Pharmacist

I'm really thinking about going to school to become a pharmacist, but I wanted to know would it be smarter to go to school to become a pharmacy technician first to gain experience or just begin going to school for pharmacy and wait for experience once all the education requirements are taken care of first and licensed...

Well it is up to you, but I would go to school to become a pharmacy technician because it will save you the trouble of changing careers.

If you are an excellent student who can really dive in, go to pharmacy school.

The jobs require you to be very exacting and able to concentrate for extended periods of time. You also need to be a problem solver, cuz man there are new problems every day!

Is that you?

Pharmacy techs can be trained on the job - no school required - but you can find a short course to sign up for. A waste of money, usually. The techs I work with and have trained have all passed their certification test with no problems. Becoming a pharmacist is an entirley different venture. It now requires a doctorate. There are few schools that will push you through in 6 years, but many require a bachelors degreee, then you apply for Pharmacy school - just like going to med school. That means 8 years total. If you didn't have at least a 3.00 in high school don't even think about it.

i'm trying to find a place where they will accept me and train me for pharm tech. I'm in my first year of college and so i don't have any certificate for pharm tech whatsoever but You said that they can be trained on the job? do you know if walgreen, rite aid, target, safeway or bartell drugs do that?

kim in Renton, Washington said: i'm trying to find a place where they will accept me and train me for pharm tech. I'm in my first year of college and so i don't have any certificate for pharm tech whatsoever but You said that they can be trained on the job? do you know if walgreen, rite aid, target, safeway or bartell drugs do that?

Walgreens will hire, train, and send you to classes to help you get certified as a pharm tech. They like college students and you need to be a proficient learner.

PharmD in Las Vegas, Nevada said: Walgreens will hire, train, and send you to classes to help you get certified as a pharm tech. They like college students and you need to be a proficient learner.

oh okay, thank you for the advice...I'll apply to there soon

Donald in Baton Rouge, Louisiana said: I'm really thinking about going to school to become a pharmacist, but I wanted to know would it be smarter to go to school to become a pharmacy technician first to gain experience or just begin going to school for pharmacy and wait for experience once all the education requirements are taken care of first and licensed...

yes. best decision in your life u never regret. go for it

pharm d in Columbus, Ohio said: Pharmacy techs can be trained on the job - no school required - but you can find a short course to sign up for. A waste of money, usually. The techs I work with and have trained have all passed their certification test with no problems. Becoming a pharmacist is an entirley different venture. It now requires a doctorate. There are few schools that will push you through in 6 years, but many require a bachelors degreee, then you apply for Pharmacy school - just like going to med school. That means 8 years total. If you didn't have at least a 3.00 in high school don't even think about it.

my cousin is a pharmacist and i would like to becaome one. she told me whe would train me on the job to become a tech and she cleared it with her boss. am i legally allowed to be trained in the pharmacy without being hired first?