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More pharmacy specific than office-y, but:

The Decapitator

Counting spatula with a hook on the end. The "easy open" seals actually open easily when you can stab through them. I like these much better than the spats with the hook in the handle (oof ouch owie my wrists) mostly because that's one less movement you've gotta do and I'm also never going to change my ways. How do you guys even count with these uncomfortable abominations?

This um... pharmacy tool (Yeah idk what to call it either) is great for, say, opening amoxicillin suspension seals. Super useful to keep it by the FillMaster.

I like plastic baskets like these for organizing paper prescriptions. You can find something like these at any dollar store. 3 of them is what I prefer - legend drugs, CIII-Vs, and C-IIs, with the backtags (with the prescription number) facing you. If prescriptions are always being typed up at the same place, it becomes super easy to keep track of when you need to rubber-band a section (for example, we sorted controls by the thousands in terms of prescription number, i.e. Rx#s 1000-1999)

There is a guide floating around studentdoctor.net somewhere. I used an older version of it when I graduated, but I'm certain it has been renovated/updated since then. Here's the link to the full version on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Texas-Federal-Pharmacy-ebook/dp/B00BFHIEHI

(the condensed guide on studentdoctor.net is 59 pages or so. I found it from someone on this forum: http://forums.studentdoctor.net/showthread.php?t=542562)

I studied federal law from this book (http://www.amazon.com/Guide-Federal-Pharmacy-Barry-Reiss/dp/0967633265/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1296154133&sr=1-1)... (I had the previous edition). It wasn't very helpful for me, but some people mentioned that they had some benefit from it, so I studied it.

I took some prempje exams from this website: http://www.prempje.com/

• I purchased the combo package of 7 exams (at the bottom of the "All other states" link) and used them after I felt like I was ready to take the exam. It was useful to some degree to review some of the more obscure questions, and I remember seeing a couple of questions on it on the MPJE. I found it at the recommendation of someone that studied from it and found it extremely helpful, but again that wasn't my experience.
  
  The whole experience: After I felt like I had a solid grasp on the Cacciatore guide, I went through the law book once, studied the list of controlled substances, took the 7 prempje quizzes and then took the actual MPJE.
  
  Good luck

I finally passed the Nevada MPJE. I'm sharing my experience to help future RPh out.

My background: I'm a foreign grad. Most of the clinical material is fresh in my mind since I graduated a few years ago. I passed the NAPLEX on one try. This set me up to think that MPJE was a straight forward exam and that I could pass it easily. Boy, I was wrong.

I studied all the laws provided by the BOP website. I also bought the RxPrep videos and book for the Federal Law. I studied casually for a month and took the exam and I was overwhelmed. The exam questions had tricky wording. I felt like many questions were "easy" if you study how to dispense controls, and pay attention to how long to keep documents, etc, but other questions were super left field.

I got a 73 and was devastated.

This time I was determined to pass. Here was how I did it.

• Read all the NV Statues & Regulations (http://bop.nv.gov/board/ALL/Regulations/). If you have notes from school, it helps (someone from Roseman provided me notes) but it's better if you make your own notes.
  
  • Pay attention to numbers, like when to renew licenses, etc.
    
  • Also pay attention to who can prescribe, who can get medications from the pharmacy
    
  • Responsibilities of a tech vs. clerk vs. intern vs. pharmacist.
    
  • Know all the different parts of prescriptions, labels, etc
    
  • Know everything there is to know about Controlled substances, procedures for hospices and LTC facilities
    
  • adulterated vs. misbranded
    
  • CEs
    
  • Procedures for Remote Sites
    
• Read the DEA Manual and understand how the Nevada PMP works. There were several questions on this! I was so surprised.
  
• Read through the Sterile Compounding References (http://bop.nv.gov/resources/ALL/Sterile_Compounding_Reference_Guide/) Some people suggest to read through the RxPrep Course book chapter on Sterile Compounding, I think that could be helpful but you're in a pinch the resources on the NV BOP website are enough.
  
• Take some time to click through the NV BOP website and read about canadian pharmacies, all of the FAQ and resources. I can't remember exactly what came out from the exam but I know that reading through the website helps.
  
• Federal law (ie. RxPrep MPJE Reviewer & Reiss & Hall's Guide to Federal Law) is a helpful starting point but ultimately, the NV laws were the majority of the exam.
  
• Take the Pre-MPJE!!! It's a great practice test. You didn't hear it from me but I heard you could screenshot questions and study/analyze them on your own.
  
• Memorizing is not enough. If you understand the laws as they are, no matter what situation the board gives you, you can find the right answer.
  
• Making your own study guides is what helped me pass IMO. Esp when it came to studying the NV Laws.
  
  Timeframe: Realistically, you can study through all of this material within a month. You could cram all of this material with even less time. This all depends on your study habits. If you spend 2 hours+ on this every day, you can pass.
  
  ​
  
  My Resources
  
  
• Rx Prep Testbank, Videos & Book
  
  • https://www.rxprep.com/
    
• Reiss & Hall's Guide to Federal Law
  
  • https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Federal-Pharmacy-Law-9th/dp/0967633281/ref=sr_1_8?keywords=mpje&qid=1573161337&sr=8-8
    
• Rx Exam NV MPJE Questions
  
  • https://www.pharmacyexam.com/index.cfm/product/72/nevada-pharmacy-law-test-downloadable.cfm
    
• NV BOP
  
  • http://bop.nv.gov/board/ALL/Regulations/
    
  • http://bop.nv.gov/resources/ALL/Sterile_Compounding_Reference_Guide/
    
  • http://bop.nv.gov/links/PMP/
    
  • http://bop.nv.gov/resources/Resources/
    
  • http://bop.nv.gov/resources/ALL/FAQ/
    
• Other Links
  
  • https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drugreg/practioners/mlp_by_state.pdf
    
  • https://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/pubs/manuals/pharm2/pharm_manual.pdf
    
    ​
    
    I got an 82!
    
    You guys got this!!! Good luck!

Hey, I used this book:

Pharmacy Technician Exam by LearningExpress Editors http://www.amazon.com/dp/1576857379/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_IngWtb1NV5B6J

I basically did the diagnostic test and worked on the subject I was most weak in; math. The book has some errors when it comes to the math answers but everything else is pretty informative. I had about 2 months to study prior to my test. I really worked on math until I perfected it. It may be different for you.

I also used these sources to study:

(Basically a review sheet for the test)

• http://www.ptcb.org/docs/get-certified/new_ptce_blueprint.pdf?sfvrsn=6
  
  (mostly for math)
  
• www.pharmacy-tech-study.com
  
  I also used various iPhone Apps to help me study on the go:
  
  
• Pharmacy Tech by Ion Citadel, LLC
  
  
• PTCB Test Prep by Med Preps, LLC
  
  
• PTCB Reading by Nguyen Xuan Tuong
  
  
• Learn Top 200 Drugs by Imago LLC
  
  
• Brainscape
  This one was probably my most used. It's a flash card app that makes memorizing easy.
  
  I would definitely work on the laws at most. I had about 5 math questions, the rest were laws and about drugs. I had a few where it asked the side effects of certain drugs. Good luck!
  

It takes repetition to remember everything, so I wouldn't sweat that too much if you have only heard the material once.

As for speaking up, it sounds like a confidence issue. This is a great year of your life to work on that. There is no shame in picking up a confidence building book or actively working on speaking up. One book my wellness preceptor recommended was You are a Badass: How to Stop Doubting Your Greatness. I'm sure there is a ton of them out there if you like books and want to browse for a better one.

I would be upfront with your preceptors and list confidence as a spot you want to work on. Ask to make your recommendations to them first before hearing theirs. Make it a point to try and work out recommendations before hearing their side. Get tips on how to make the recommendations from them (phrasing, etc).

Truly, this is a great year to work on this because you have a lot of help and opportunity.

I loved reading Ten Drugs by Thomas Hager. It's basically a history (very eloquently told) of the most important medications ever developed: https://www.amazon.com/Ten-Drugs-Powders-History-Medicine/dp/1419734407

Also, if you are interested in the process of drug development , you'll enjoy The Billion Dollar Molecule by Barry Werth. Fascinating read about a start up that became Vertex ($45BN market cap). https://www.amazon.com/Billion-Dollar-Molecule-Companys-Perfect/dp/0671510576

Not disagreeing with any of the suggestions here, but for a tech you do not really need a college course that is post algebra. I generally don't like to recommend biology, because in reality it is useless. Take an anatomy class instead. Physics and chemistry are take it or leave it options; I honestly don't believe they will help you as a tech.

Being a tech (and getting certified) is not hard. I started working as a tech in high school, registered with the board of pharmacy almost immediately once I started college and got my CPhT in freshman(?) year of college.

A lot of the stuff you do as a tech is unique and therefore will not be learned from a calculus course or gen bio/chem/physics. If you're dead set on taking courses, look online for some tech specific courses in your area. Otherwise, I'd recommend some of the books, as they are really great learning materials and prepared me superbly.

http://www.amazon.com/Technician-Certification-Pharmacists-Association-Pharmacology/dp/0895828294/ref=sr_1_36?ie=UTF8&qid=1376330318&sr=8-36&keywords=ptcb+books

and

http://www.amazon.com/Pharmacy-Technician-Certification-Quick-Study-Guide/dp/1582120986/ref=sr_1_52?ie=UTF8&qid=1376330338&sr=8-52&keywords=ptcb+books

were the two the I used, and I passed with a pretty high score.

I took the exam last year, but besides the new opioid law/recommendation, nothing else has changed.

All I did was read the following sources:

"Guide to Federal Pharmacy Law" by Reiss

Link https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Federal-Pharmacy-Law-Reiss/dp/0967633273/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1467023184&sr=8-1&keywords=federal+guide+to+pharmacy+law

Also download the pharmacy study packet from the MA.gov website. You don't need to go to the physical office to buy it, you can just find which chapters and laws are in the guide and just download them from online. But pretty much all you need to really know is "247 CMR" from the MA website which is pretty much the pharmacy laws. READ ALL OF 247 CMR. it's not incredibly long, so a single day is all you need.

Read the "DEA pharmacists manual". Beyond these 3 sources, there isn't really anything else that you need to know that you shouldn't already know from pharmacy school/actual practice.

Books:

• Delmar's Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam Review
  
  
• Barron's PTCE/Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam
  
  
• PTCB Exam Simplified
  
   
  
  Online Resources:
  
  
• Study Guide
  
  
• Practice Tests
  
  
• Top 200 Drugs
  
  
• DEA Scheduled Drugs
  
  
• More Practice Tests
  
  
• Flashcards
  
   
  
  Happy studying :)

This was my lifesaver during rotations and it's easier to tote around vs. the actual Dipiro.

In addition to what others have mentioned, also look into diagnosis criteria for depression, bipolar, schizophrenia, anxiety.

On the safety side, since you'll be in the wards. Always be aware of your surrounding. Make sure no patient is behind you. And when you enter a room, make sure you're between the door and the patient. (i.e. patient is not blocking your exit).

Not sure which state you will be in, and I didn't spend the money on the RxPrep fed law review, but I used Reiss and Hall Guide to Federal Pharmacy Law. I had it left over from my law class in my last year of didactic, not much has really changed in it and it was a really good overview with quick tips and a large quiz bank at the end of the book. It's about 1/3rd of the price.

I basically read this book one day then read my state laws (BOP FAQs, actually) the next day and did fine on my MPJE.

My pen of choice is a Pentel EnerGel pen: https://www.amazon.com/Pentel-EnerGel-Premium-Liquid-BL407ABPA/dp/B00AZEK9RU
They have a nice heft to them and they look classy. If you rub a label too fast after writing on it, it can smear a bit, but let it dry for a few seconds and it's fine. Plus you can get refills on Amazon 12 for $10.

Heres a link to the regulations from the MS BOP: http://www.mbp.state.ms.us/mbop/Pharmacy.nsf/webpageedit/RegulationsLN_regdb_FullReg/$FILE/Final%20Regs%20clean%204-10-16.pdf?OpenElement

I'm going to study these, plus I've heard This book is a really good federal law book.

When do you plan on taking it? Mine is july 2nd.

I've been having some issues with hand pains lately and I think some of it is related to the three letter stapler use. I got the OK from my FSM to pick up a couple of nicer staplers for me and my partner to use. This electric one for most simple bags:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C4TZQUS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o04_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and this manual one for when I need more precision or need to staple through heavier paper.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006IFLK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I've only put around 15-20 sheets max through the electric one but it's had zero issues so far. The Bostitch uses standard staples and has not jammed or mis-fired a staple yet, I've done as many as 30 sheets with no problems whatsoever. Really happy with both of these.

Not sure if this is the one: https://www.amazon.com/Memorizing-Pharmacology-A-Relaxed-Approach/dp/B01FSR7XZO/ref=tmm_aud_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=. And this one is also available in audiobook by the same author: https://www.amazon.com/Goodnight-Pharm-Brand-Generic-Classifications/dp/B0716P6Y15/ref=pd_cp_129_1?. Narrator is like David Attenborough...superb!

Depending on your rotations, preceptors let you use your smartphone.. I've used epocrates for awhile and its good enough for basic drug info. If anything i'd get THIS

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B01C4TZQUS/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought one of these last year and it's been good to the pharmacy.

I have this one in front of me, it's a decent reference and it's not very expensive. I used a different one to study for my CPhT, but I lent it to someone and can't remember the name of it. Really any basic pharmacy book should teach you the rudiments - SIG codes, pharmacy calculations/conversions, brand/generic names, basic drug indications.

Is there something in particular you're having difficulty with?