Would you be interested in starting a career in healthcare field and be a pharmacy technician? Achieving pharmacy technician certification has become a trend that everyone would want to get involved with because it will bring you a medical job that you would never be bored of. Here, we will review the procedures you have to perform, and start with your career in the pharmacy industry as a certified pharmacy technician.

What is a Pharmacy Technician?

To begin with, we will discuss how to get a certification as a licensed pharmacy technician but first, we shall look at what the job of a pharmacy technician entails. A pharmacy technician is a kind of health professional who works under a supervision of a pharmacist to prepare and dispense medicines to patients. In addition, they do a considerable portion of office work that includes: updating patient records & managing inventory & giving customer support.

Education and Training Requirements

The prerequisite for being a certified pharmacy technician is an accomplished high school diploma or its equivalent. Although such certification is not required for entry to the field, one can get a certificate or an associate’s degree from any accredited pharmacy technician program to be a top-notch candidate who to get higher salaries.

Pharmacy technician programs are usually comprised of various topics which include pharmacy law and regulations, medication dosage calculations, pharmacology, and pharmacy operations. These programs cover these roles as well: compounding medications, filling prescriptions and attending to customers.

Certification Process

Once the education and the training have been completed, you move on to become a pharmacy technician but you need to be certified first. It is a plus for most employers to have certification due to the advanced knowledge and skill that one will have.

An accepted occasion of accreditation is the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) which is owned by the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB). In order to be eligible, a high school diploma, equivalence or a training program must be completed, and also a background check must be passed. The multiple-choice exam, conducted on the computer, consists of 90 questions that cover drug law, safety, and patient care.

Granting the title of Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT) allows the performance of pharmacy technician functions in different healthcare settings.

Continuing Education and Professional Development

When you get certified as a pharmacy technician, keep your information up to date regarding the new developments in the field. Taking refresher or new courses and engaging in professional development will enable you to keep your knowledge and skills updated, gain an understanding of the current trends in the industry, and advance your profession.

Pharmacy techs can also seek for advanced certifications like the Certification of Compounded Sterile Preparation Technician or the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians Specialty in oncology or ambulatory care, for example.

Job Outlook and Salary

The Office of Occupational Statistics predicts that employment of pharmacy technicians will grow by 4 percent between 2019 and 2029, which is almost as fast as the average growth for all job positions. Along with the increase in the geriatric population and the over demand for prescription medications, the demand for pharmacy technicians to assist pharmacists in the process of dispensing medications will go up too.

On the area of the salary, the median annual wage of pharmacy technicians was $33,950 in May 2020. In the top 10%, more than $49,130 was earned while in the lowest 10%, less than $25,620 was earned. The salary has the range of the value that depends on factors as location, experience, and certification status.

Conclusion

The decision to be a part of the certification program is worthwhile because of the job stability, competitive wages, and opportunities for advancement in one’s career. A pharmacy specialist program, followed by getting certification and continuing education, will set you to gain rewarding pharmacy industry career. Therefore, if you are a person who care about others and whose interest lies in healthcare, then, your place is in the field of certified pharmacy technician!