I want to be honest, after 6 years not being in school, I was really excited to go back kahit na ang hirap pagsabayin ng full-time work and school (w/ different time zone). I don’t even know what day it is sometimes. Iniisip ko na lang na, temporary lang naman lahat ng pag hhirap. na kapag natapos ko itong 1 year clinical pharmacy, It will open an opportunity for me to take the FPGEE. I don’t mind taking temporary losses, failures, hardships in life kung alam ko namang ma-ggain ako ng bigger thing in the future.

And there are a lot of people that have inspired me to strive hard. I have classmates na not only they have a full-time jobs, but they’re also a wife and a mom. I have classmates that are also reviewing for the board exam. I remember, we had a series of individual case study presentations and my groupmate was also taking the board exam but he was able to do well in the case presentation. LIKE HOW. ang galing.

So ayun. I really did enjoy my classes kahit na mahirap. It was a temporary pain anyway.

Wala along secret. Nasa mindset lang siya. Hehe. lagi kong sinasabi sa sarili ko, “ayoko na talaga, pagod na pagod na ako– physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually. pero kapag di ko matatapos ang clinical pharmacy, how am I gonna be able to qualify for FPGEE”. ganerng mantra everyday. Hehe.

dapat po nasa US kasi kailangan po ng SSN (Social Security Number). Mayron ka lang SSN kapag resident ka ng US or eligible kang mag work sa US :)

it has to be at least 5 years. If not, di qualified makapag take ng FPGEE. and then TOEFL yung kailangan, hindi IELTS. :)

After FPGEE and TOEFL, US Internship naman (1500 hours, check with your state), and then NAPLEX and MPJE.

If you follow me on twitter, nilagyan ko ng price yung bawat exam.

hello, if you check ptcb.org, they have listed good references/resources to review. btw, here’s the guidebook for the candidate. nung nag exam ako, isang book lang yung inaral ko. yung yellow na book (Mosby’s). Inaral ko for 2 weeks kasi hiram lang sa library yon.

list of resources nila:

• Manual for Pharmacy Technicians, 5th Edition
• The Pharmacy Technician, 6th Edition
• Pharmacy Certified Technician Training Manual, 14th Edition
• Pharmaceutical Calculations, 15th Edition
• The Pharmacy Technician’s Pocket Drug Reference, 11th Edition

bale para makapag exam:

To be eligible to apply for PTCB CPhT Certification, an applicant must complete one of the following requirements:

Pathway 1: A PTCB-Recognized Education/Training Program (or completion within 60 days)*

Pathway 2: Equivalent work experience as a pharmacy technician (min. 500 hours). This alternative path will serve experienced pharmacy technicians who were not in a position to attend a PTCB-Recognized Education/Training Program

so it’s either Pharmtech school/training program na pwede mo m-complete within 60 days or get hired as a trainee/work experience at least 500 hours! :) Mostly mga retail pharmacies nag hhire sila ng mga trainee. Check your state! :D

My desk situation during a non-cramming season of grad school. Usually the day after a major exam. I added an extra unnecessary thing on my desk— a mini fridge. Where I store a soda, chocolate, yakult, banana/strawberry milk (korean), cider, and some skincare. Lol. All in one.

I’m also starting to study for the fpgee. Wish me luck and hoping for a productive days as we draw nearer to the end of year 2021!

UST too. I need to look into this more kasi may list ata sila ng schools.

$15 per hour for pharmacy tech trainees (di pa licenses). If naging licensed, another pay raise. Please apply for me. Hehe. Good luck and get the experience you need and build connections! <3

1. If you have a brother, I suggest to go to this website para ma-guide kayo kung paano mag petition ng siblings. I don’t have an experience bringing in my sister (Only my mom). Which might have a different process. Pero go check that out! from USCIS website talaga yan.

2. Here’s what the US-Filipino RPh said: Go for CPh then go to the US to start taking your exams to be a US RPh. It’s a tedious process kaya start as early as you can. After getting a US RPh license and depende sa job mo, you decide whether you pursue pharmD through non-traditional pathway. May mga RPh jobs kasi na okay lang kahit walang PharmD.

Yung non-traditional, what they did was to finish CPh sa Pinas, then get US RPh license (exams + internships) then some of them nag PharmD dito sa US. May mga bridging programs kasi dito for the foreign pharmacist (BS to PharmD) kaso konting schools at state lang. May mga iba ding US RPh na pero di PharmD kasi di naman kailangan sa field nila.

What I am aiming for right now: Since I’m finished with my CPh, I’m reviewing for my US Board exams (to be held next October), while taking my Masters in Pharmacy + this coming January my PharmD (Puhon. all are long-distance sa PH). I’m funding my grad school now since cheaper siya kasi I’m earning dollars. And since pandemic, they’re okay with long distances. tini-take advantage ko talaga kasi mura siya compared sa US schools. I just have to adjust to the timezone which I don’t mind. Ambisosya lang talaga ako. hehe. Anyway, ayoko na mag non -traditional pathway kasi MAHAL and as much as possible ayokong mag move ng state just because of school.

Saturday, October 2, 2021 // 1:59PM
*my new setup with Ipad pro-2020.

Today, I woke up late as usual because I have my MS classes up until 5:00AM. Hello everyone!

Life lately

I’ve been busy at work. I’ve been approved of OT, so I’m trying to help my store until we get more people. I’ve been working more than 40+ per week and It’s exhausting. We’re doing more covid + flu shots on top of our usual workflow. of course, we want to protect people as much as we can! <3

I’m also a graduate student! I’m taking up MS Pharmacy and I’ve been loving my schedule so far. It’s not heavy compared to my clinical pharmacy classes. Been trying to dedicate my weekend to grad school since I’m working mostly 10-11 hour shifts every day working in the pharmacy during the weekdays.

Aside from working full time and being a graduate student, I’m also reviewing for my US Pharmacy exams. There are 4 exams to pass (in order to get the US RPh license) but right now, I’m focusing on my English Test (Toefl) and FPGEE (foreign pharmacy graduate equivalency exam).

I try to juggle everything and pray that I actually make progress with every little thing I want to accomplish by the end of each week. I’m a little hectic but I don’t mind being busy like this. I want to take advantage of my time.

I’m hoping to finish my master’s and obtain a US RPh license by the year 2023. It just happen to be the same year. I’ll be 29 years old by then. Pero.. whether I finish my master’s or not, I’d still be 29 anyway. Might as well pursue it especially if we have the means and resources to do so.

Forever grateful.

laging pagod but always inspired,

Franchesca x theilustrado

Thank you! T_T

Sobrang hirap talaga kahit online classes. I remember, late ako ng 2-3 weeks sa UIC kasi late enrollee ako. So lahat ng gawain sa school, nagkapataong patong na. Sobrang dami talaga and I have to go to work and adjust to the time difference. I had to finish my school works and di na ako natulog diretso pasok na sa work. I was awake for 43 hours straight. there are actually many times that I was awake for 40 hours.

My advice, do the tasks as soon as you can. Don’t procrastinate. Pagkabigay pa lang ng homework, on the spot, ginagawa ko kaagad.

With regards to google classroom, what’s your question about it? I don’t usually utilize hangouts that much. Nearpod is used by only one professor and she usually gives the link during lecture while simultaneously using google classroom.

kahit online classes siya, exhausting talaga siya. nawalan ako ng “Life” for myself that’s why sabi ko sa sarili ko I won’t ever do full time classes and full time work again. nakaka-drain.

kung nakaya ko, kayo niyo rin yan. But don’t push yourself too much. Wag niyo ko gayahin sa aspect na hindi na natutulog. Tell your prof asap if ma-llate ka ng pagpasa due to personal problems, etc. We had a lot of moments like that.

Lagi kong iniisip noon, 1 year lang to. mag ssacrifice lang ako ng 1-year. Sabi ko, di naman to forever. Whenever I think that way, mas nammotivate ako.