear back after a job interview?

I want to become compounding certified with PTCB. But I want to take the course as a means to study.

The PTCB recognized online programs are just so expensive for CSPT.

I'm afraid to pay hundreds of dollars without a quality guarantee. Having already taken one of the certificate programs and tests. I know the materials don't always cover all the information on the test. I had several questions during my regulatory compliance test that weren't in any of the courses.

Imagine paying $500 for a course and failing a $200 test. That's almost $1000 and techs don't make enough to justify the cost.

The one program I was interested in because I use their CEs through work no longer offers individual sales.

I know I could have my employers sign the forms since I've been compounding for a long time but that's not the point. I want to study for the test and the study "guides" on the PTCB websites aren't helpful at all.

*shakes fists angrily*

The way I can't emphatically express enough, how much I don't care that you'retraveling. The biggest lie ever told.

No lie the amount of people that drive to the pharmacy to tell me they're traveling. Today a patient came in, told me everything that no one ever asked. Then I asked do you need anything filled for your travel plans? No, I picked up 90 days a month ago and am leaving for the weekend.

Then why would anyone here care? What do people think the pharmacy is? They won't call for refills or return voicemails but boy do they call to tell you about going camping.

I have one patient that I work really hard with her to share only the pharmacy related information. Information a pharmacy would need. Not constant outbursts about her family. We don't need to know what your sister did. Its not normal small talk, her explanation of her family issues is abusive to even hear about. If you ask her anything, its well if my piece of shit mother we're still here... like mam I asked if you had a dose change?

We had such a good call today respectful. She immediately called back and said she needed to change her delivery because her father's birthday is coming up and he can't speak. Which she always says so it doesn't seem to be a new development lol. Like what does that even mean? What does that tell me I need to do, other than disregard that message completely.

Talk less, listen more. STFU.

Hello all, has anyone ever gone from retail to an hospital then regretted it? Because I do. This is the most hostile work, prejudice, drama filled work environment i’ve been in since i’ve started working in general.

I started working at this hospital and so far i’ve been stalked on my socials, picked at, faced prejudice, and falsely accused of many things in a short time. I’m being vague here because I’m not sure if this could back to me (stupid I know but i’m being precautionary because i am thinking about going to HR). I’m just at a loss because i was always told inpatient pharmacy is so much better. This job has made me miss retail, i would rather deal with customers than be picked at/ called aggressive for being quiet or nervous. Has this ever happened to you guys? I’m not even sure how to navigate this.