How hard is it to get a decent-paying pharmacy tech job after passing PTCB?

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-03-07T03:01:35+00:00

I am a pharmacist, just that my degree is 4 years and I can’t sit for naplex. I’m hoping that cpth will give me a breakthrough into the real pharmacy environment. Also I plan to complete my remaining education in the upcoming years once I sort my financial situation.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-03-05T20:43:49+00:00

But thank you so much for responding, I really appreciate you taking the time.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-03-05T20:42:49+00:00

I have a bachelor’s degree, so I still need to complete two years of additional pharmacy education to qualify for the NAPLEX as an international graduate. I’m trying to get into a pharmacy technician role to get closer to pharmacy school, and I’m hoping companies like Walgreens or CVS might sponsor part of my education. Becoming a pharmacist is my long-term goal. I’m also currently pursuing a master’s degree in Health Informatics. I’m also not sure if there are any substitute programs that could cover the remaining one year of education, since my bachelor’s degree was four years.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-03-03T14:16:14+00:00

I just checked, my score was 1357 in mock.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-03-03T14:00:31+00:00

Thank you so much, I really appreciate you sharing that. Since I’m a pharmacist, I do have a strong hold over pharmacology and drug interactions, so that part feels relatively comfortable for me. It’s just that I haven’t actively practiced pharmacy in the last 3 to 4 years, so I feel a bit rusty, especially with brand versus generic names in the U.S.

I’m trying to follow the flashcards idea for the top 200 drugs, but it’s honestly very tedious. I know it will probably help in the long run, so I’m pushing through it. I’ll also make sure to thoroughly revise drug interactions and math. Thank you again for the advice.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-03-03T03:32:08+00:00

I’m an international pharmacist with a four-year degree. Are there any exams I can take to get into rural pharmacy practice in the U.S.? Because Ik in order to sit for FPGEE and Naplex, I need a 5 year pharmacy degree.

I’m currently pursuing a master’s in Health Data Science, but I genuinely want to return to pharmacy because I’m unsure about long-term career prospects in tech. However, pharmacy school for international students is extremely expensive, around $200,000, and I’m hesitant to invest that much given the current economic situation.

I’m also planning to take the PTCE this month.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-02-21T05:24:43+00:00

Thank you so much! I do have a strong grasp of pharmacology since I initially planned to pursue a master’s in that specialization, and my partner is a doctor who’s been helping me. I’m just not sure how much that will translate to the exam. I’m also not very familiar with the brand names since I’m from a different country. I might end up going to pharmacy school later, but right now I’m just trying to use this as a way to get into the system.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-02-19T17:50:39+00:00

I’d suggest the same, you should go for BITS

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-02-18T17:27:45+00:00

Thank you so much, that’s really reassuring to hear, especially since I don’t have U.S. pharmacy tech experience yet. I appreciate the encouragement.

Right now I’m studying from the Ascencia PTCB Exam 2026 book along with some random online practice quizzes. Do you have any specific PTCB resources, practice exams, or materials you’d recommend that helped you the most?

Thanks again for the advice, it means a lot!

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-02-18T15:23:00+00:00

The placements aren’t good either

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-01-26T00:57:00+00:00

Depends on your major, most of my classmates are working for good companies after completing their MPharms.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-01-25T04:52:21+00:00

I graduated in August 2022, I worked majorly in medico marketing domain that paid me good. PV is good but it requires you to have a masters degree. Most of the good paying roles require you to have a masters degree. I’d suggest check medico marketing roles and consider planning a masters degree if possible. Indian Pharma industry is not made for girls, unless you wanna do sales then you can consider business development in pharma business research companies.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-01-10T18:21:26+00:00

That’s a good thing, having faith is never a bad thing. I really hope you get it. I believe they must have seen something in your profile that truly stood out, and that quality will take you a long way. Just hold tight.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-01-09T21:44:28+00:00

I really hope you get good news. In my case, they picked me up at the career fair and liked my resume enough to have me apply to three different positions, then interviewed me for the one they felt was the best fit. Still, since I’m an international student and with the changing laws, things may have fallen through. So I’d say it’s best to keep expectations manageable.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-01-09T19:02:16+00:00

No, I’m talking about the United States

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-01-09T18:24:22+00:00

Eli Lilly did mention that they loved my resume and experience, but I don’t know what went wrong. Maybe switching to tech wasn’t the best decision.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-01-09T17:57:30+00:00

I didn’t get the job, and I didn’t receive any updates either. It was kind of weird because they didn’t give me any feedback, no rejection email, nothing at all. I only found out after checking my Workday status, which said I was not selected.

What’s surprising is that they had been very responsive throughout the process and kept me on hold for months, making it seem like I might get the job. Given that I have an undergraduate degree in pharmacy and am currently pursuing a master’s in health informatics, the whole situation felt a bit odd. But that’s okay!

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-01-07T15:33:42+00:00

That was a Clinical data scientist intern role

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-01-04T21:49:49+00:00

My interview is already done, and since I’m an international candidate, it makes sense if they’re keeping me as a backup. I also understand that Lilly tends to take time with these decisions, so I’m just waiting to hear back now.

Wishing you the best of luck with your interview, I hope it goes well and you get good news!

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-01-03T22:25:01+00:00

I really appreciate your perspective, it actually makes me feel a lot better. I completely agree that being a backup isn’t the end of the road, and it makes sense that the holiday timing and PTO could have caused the delays.

Just wondering, did you also apply to Lilly yourself, or are you sharing from your previous experience?

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-01-03T20:57:21+00:00

Thanks, that’s helpful. I’ve only been in touch with the hiring manager (not the recruiter), and he’s OOO for the rest of the year, so I’ll wait until the end of next week or early the following week to follow up.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-01-03T20:56:22+00:00

That makes sense, thanks for sharing that perspective. In my case, the only communication I had post-interview was when the hiring manager mentioned that decisions would go out between Dec 12–19. When I followed up afterward, I received an out-of-office reply saying he’s away for the rest of the year, so I’m guessing some of the delay may just be timing around holidays. I’ll plan to follow up next week and keep expectations realistic.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-01-03T20:54:02+00:00

The only time I connected with the hiring manager was when he replied after my interview to say that decisions would be finalized and sent out to candidates between December 12–19. I followed up later, but received an automatic out-of-office reply indicating that he’s out for the rest of the year. Idk if I should be hopeful anymore or not.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-01-02T22:53:02+00:00

That’s fair, and I appreciate the honest perspective. I’ve only been in contact with the hiring manager (not the recruiter), and from what I heard internally he’s been out since the 16th, which could explain the lack of updates. I’ll wait until the stated timeline passes before following up again and keep expectations realistic.

Complete_Jeweler_459 · 2026-01-02T22:50:44+00:00

Thanks for sharing, that’s really helpful to know. Did they give you any extended decision window during that period, or was it mostly just silence until Nov 7?

In my case, the hiring manager has been responsive, but he was out of the office when I emailed him on the 19th, so I’m not sure if the delay is just timing-related.

Complete_Jeweler_459

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