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Pharmacy technician... Then what?

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  • 12-08-2014 4:42pm
    #1
    CherryRed99
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭


    Hi all,
    Just looking for options at the minute.
    Once a person holds the recognised qualification of pharmacy technician what could they study afterwards? Community pharmacy isn't an option, hospital may be the future but what other (if any) options are available to a new tech?


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    #2
    echo beach
    Registered Users Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭echo beach


    Most people do a pharmacy technician's course with a view to getting a job. If you want to do further study you have pretty much the same options as any other mature student.
    Some pharmacy degree courses like RCSI and the Ulster University in Coleraine will give credit to mature students for their technician qualification and a few have taken this route. There is a degree course for technicians in Athlone IT which I'm not familiar with but think is focused on the business and management end.
    It all depends what you want to do and what your interests are.


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    #3
    locum-motion
    Registered Users Posts: 5,143 ✭✭✭locum-motion


    echo beach wrote: »
    ... There is a degree course for technicians in Athlone IT ...

    And when that degree was introduced, every pharmacist in the country said "WTF?"

    Pharmacy Technician is not a job for which one needs a degree, and a Technician that has a degree will have absolutely no advantage in the jobs market over one that does not.


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    #4
    CherryRed99
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭CherryRed99


    Thanks for the info folks.
    I have applied for the degree in Athlone but must admit, talking to pharmacists they certainly seem conflicted as to whether it's worthwhile in the future. For the sake of another year I can't see it being any harm and who knows where it will lead to .... Maybe I'm business minded and just don't know it yet!
    Watch this space eh!


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    #5
    echo beach
    Registered Users Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭echo beach


    CherryRed99 wrote: »
    .... Maybe I'm business minded and just don't know it yet!

    I hope it works out for you but in my experience if you are business minded it is a trait that shows up very young. Most successful business people started by cutting deals with siblings and schoolmates.


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    #6
    CherryRed99
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭CherryRed99


    Thanks.
    Time will tell ...


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    #7
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 8,647 ✭ [Deleted User]


    locum-motion wrote: »
    And when that degree was introduced, every pharmacist in the country said "WTF?"

    Pharmacy Technician is not a job for which one needs a degree, and a Technician that has a degree will have absolutely no advantage in the jobs market over one that does not.

    Speaking as a pharmacist who works in the UK. In my hospital, there are no pharmacists in the dispensary. Only dispensers and ACT's so maybe this course is geared towards pharmacistless dispensaries.


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    #8
    echo beach
    Registered Users Posts: 1,252 ✭✭✭echo beach


    Deleted User wrote: »
    Speaking as a pharmacist who works in the UK. In my hospital, there are no pharmacists in the dispensary. Only dispensers and ACT's so maybe this course is geared towards pharmacistless dispensaries.

    No, because those with the degree cannot assume any more responsibilities than technicians who don't have it. Unlike the UK, technicians here are not registered and regulated which limits what they can do. We don't have any ACTs, although that would be a far more useful qualification than a degree.


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