Pharmacy Technician Pros/Cons/Salary (find a job, company, $20k, money)

[Jim1008]

Hi,

I am thinking about getting training to become a pharmacy technician. What are the pros/cons of your position especially when working in a retail store environment like Rite Aid,CVS,Safeway,Bartells? and what is your salary range?

Thanks

[BigDGeek]

A friend of a friend is a pharm tech. He's been doing it for a long time so he has seniority and gets the best shifts, but pharm techs work the same hours as pharmacies are open. Weekends, and sometimes overnight.

Pharm techs around here generally make about $12 an hour.

[Malloric]

$10-14/hour typically, benefits are usually pretty good. Working in a hospital or retail pharmacy that does compounding you'll make a lot more. I made around $18/hour when I started doing compounding. It's honestly pretty easy. The hospital I was working for just gave me a book, told me to read it, and then there was two days of training. All you really need for IVs/compounding/TPNs is 8th grade math, the rest is learned on the job. You're just doing the repetitive tasks so the pharmacists don't have to do them. Don't pay $20k or whatever, just go through the community colleges if necessary.

It was a college job, so nights and weekends were a plus. It's boring but simultaneously one of those jobs you have to pay attention while you're doing unlike most retail jobs. That and dealing with doctors are the biggest cons.

[DubbleT]

I strongly suggest you go talk to RX managers in your area before you even consider it. Our company has been cutting tech hours to a bare bones minimum for the last year and many of our techs float between stores just to get close to 40 hours a week. Very stressful work environment too, when you are always running short handed.

[lostinca]

I looked into phar tech awhile ago I would enjoy the job itself but I wasn't able to commit to school until after I find a job. Tough situation.
If you can get hired on with a hospital then you would make a decent amount of money. The only thing I am afraid of would be if the pharmacy becomes automated but that is awhile out I hope.