PCAT Prep: Do it or fail!

Of course, I am a registered pharmacist with a Doctor of Pharmacy degree, now. So, I took the Pharmacy College Admission Test, also known as the dreaded PCAT. When I took the PCAT exam, you could pass the test with just the knowledge you learned from high school and your pre-pharmacy courses at an undergraduate college. There were a couple of books available you
could study, but for the most part, it was not a very hard test. The hardest part was finishing the PCAT exam in the time allotted. We were only given about 30 minutes for each section with no clock in the room! I know. I forgot my watch. Doing sixty math problems in 30 minutes was pretty difficult, but I passed the test easily, about 85th percentile overall.
When I arrived at the pharmacy school, I was told by a few classmates and upper classmen that there was a book available at the time to pass the test with 99th percentile on all subjects. If you read the book tirelessly and memorized everything in it, you would pass with great ease. There were also PCAT practice exams in the book to hone your skills. I was shocked and wished that someone would have told me before I took the PCAT test what that book was. How could there be a book that not only helped you pass, but you could pass in the 99th percentile on all categories. I did not pay very close attention to what the book was or how to attain it. After all, I was already in pharmacy school.
I did not have to prepare for the PCAT or do PCAT prep, but I would have if I knew the scope of the test. Especially, if I was trying to get into pharmacy school now, I would study endlessly. It is extremely difficult to be accepted to pharmacy school now! You have to have close to a 4.0 GPA in undergraduate school and score a 75 or above on the PCAT. This is just the minimum scores! Most schools will not accept below 80 on the PCAT. I believe this book, 2012-2013 Kaplan PCAT, and this CD course, 2012 PCAT Audio Learn, will help you pass the PCAT with great scores in every category. These PCAT prep lessons are essential to passing the test. This will allow you to master the PCAT and eventually get into a great pharmacy school. You will then begin your journey in the profession of pharmacy.

No, no, no, that price ain't right!

We have this male patient about 50 years old come into our pharmacy once a week. First, he walks really funny on his tippy toes like when you see a 3 year old (yo) super excited.  He talks in the most crazy sounding voice like a 13 yo going through puberty. By the way, yo means year old. Sorry for the medical field lingo. Anyways, none of this is about my point. The patient came in with his new insurance but didn't want his Xanax to go through insurance nor his discount card. Of course, first thing you think is he is a junkie, but he comes to our pharmacy all the time and never gets his Xanax early. We would never let him anyway unless the MD says it is fine this one time. We have heard it all! Well, he wants us to run his insurance, don't run his insurance, run the discount card, do it as cash, who knows. So, we mixed up some times.  So, he wanted the price on the generic drug, alprazolam. I told him for #90, it is $39.99 with no insurance and no discount.  He looks at me then looks at his bottle, then looks at me and says, "that's not right, 39.99, that's just not right." He walks away, walks right back, and says, "39.99 that's not right, not right, it's not right." Meanwhile, I already printed out the pricing sheet to give to him. I hand it to him, and he mumbles to himself.  When he finally left, I turn to my technicians and say just print it out. Why would I lie about the price? No, it is not with your discount card, nor your insurance. You said cash price. That is the cash price. We put it into the computer, and it spits it out.  Call corporate, if you have a problem.  On that matter, call your INSURANCE if you have a problem with the cost of your medicine or copay. Blame your employer!

No! We don't have Oxycontin 30 #180

We keep getting calls at my pharmacy for Oxycontin 30 mg #180 or #120. We do not have it, and I cannot order it. We do not keep it in the safe, and we never have it on hand. Do not ask for Xanax, Soma, and then for the Oxycontin 30. Yes, Roxicodone and Oxycontin and oxycodone ER are the same drug. Do not ask for either one. Definitely, do not call! People are calling every day, sometimes 2 to 3 times a day from the same person. Now, they are actually coming into my pharmacy and requesting their fake or legit scripts to be filled. We have caught one drug dealer and addict, already. Do NOT come to my pharmacy, or any pharmacy! Maybe a 24 hour pharmacy or hospital pharmacy can fill it for you.