Most times, you come across a lovely young lady who attends to you. She smiles and gives you exactly the right amount of dosage but you find it difficult to address her by profession. Well, she’s actually a pharmacist technician and you’ll learn how to become a pharmacist technician in this post. According to Drug-Free World, over 208 million people use drugs illegally in the World. This illegal use covers both the abuse of drugs by individuals. Indeed, this is very harmful to health and should be stopped. Pharmacy technicians have done their bid in ensuring people get the correct medications when they visit a pharmacy. In this article, you’ll learn how to become a pharmacy technician, their salary, job outlook, and much more.
What do Pharmacy Technicians do?
A pharmacy technician is a healthcare provider who attends to customers within a pharmacy while working in line with a licensed pharmacist. Pharmacy technicians usually work in pharmacies although they can also work in hospitals and health centers. Their specific duties rotate around giving prescription drugs and other medical devices to patients and giving instructions on their use. Additionally, they may also perform other administrative duties in pharmaceutical practice, such as prescription review requests with doctor’s offices and insurance companies to ensure correct medications are provided and payment is received. Pharmacy technicians often perform in the position of Compounding Supervisor, overseeing day-to-day dosage preparations in adherence to standard and requirements. Today, pharmacy technicians have direct conversations with patients in order to help them keep tabs on their medications. For the lack of enough professionals in this area, there are a lot of open spaces for pharmacy technicians. Hence, if you choose to become a pharmacy technician, you need to get started immediately. Practical training, such as completing an internship in a pharmacy, is required as part of training for licensing and employment as a pharmacy technician. Most times, many employers favor pharmacy technicians to be certified with a national or local pharmacy board. You would need to pass the certification exam to practice as a technician. In some other countries, you need to register with a regulatory body in order to practice as a pharmacy technician.
What are the Pharmacy Technician Programs?
Different institutions usually offer pharmacy technician degrees at all levels. However, the type of program you choose will then depend on your current qualifications. In pharmacy technology, there’s only a one-degree program you can get. The reason is that higher degree programs are meant to eventually lead you to become a pharmacist. Thus, the pharmacy technician degree is; Associate Degree–An associate degree in pharmacy technician is the best option for students who have a high school diploma or GED, but who are rarely ready to pursue a four-year bachelor program. This program gives the students basic background principles and methods of operation in pharmacy. Additionally, as an associate degree student, you perform research while you study. In summary, if you decide to go for a Bachelor’s degree program, you’re actually on the way to become a trained pharmacist.
Can I study pharmacy technician online?
Although schools that offer technician programs are few, they still offer online programs. Indeed, the online programs are flexible and enable you to study from anywhere in the world. You will eventually need to check out for the eligibility requirements before you can apply.
How much does a pharmacy technician make?
Pharmacy Technicians are trained professionals. Hence, this means they execute their duties with a level of expertise. From consulting to drug administration to keeping up with patients, they have a lot of duties they perform. A Pharmacy Technician earns as much as $34,000 to $43,000 per year.
How much do pharmacy technician schools cost?
These schools are few and most of them have gained a reputation for being exceptional in many areas. Hence, pharmacy technician programs generally cost between $3,000 and $11,000. However, you can take advantage of scholarship opportunities when you can’t afford to pay for tuition. After you have finished your academic program, you’ll then go for a certification program to get a license.
Pharmacy Technician Certification
When you have finished your pharmacy technician program, you must then proceed for a certification. Without a certification, you can’t practice this profession and you know what this means. So, depending on your country, you’ll need to register with the National Body so you can get a license. Also Read: How to become an EKG Technician
How to Become a Pharmacy Technician?
Pharmacist Technicians are smart and hardworking people. And these professionals perform difficult tasks. If you want to venture into this career, you must follow some basic steps. Hence, the steps include;
Step 1: Get an Associate Degree
An associate degree is actually the first bridge you will eventually pass on your way to victory. Hence, it is very important. These associate degree programs take at least two years to complete fully and you’ll learn basic pharmacy essentials in this degree program. All students in this program will learn prescription methods, techniques and drug control.
Step 2: Take an Internship Program
As a technician, practicality is all you need as you’ll be dealing with people’s health. Therefore, this means that before you can prescribe, consult, and administer medication you need to see it implemented and practised countlessly. A lot of health centers actually give students who want to become pharmacy technicians the opportunity to be trained and directed on how to perform their duties. So, you will need to finish up your internship program to progress in this career path.
Step 3: Get your License
Your license is your right to practice as a technician. So, you need to do all in your power to get it. Before the National Body issues you a license, you’ll need to sit for the licensing exam. Most times, these licensing exams are written while on other occasions it’s similar to an interview process. In everything, make it top priority to get a license if you truly want to practice as a pharmacy technician.
Best Schools for Pharmacy Technician
If you want to become a Pharmacy Technician, you need to start by attending the right school. We generally compiled a list of top and best Pharmacy Technician Colleges in the world. And we will state a full detail of our 2022 ranking criteria. Hence, here is a list of Best and Accredited Pharmacy Technician Schools in the world, with their acceptance rate, graduation rate, and the number of programs they offer. Also Read: Best Pharmacy Schools in Michigan
#1. National University College
The Associate Degree in Pharmacy Technician will equip the student with the knowledge and skills they need to work as a pharmacy technician. However, they need to learn in a standard institution. The graduate of this program can work in pharmacies and hospitals, as a pharmacy technician in accordance with the laws and regulations of the Board of Pharmacy of Puerto Rico. Finally, the institution is authorized by the Board of Education of Puerto Rico to offer certification programs, associate degrees, bachelor’s degrees, and masters, through certifications.
#2. Florida Vocational Institute
This program gets students who want to become pharmacy technicians a guide. At the end of this program, students will receive a diploma degree. In the Pharmacy Technicians Training Program of the Florida Vocational Institute (FVI), you gain the proper skills you need to enter this industry and prosper. The pharmacy technician program provides directives on how to help the pharmacist arrange and dispense medications. Graduate students of Pharmacy Technician can be gainfully employed in hospitals (private and government), nursing homes, private and chain pharmacies. Students will also study the professional and technical skills necessary for direct employment as a pharmacy technician.
#3. Manhattan Institute
For over 40 years, the Manhattan Institute has constantly been an important force in the configuration of American political culture. And the development of ideas that promote economic choice and individual responsibility. Above all, they design the Pharmacy Technician training at the Manhattan Institute to prepare you for employment in this growing profession. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the Department of Labor of the United States, the employment of pharmacy technicians will increase rapidly in the coming years due to advances in medicine and the aging population. So, if you want to become a pharmacy technician then you should make a move now.
#4. San Joaquin Valley College-Visalia
The SJVC program prepares you to work under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist as part of a team responsible for complying with doctors’ pharmaceutical orders. Graduates can complete the Certificate of Completion of Pharmaceutical Technology program in just 9 months, or the Associate Pharmacy Technician Science Degree program in just 15 months. Their pharmaceutical technology students can obtain a certificate of completion in just 9 months. Graduates of the technician program can get an associate’s degree in science in just 15 months. This school is one of the best places to go if you want to become a great pharmacy technician.
#5. Mountainland Technical College
The pharmacy technician program consists of two parts. Part 1 is ongoing and laboratory training (400 hours). Part 2 is an external training for a pharmacy technician (200 hours). Interested students who eventually complete this training must possess a high school diploma or GED to qualify to take the national exam. Most importantly, after passing the national exam, students can apply to become licensed pharmacy technicians in the state of Utah. In the meantime, students have to finish the license application process with the State of Utah within two years (24 months) of the inception date. The MTECH pharmacy technical program is accredited by the ASHP and recognized by the PTCB.
#6. Columbus State Community College
Essentially, the Pharmacy Technician Program is an entry-level certification program that gives students who want to become pharmacy technicians. And skills necessary for a career as a pharmacy technician. Generally, students will learn how to prepare medications for distribution, perform dose calculations, comply with national and federal regulations. Additionally, they will learn excellent customer service skills, inventory, and order supplies while exposing themselves to real situations facing pharmacies today. Completion of the program normally requires 26 to 32 weeks of instruction for full-time students, which are taught over a period of 2 semesters. Above all, the program is divided into didactic, simulated and experimental components. Including an external internship period of 140 hours required for ASHP accreditation. In summary, all these trainings will teach you how to become a pharmacist technician.
#7. Cleveland Clinic’s School of Pharmacy Technology
Specifically, the Cleveland Clinic is a leader in efforts to expand the role of pharmacy technicians. As one of the only accredited schools of hospital technicians in the country, the School of Pharmacy Technology paves the way for new technical leaders. Also, the Cleveland Clinic School of Pharmaceutical Technology was designed to achieve what no other pharmacy technician program has done before. In order to combine the two educational pieces of training with real and practical training, from day one. Equally, students acquire the necessary skills to pass the pharmacy technician certification exam and work in a pharmacy. Above all, graduates of the Cleveland Clinic School of Pharmacy Technology are well prepared to meet the needs of expanding pharmaceutical practice. Finally, the graduate students of the Cleveland Clinic School of Pharmacy Technology can be considered working in the Cleveland Clinic Health System.
#8. Cerritos College
Given the obsession with the image in Los Angeles, it may not be surprising that there are many opportunities in dentistry. The University of California, Los Angeles, or UCLA, as most commonly abbreviated, offers a four-year DDS program that begins in the laboratory before diversifying into clinical settings. Known for their quality education and standards, it’s a good place to learn how to become a pharmacist technician.
#9. Pima Medical Institute
The school is one of the top-ranked Asian universities on this list (part of the prestigious Tokyo School of Medicine and Dentistry and the University of Melbourne). They have an exceptional record in subject areas dealing with healthcare and drug control. As a great medical institute, this is one place you want to be if you want to learn how to become a pharmacy technician.
#10. New York University
The New York University School of Dentistry trains approximately 350 DDS students each year. Students take courses in a variety of biomedical, behavioral, and clinical areas. All these courses culminate in making the pharmacy technician fully understand and manage duties effectively. The structure of the program makes it easy for them to perform research and assignments which seek to make them better. In summary, NYU has an exceptional reputation for excellence and truly gives you a chance at this great career path. Also Read: Best Pharmacy Schools in Ghana Pharmacy technicians work as long as 1,000 to 2,500 hours depending on the health center. Yes, pharmacist technicians are in high demand due to a growing case in health battles. Yes, pharmacist tech is a good career with financial rewards. A pharmacist is a graduate of pharmacy whose responsibility is basically drug dispensation according to prescription and consultation while a pharmacist technician basically deals with attending to sick patients by offering them the best medication. No, A pharmacist is not a Doctor. They are too different career paths with certain similar traits.
Conclusion
Pharmacy technicians are making the world a better place today. In fact, their very presence lifts up hope. Although they might not be as knowledgeable as licensed pharmacists, their knowledge still plays a vital role in human association. Everything about these professionals continually speaks excellence and skills. Their very subtle approach to customer complaints is astounding and applauding. In all honesty, this career is fulfilling and after reading this article, you’ll know what to do.
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