Pharmacy tech vs medical assistant reddit

Pharmacy tech vs medical assistant reddit

MillennialModernMan. Sort by: thekool12345. Hope this helps and good luck! Reply. The average salary for a medical assistant is $37,190 per year or $17. Frenchpoirot. I am not sure if pharmacy tech counts (I don't think so, but it may in some schools) but you can check on the schools websites or calling them to ask. • 3 yr. Once you’re more comfortable with the job, it should get better. I did take the optional test to become a certified technician, which took about 3 months, but I use not of the knowledge I picked up preparing for the test. Good luck :) I’m done. I just passed the PTCE, and I'm currently getting the paperwork needed to submit with my CA Pharm Tech application. Both of these salaries may vary depending on the type of work you’re doing, your location and your experience level. Even if it isn't truly a clinical position, nobody is going to fault you for it. I know unemployed CS grads, cause it confers no concrete skill to you, just theory. 1 letter from Doc. The doctors, patients, medical assistants, nurses and everyone in between thinks you're just a call center rep and they let their frustrations out on you. This is my first year applying to the MLT program at Sait, however my application says “in continued selection” and I have a pretty good feeling I won’t get into the program this year. Aug 14, 2006 · Specializes in med/surg, telemetry, IV therapy, mgmt. You can get certified online or take a class through community college. The median annual salary was $31,290. •. Pharmacy Technicians play a crucial role in supporting pharmacists in their daily tasks. I worked as a cashier and a supervisor and honestly prefer working in the pharmacy. Not nearly as much patient contact. The things you learn to pass your PTCE for pharmacy help a TON with medical math and pharmacology. I plan to become a pharmacist, but I want to become a pharmacy technician in the meantime. Reply. What is your opinion on dental assisting? Is Pharmacy technicians learn a lot about the health care process and especially if you're looking to go into nursing, the medication knowledge will be invaluable. Award. Pusan_dragon. I’m in my late twenties now and thinking about going back to school. Those of us already working in the field this is a place to help us get through our work day's. I’m done with being an MA. In this article, we will delve into the differences between a Pharmacy Tech and a Pharmacist Assistant, shedding light on the unique contributions each makes to the healthcare system. 5 years. The job outlook for pharmacy technicians is expected to grow Aug 15, 2022 · This means that there will be many more job openings for medical assistants than there will be for pharmacy technicians. However, a pharmacy technician can only earn over $49,000 at most with upgrading to a different profession. Just like how pharmacy technicians can't transfer their credits to become a pharmacist. Any tips or encouragements (lol) are greatly appreciated. The MLT Program here gives people who have completed the MLA program the option to "upgrade" to MLT and allows them to use their credits towards becoming an MLT making it a shortened program. This was Inspired by an earlier thread where a lot of you posted your hourly rate. (my strongest Stat) Pharmacy technician, Optometric technician, Medical assistant in ophthalmology, plastic surgery, and dermatology. Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2020, the median annual wage for medical assistants was $35,850, with the lowest 10 percent earning less than $26,930 and the highest 10 percent earning more than $49,040. I think medical assistants are underpaid. 88 per hour. in any case, most of the pharmacy Ive been a Certified Medical Assistant for 10 years and I don’t believe it’s worth it. With the amount of time it would take to get into PA school, I could get a couple of masters degrees (MBA, MPH —to get a leg up in the PharmD job market) from one of those ‘at your pace’ online schools, and then go back 5k hours HCE. Share. Urinalysis: also just load samples on the machines. Hi all! I’m an 18yo college student earning my biology degree. I am currently a Pharmacy Tech and about 3 weeks into my first semester of an ADN program. A surgical technologist program is a good starting point, but the OR can be an intense environment. You're better off going to school or learning a trade/skill. Volunteering will not help in most schools. I have been working here for a year. The interviews are also vastly different depending on if it is a retail/mail order/specialty position. The MCAT (Medical College Admission Test) is offered by the AAMC and is a required exam for admission to medical schools in the USA and Canada. Starting rate is a little more than $19/hr I make a little more than $24/hr after 5. What I like about being and MA is that it's very routine. I was in the same boat as you, overworked, burnt out, and just plain sick of the BS. 3. ago. /r/MCAT is a place for MCAT practice, questions, discussion, advice, social networking, news, study tips and more. Occasionally they do have more responsibilities… like doing bloodwork, EKGs, etc. Is it equal "clinical" experience in terms of medical/patient exposure compared to a EMT, PCT, MA? No, not really, but that doesn't mean it wasn't a unique and beneficial experience towards your growth r/pharmacy. if you’re a patient who wants to leave a compliment, that’s okay, but anything other than that is unwelcome. All CPC's with no experience are designated CPC-A which means apprentice. Keep in mind that these are medians. Remote sucks too. I honestly think being an MA is more of a “calling” if you will. at least, i've always heard you had to go through a 6-month training program through a school. Dental assisting in my area typically ranges from 20-28 an hour while pharmacy tech typically goes anywhere from 18-30 an hour. Medical laboratory technician is the most academically demanding program and not much patient interaction. I think alot more premed students should consider working at the pharmacy. You'll need anywhere from 500-2000 hours to meet most program minimums, but the average applicant has around 4500 hours of direct patient care experience, such as EMT, medical assistant, CNA, etc. i wasn't aware that you could get on the job training for this anymore. Complete an associate degree. The wages are generally poor. Getting your foot in the door with Kaiser is what’s important, they prefer to hire from within their own pool when looking for pharmacists. the rules state: no patient complaints. Good luck, try to get into a hospital pharmacy. saeky. I may have lost out on a job opportunity yesterday because my phone declined the call when I swiped 😭. If you want to MA while in school or for experience, I would try for on the job training at a practice that will give you a chance. All I do is use the cash register and put medicine into vials. Not quite sure what the process is in Canada to become certified; your job may provide training. Definitely do NOT buy some expensive program. Technicians are the ones who handle data entry, billing, and filling prescriptions. OR if you want to travel as a tech. I worked full time as a hospital pharmacy technician while being full time in grad school. My clinic is talking about having MAs doing Xrays. It's physician assistant. Reply reply I plan to become a pharmacy technician for a little while, and I will go to school to become a repository therapist. 310 GRE 2 letters of recommendation from PAs. So choose your program accordingly for that. Oct 5, 2022 · The average salary for a medication technician is $39,670 per year. This doesn’t even include admin duties such as prior auths or lab result look up. Did you go back to school for a tech degree, or do you work as a pharmacist in Seattle? Tech seems extremely variable and you need a degree. • 2 yr. Retail pharmacy also deals with a lot of insurance for the drugs and getting customer service skills in healthcare. medical assitant! i have been both a pharm tech and a pct at a hospital. I'd recommend that if anything. We also have 12 pharmacists and 5 are males. The pay is pretty great compared to other things, and working in hospital is great experience. Then you must maintain an AAPC membership & earn 36 CEUs every 2 years to maintain a credential. AND no insurance BS to deal with, that's the best part! 4. Wages are great, work/life balance is excellent, stress is relatively low, it's less competitive than med school so you don't have to worry as much about getting in on one cycle, etc. I highly recommend hospital pharm tech work if you can find it- much more relevant to nursing and higher paying. Can handle technical responsibilities such as medication preparation, compounding, and prescription processing. A subreddit for medical assistants. i think more people should know about the online course so they can avoid the expensive schools. Some clinics will have you doing phlebotomy, EKGs, PPDs, and immunizations. ANNOUNCEMENT: it has been made evident that some people do not understand that this is a PHARMACY TECH sub. A good test is to search medical assistant jobs in your area vs phlebotomy jobs in your area. These roles are in different specialities and assist in all things a MA does, but they just can't take vitals (I would have an opportunity to learn). It allows both clinical and administrative experience with an attractive medical assistant salary. CNAs do a lot more care of daily life such as assisting with feeding, showering, toileting, and so on. You cant start by not saying physician's assistant. What is required is a couple of months of practicum and between 1-2 years of schooling for $24-32 hourly. poisonivy1234321. Pharmacy Technician vs. I have been working as a pharmacy technician for the past 2 years, and yes I am pre med. but then you start doing other things around the pharmacy. I just recently interviewed for the medical assistant position at a private clinic however I am competing with a couple other people for Perhaps the Medical History Technician is another term for it? I know the pharmacy techs at my hospital took an online course in addition to being trained on the job. All of this information is awesome ! I did the 500 hours as a pharmacy technician ,and now i wish i would have taken the online course instead. Compared to pharmacist wages, I believe a Registered Pharmacy Technician (RPhT) career path is an excellent alternative for the amount of education (math and general science interest is important) and commitment needed. Techs cant do much except help out when its busy. Pharmacy tech class is $1500 and would end in December, medical coding is $3000 and is self paced. Pharmacy technicians and medical assistants typically earn similar salaries across the United States. Pharmacists tend to start at a higher rate of pay than an MLS/MLT and earn more money year after year than a Laboratorian. My words of advice are: work early or late shifts if possible. Yes, that's true but it's not as intensive as bedside nursing and pays way better than a pharmacy technician. ) degree, while pharmacy technicians do not need a college degree. This is great advice. As far as your personality, nursing is pretty interactive so this will be a good trial run. we close for half an hour everyday for lunch so there’s no pressure to skip Medical Assistant & Pharmacy Technician Salary & Job Growth Comparison. I recently got into both dental assisting and pharmacy tech for collegeand I am debating what I should do as a career. If there’s any other ideas please let me know, I’m really not sure what to do but I can’t keep doing what I’m doing currently and go absolutely nowhere. If it is helpful for contextual purposes, the school I plan to attend for the pharmacy technician is Pickens Technical College. if you are not a pharmacy tech or pharmacist please leave. While in school there was one male in a class of 20 something. Online program options. A friend of mine is currently working at a medical assistant at a cushy cardiology practice that’s with a big hospital system and he’s making $17/hour, health ins, 401k, 5k a year tuition reimbursement, and it’s a nice set 9-5 schedule that is Hi! I'm not certified as a MA or CNA, but for clinical experience I have stumbled upon a few tech openings at a prestigious hospital near me. Pharmacists have a doctor of pharmacy (Pharm. I already draw blood, give shots, room patients, assist in procedures and do front desk’s work because “they’re overwhelmed”. Retail pharmacy technician does work a register especially if you are new to the job. I was looking into anesthesia tech for a bit, but you basically set up the equipment and cleaned rooms between surgeries. Certain specialties like FM will have you assist in minor procedures like IUD While a pharmacy technician earns an average yearly salary of around $39,000, an average pharmacist earns as high as $116,140 every year. simply because of the fact that you can buy a book to study for the test and spent 9 months reading and studying the book and get licensed that way. I have worked retail, independent compounding, pharmaceutical companies, and most recently inpatient hospital. pharm helped with nursing school and all the meds i had to memorize but pct has helped me more with my skills. This leads me to my next question, would anyone consider Here are some of the major differences between pharmaceutical techs and MAs: Pharmaceutical technicians (PTs) are restricted to one setting, whereas MAs generally have much more mobility. Lucrative sectors for pharmacy technicians include colleges ADMIN MOD. Pros (working inpatient pharmacy) Clinical experience for medical school (I've personally called med schools about this and after explaining what I do they all said yes. Currently living abroad and I don’t know which US state I will be living in as of Feb 2021 so I want to at least get my PTCB certification and work from there if I move to a state that needs more May 2, 2023 · Patient Care Technicians, on the other hand, have a broader scope of practice than CNAs. Ha your place of current employ also referred to as Come Visit Satan. Tbf I am currently a Pharmacy Technician at Kroger and have been for the past 2 months. The median hourly wage for pharmacy technicians was $15. I believe both professions are a good choice and I like both for certain reasons but prefer being an MA. Some community colleges offer pharmacy technician degree programs that are designed to train you to be job-ready. I ended up doing phlebotomy for ages, which worked great. MAs are not trained in those things. The job outlook for medical assistants is expected to grow by 29% from 2016 to 2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. New pharmacy assistant. I’ve learned a lot and talked about it in my interviews. I went into this knowing that I could use this to at least get my foot in the door somewhere in healthcare. nursing homes) or no? No. Primarily involved in administrative and customer service tasks. 76 per hour. I’m trying to figure out if being a medical lab tech is for me. However, according to the U. D. Also, while a med tech degree can be useful in knowing some background history of patient problems/diseases, PAs have nothing in common with a med tech/MLS. When it comes to PCE and HCE, CASPA is just a form you fill out; they don't perform any verification, and simply pass whatever you entered to the programs you are applying to. It's strictly based on your marks and on your performance at the interview (but not all schools require interviews). 5 month CDI course leads to a "diploma" as well. I took the course and finished it in ~2 weeks and I passed the exam on my first try. Been a pharmacy tech for 4-5 years and starting med school in 2022. I would go for your LPN, depending on which state you’re in, there are many more opportunities and the money is way better. It’s very social, but you’re gonna be the most involved with Coagulation: check the sample for a clot, load in centrifuge. Based on the information you provided, I think that would be your limiting factor. The average salary for an EMT is $36,930 per year or $17. Then load on the machine. 11k vs $30, huge difference. Job outlook is good for both medical assistants and EMTs. If you are lacking clinical hours then classify it as clinical. You get to know your patients on a more personal level too. Being a pharmacy technician wasnt as fulfilling as I wanted nor was the pay worth the abuse. Of course, salaries can vary based on the city you work in, years of experience, and extra certifications you have. Both must pass a licensing examination, though ADMIN MOD. Thus, I am on the job hunt. Pharmacy Assistant. [deleted] Mom said I should be a pharmacist instead of a PA. airbornemint. Aug 15, 2022 · The median annual salary was $32,480. 7. Testosterone users typically get 2 sizes of syringes-1 to draw up the testosterone with a thicker needle (typically 18 gauge) and 1 to inject that is thinner (typically 20-23ish gauge). I love working with people and helping others out. Medical assistants also earn more than pharmacy technicians. A medical assistant job is a perfect option for anybody aiming to pursue a career in the medical field. Get certified. Ophthalmic Technician can mean a lot of different things depending on where you work. We have about 12 techs at my store now and only one is male. I believe OP is talking about pharmacy tech experience, not actual pharmacist experience (which is quite a difference). 5-2 years. Of course, factors such as location, education, and work experience can influence these numbers. Might be an unpopular opinion but…. Yes, you will see posts on this subreddit about techs making $30/hour but this is not very common. Volunteer in wound care. May 13, 2022 · According to the BLS, as of May 2020, pharmacy technicians earned a median annual salary of $35,100, while pharmacy assistants made a median annual wage of $29,280. The average salary for a pharmacy technician is $41,705 per year. Optometric tech vs. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions! Pharm tech may be helpful but all newly certified orders are in the same boat with no experience. Patient Care Technician is usually just a fancy way to say Nursing Assistant. Nov 29, 2023 · Many vocational schools and community colleges offer programs for aspiring pharmacy technicians, and may even offer related associate degrees. yeah I have to ring out people still but that not my main focus. I'm a pharmacy technician too but I work inpatient (hospital setting) and I'd recommend looking into maybe working in that type of setting instead (esp if only part time). Context: MAs literally do front desk duties, bring patients in, take medical and rx history, vitals, injections and blood draws. To become a Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT), you'll need to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) or the Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT). Can a MA license be used instead of a CNA license for CNA positions (ex. They get paid dirt compared to phlebs. Hello! I’ve been a pharmacy tech for the past 6 years and am looking for a career change. You need paid healthcare experience. S. we’re technically allowed two 15 minute breaks, but i’ve only seen one person actually take a break (i’ve only taken one too, but i got my flu shot during my shift and just sat in the pharmacy). I’ve been an MA for 13 years and haven’t done an X-ray in that long. In the lab, we mostly take stuff out of the patient, except for blood bank products, which go back into the patient. Also, not to sound cocky, but I feel like I interview extremely well. I mean… we’re managing human life here too. kalikokat1117. Typically, you room patients (take vitals, update meds, ask about chief complaint etc). There is generally high turn over due to the workloads and burnout. 40 per hour, and pharmacy technicians earn a median salary of $37,790 per year or $18. The median annual salary for a medical assistant was $32,480 in 2016, while the median annual salary for a pharmacy technician was $30,920. BLS data for pharmacy technicians indicate that, as of May 2020, individuals in these roles typically made a median annual wage of $35,100 per year or roughly $16. When management allows the techs to “run the show” at the expense of newer techs it not good. I could’ve sworn pharmacy assistant was technically below a pharm tech or an assistant to a pharmacy tech. Plus, there are other types of nursing that don't involve bedside care. They can give medical advice to patients. I am 20 years old with good High school marks but no post secondary education. So, if you have your programs' approval, you can list it as PCE, but it's worth noting that if you do that, you'll run into the opposite been a tech at walmart since september and i’m pretty happy with it. Like MAs, much of the skills PTs possess come from on-the-job-training; in fact, PTs sometimes have no formal education save for a high diploma. A subreddit for pharmacists, pharmacy students, techs, and anyone else in the pharmaceutical industry. A place for advice, help with passing your certification test and school. Definitely worth it in my case but honestly it’s up to the individual. I make $17 an hour. Plus I just kind of love my job. Peak_Achoo. I am currently also taking a pharmacy assistant program. Also I’m not against trades but my issue is I have herniated discs and my current Pharmacy tech generally speaking is a dead end job and basically classified as low skill. It can also take up to 8 years to become a PharmD. I have 0 clinical hours and plan on applying next year. Reply reply More repliesMore replies. The average salary of a medical assistant can vary depending on factors such as location, experience, and the specific healthcare setting they work in. Hi there, I’m debating between the two main online Pharm tech programs, rxtechexam and Pharmacy a tech Scholar. The ugly: it sucks. Ex pharm tech here, currently a student medical assistant (I graduate in may!) Definitely look into medical assisting! If you decide to go with MA, get into an AAMA accredited program, you’ll graduate within 1. 6. my rphm is awesome and i have good coworkers. The skills don't cross over. US here; out of the 27 techs we have at my job, we have 5 males. 4. PriorRelief1. • 1 yr. I’m sick of doing everyone’s job for them. We don’t have PCTs where I work, only NAs, and I will say that it really isn’t for everybody, especially inpatient. Insulin vials require subq syringes with needles. Nov 29, 2023 · 3. 02 as of May 2018. Finishing up my respiratory therapy program right now after being a pharmacy tech for the past 9 years. Dentistry is awesome, not for me, but awesome. Yes! The course is definitely worth it. The #1 social media platform for MCAT advice. When I went to college after high school, I got a pretty useless degree because I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do. Pretty high demand for MLAs. 19. OP could look into ultrasound or sonography if they are not interested in starting IVs. In Ontario they are in demand. I am wondering if this is a good idea overall. Medical Assistant will give you much more access to patients, which is the most important thing. The average salary of a vet tech is around $29,710 a year, slightly lower than that of a medical assistant. I love what I do, I don’t mind getting up and going into work. I'm not discounting the value of being a pharmacy tech in relation to pharmacology class (or PA school as a whole); I have prior pharm techs in my program, and they are doing well in pharmacology (not sure if they are breezing through, but doing well either way). many places offer to train techs too. Currently the MLT program is a 2 year program. 2. Most of the time the job entails working up the patients prior to seeing the doctor, diagnostic testing, refracting patients, scribing for the doctors, dealing with the pharmacy/patients about prescriptions and such. Medical assistants earn a median salary of $38,270 per year or $18. You will also make more as an RN, which is still a better option from a time standpoint. PCTs work closely with RNs and other healthcare professionals to provide patient care and perform basic diagnostic When you join CVS Health as a Pharmacy Technician, you gain access to endless opportunities for growth. • 6 yr. Drink lots of coffee, or tea, to stay focused. Majority are part-time to start with full-time after 6 months (or probation). . I enrolled into an MA program and I’m wondering if my pharmacy knowledge will be helpful. The skills are really: administer oxygen, splinting, handling bleeding, recognizing CVAs, Hypo/hyperglycemia, etc. Medical Assistant Vs. Scorpion1386. franksross. Learn more about our opportunities in a variety of health care settings. However, the predicted job outlook for this career is a bit better, with a predicted growth rate of 52%. The school is 6 months long here and you’re pretty much guaranteed a job at the end of it. Higher level of training and education. Mar 3, 2023 · Pharmacy Technician Salary. However, keep in mind that salary potential depends on a worker's training, location, work experience, and setting. 17 per hour. Jobs, Saturation, and Salary. They are the ones who make sure doctors are prescribing correctly and appropriately. but for me it was never about the money. medical assistant. Occasional CPR, rarely blind/subraglotic intubating, occasional Narcan and Epi use. So while I'm waiting for stuff in the mail, I've been lurking through pharmacy-related subreddits on tips and tricks on how to become a better prospective retail pharmacy teammate and employee. I would have to get a job as a medical assistant or tech to get the 2000 hours for PA school application requirements. 3 This is slightly more than those working as a pharmacy assistant. r/pharmacy. Having some day time is helpful to completing work. • 8 yr. Any feedback is welcome. Medical Laboratory technology vs Pharmacy Technician. it all depends on the pharmacy you work for. Techs are generally underpaid, overworked, overlooked and bear the brunt of most patient abuse. Yes many will say the pay is crap and it’s not worth it. SO MANY PATIENTS. my in-laws own a bunch of pharmacies and hire pharmacy techs all the time. Techs do not have to go to school, but can get a certification, which many places require. in my humble opinion, no. Considering becoming a Medical Lab tech. They are trained to perform all of the duties of a CNA, plus additional skills like electrocardiography (ECG) and phlebotomy (drawing blood). Medical coding can be difficult & the rues are always changing lol. Sometimes they’ll come up and ask for syringes but don’t know what they use. Same as Coag, techs cant do much. Lower level of training and education. PAs are prevalent in the midwest, but overall, do not make as much as PAs on any of the coasts. Though many pharmacy technician positions only require you to have a high school diploma, an associate degree can make you a more competitive job candidate. no patient questions. Only worth it if you need a part time job while in school and looking to go to pharmacy school in the future. Pretty simple. No one does it with the intent of making loads of money. I am currently a pharmacy tech who works in retail pharmacy. Aug 29, 2023 · Pharmacy Technician and Pharmacist Key Similarities and Differences. 87 per hour. Working as a pharmacy technician. (Im speaking from experience in San Francsico, one of the highest paid markets for any job). I’m always a little floored when I see MAs making as little as $15$16= 29k-30k in high cost of living areas. The primary pharmacy tech versus pharmacist difference is what each role is trained for and legally allowed to do. I worked in retail pharmacy and a hospital pharmacy for 2 1/2 years before and during nursing school. MAs usually can do more procedures/actual hands on stuff than EMTs and interact regularly with the same physicians. Chemistry/Immunology: Chem is tricky. I was always on the phone with medical assistants as a pharmacy tech asking for clarifications or trying to get a hold of the doctor for xyz reason. I found pharmacy assistant programs offered by SAIT, Robertson College and CDI College, and all are offered as full-time classroom and online courses; the 5-month SAIT course leads to a "certificate" while the 7-month Robertson course leads to a "diploma", and the 8. Best part is their practice exams, you can get a neary new set of questions for the final each time. In the pharmacy, you put stuff into the patient. It doesn’t teach you how to code. Although I’ve only worked with 1 female pharmacist my whole career as a tech. Pharmacists can also be bad and mean/rude to techs as well as other older techs as well. Depends on the state/clinic! I worked as a MA in two clinics during undergrad and my gap years. I know how to code with react and a few others but I don’t have a degree. MembersOnline. So, although it involves longer training and a lower salary, job prospects are substantially higher. So you’re basically doing the grunt work/work no one else wants to do. CNA. Hey everyone, I do not see a lot of posts about this which is why I am writing this. Hi everyone, I am a new pharmacy assistant ( I started last week) and I have no previous pharmacy experience. CNA : r/MedicalAssistant. I do love it so far, but it is so overwhelming with everything I need to learn and know. You get nothing but angry calls from doctors who want to treat their patient but the plan doesn't cover shit. Learn about the two careers and review some of the similarities and differences between them. You will not believe how many times doctors do not know how to write a simple prescription. 21. You need to start from scratch by entering & completing a new program. Aug 14, 2006. . • 5 yr. r/medlabprofessionals. Defining Roles Pharmacy Technician. cp ne td uu ur ci ve ik pq jw