Is There a Quicker Way to Become a Pharmacy Technician?
A pharmacy technician is directly below a pharmacist in terms of job description and supervision. They can assist pharmacists with providing medication to customers or patients, making sure that the medicines given are accurately mixed or compounded. They can contact doctors to get authorization to refill any prescriptions. And they don’t have to work in a pharmacy, pharmacy technicians in hospitals prepare injections and other types of medications.
It’s common for pharmacy technicians to handle the inventory, keep an eye on the state of supplies, operate registers, provide customer support, and even locate over-the-counter medication. The most common occupation for pharmacy techs is a pharmacy or retail stores. To get the certificate that allows you to become a pharmacy technician, you’ll need to finish a postsecondary program. We’ll be giving you the fastest ways which can help you become a pharmacy technician.
Training
There aren’t any federal regulations covering the job, and the state requirements governing it are very few compared to a pharmacist requirements. It’s possible to find employers who provide on-the-job training, but those are very few. The majority of employers prefer those with experience, formally trained, or certified. Certification makes employers more inclined to accept a candidate with no experience or training. The growing presence of online programs is making the process more flexible to formally train and prepare for the license exam in your off-hours.
Diving into the Job
This is the fastest way to become a pharmacy technician since there are no state-regulated requirements in most states. It will need for you to be a quick learner and have a good eye for detail, in addition to having a solid background in math, computer skills, and basic customer service. The training is done under the supervision of senior pharmacy technicians and pharmacists. Under their guidance, the trainees learn all the more important aspects of the job.
Formal Training
Training programs are available in more than one place, from community colleges to university hospitals. The requirements may differ according to different college programs for pharmacy technicians, but the main requirement is having a high school diploma or GED. The time taken to take formal training may be as low as 3 months. But it could also reach a couple of years. Students are given courses in the mathematics of calculating dosages, terminology, computer skills, and sterile environment maintenance. It may not be as quick as on-the-job training, but depending on the state on-the-job training may not be allowed. Most training programs offer an internship in a pharmacy or a hospital after the training.
The growing demand for pharmacy technicians is making it possible to undertake the licensing exam through more than one way. More than 400 thousand people in the US alone are employed as pharmacy technicians. Before you begin to plan on becoming a pharmacy technician you need to check your state’s regulations to see which path you should take to receive training and experience.