As most people know, a career in healthcare is one of the most important jobs a person can do. Whether it’s a doctor, nurse, pharmacist, or pharmacy technician, healthcare workers strive to keep people healthy. And what could be more important than that?
For those seeking a career in health care, the Pharmacy Technician position may appeal. Depending on the workplace, a pharmacy technician has a variety of duties and responsibilities, from counting pills to communicating with customers, and each duty is important. Even routine tasks like bottle labeling can be life-or-death, as it is of course imperative that patients receive the correct medications at the correct dosages.
The hourly earnings of a pharmacy technician also vary from one workplace to another. The highest-earning pharmacy technicians typically work in hospitals, earning an average of $13 per hour. The lowest income Pharmacy Technicians work in health or personal care stores, earning an hourly wage of about $10.50. Obviously, where you choose to work as a pharmacy technician matters. And because hospitals and other highly specialized places pay better, they also look for the best technicians, that is, certified pharmacy technicians.
Training to be a Pharmacy Technician
While some smaller pharmacies, etc., simply provide on-the-job training to untrained Pharmacy Technicians, most higher paying locations are looking for Pharmacy Technicians with formal training and certification. To obtain this, most aspiring pharmacy technicians attend online or classroom training courses. When choosing a Pharmaceutical Technology course, there are several things to consider, such as the length of the course, the depth of the topic, and the quality of the course (accreditation).
How long will it take?
Most Pharmacy Technician training courses last between six months and a year, depending on the course. In that time, you’ll learn the skills necessary to operate a pharmacy, follow the correct pharmacy procedures, provide the correct dosages of medications, and assist the pharmacist with administrative tasks. This course also helps you prepare for your PTCB (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board) or ExCPT (Examination for Certification of Pharmacy Technicians) exam.
While there are very few federal and state laws in place governing the need for Pharmacy Tech certification, having a PTCB or ExCPT certification is becoming the standard. Passing one or more of these exams is vitally important.
What if I need to finish faster?
If you don’t have the six months to a year it takes to complete a pharmaceutical technology training course, there are several options available. Because certification is more important to prospective employers than formal training, you may choose to focus your time on studying for the exam. You can do this by studying the exam materials or by taking one of the various intensive courses some schools offer. Most of these courses last from a few hours to several days, and are designed to give you all the information you need to pass the PTCB or ExCPT exams.