Speaker: Preston Davis, CEO & Founder, RxTechExam
How did you get started as pharmacy tech?
Preston Davis: I have to give all of the credit to becoming a pharmacy technician to my mom. She got me my first position, as a, as a pharmacy technician on the, at the place that she worked, or at least on the campus where she worked, a small independent pharmacy in Southwest Virginia that sat on the campus of a retirement community. So my first job was delivering medications, for people and delivering med carts. It's where I, I've learned to drive a stick shift and it's where I, learned, The trials and tribulations of independent pharmacy, that I worked alongside of the owners, that I keep up with till even today, 25 years later, but, working alongside of those independent pharmacists and, and getting a feel for, their stressors and what kept them close to the profession and, getting an understanding of their why. I think had a lot to do with, me becoming a career pharmacy tech.
What has helped you advance into your current role?
Preston Davis: I think what's helped me the most over the years is staying close to the profession. While I haven't worked traditionally as a pharmacy technician for some time now, I, love attending conferences. I love having those conversations. As the CEO and founder of an online, pharmacy technician course, RX tech exam. I, and being an extrovert, it, it creates some difficulty there. So I, I really do value the in-person interaction, when I attend, State Pharmacy Association conferences or National Pharmacy Association conferences. Those conversations have really been the guiding light for our organization on how to our best to solve a lot of the challenges that we see, amongst pharmacy personnel, across the country.
What advice would you give to someone entering the pharmacy technician field?
Preston Davis: The advice that I would give someone entering the profession as a pharmacy technician is. So don't stop where you are, that, for a lot of folks, your first job, it might be your worst job. But that doesn't mean that you won't learn there and that doesn't mean you can't grow there. If you find that you're meeting a ceiling, always look for opportunities that interest you. So, it could be difficult when you get into this to understand, what's most important to your discovery your why, but the sooner you can find that out, the sooner you can chase after it. I think that a lot of people that get into the profession, they, they don't know the world of opportunity and possibilities that, the CPHD certification unlocks for them. If I could give them any advice, it would be to explore that world of possibility. I think that, It's easy to, get settled into a role and, 5 or 6 years go by and you find that you're doing the same thing. I, think there's, there's so much value to recognizing additional opportunity out there.
