Pharmacy Technicians have a fruitful career in the healthcare sector They are an integral part of the healthcare system as they distribute medication, maintain patient records, and provide excellent customer service. If pharmacy technician is a career option you are considering, then one of the key questions might be, ‘Do you need a license to be a Pharmacy Technician?’ The answer to that is yes, but before we get into how you end up becoming a pharmacy tech and what it involves let’s take a closer look at all of the things that go along with this career path.
Table of Contents
Education and Training
To become a pharmacy technician, the first thing you need to do is earn an education. At a minimum, most companies require candidates to have completed high school or obtained the equivalent of a GED. Although a particular level is not needed, several aspiring pharmacy professionals prefer to finish an accredited college degree or certification. They are available in community colleges, vocational schools, and through several online educational institutions.
Common pharmacy technician training program features include:
- Learning and retaining information about all medicines, how they work, and their uses to treat
- An examination of the laws that govern and regulate pharmacy practice.
- A dispensing technique that will help you in preparing and dispensing medications.
- Customer service: The formation of soft skills in patient and healthcare professional interaction
Many programs even include internships/externships in addition to classroom instruction. This hands-on experience is very important for getting an idea of what a pharmacy technician has to do daily.
Some states may require certification while a credential from a reputable organization can be only what’s required. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) creates and administers the actual examination for your certification. If you are looking at taking the PTCB, then candidates must fulfill these criteria:
- Be at least 18 years old.
- Possess a high school diploma or equivalent.
- Complete state and national background checks
- Be free of a felony conviction or convictions related to controlled substances
- Certified Pharmacy Technician (CPhT): For certification, you must renew the certificate every two years and gain continuing education credits to stay current with changes in the field.
- Licensure requirements vary widely by state, so it is important to contact the pharmacy board in your particular state for standards.
The licensing process typically consists of:
- Application: Often with a fee and documented education or certification
- Criminal background checks: A lot of states require pharmacy technicians to pass a criminal history check
- Tests: A handful of states also require an additional state-specific pharmacy law test
Make sure to renew your license and fulfill the required ongoing education courses based on your state. Not complying with this can cause you to be penalized or lose your license.
Skills and Attributes
Besides formal education, training, and certification other factors help to make a good technician. Skills that are important to start transitioning now include:
- Detail-oriented: Pharmacy technicians provide medication to patients so accuracy is key
- Good communication: This means patients and healthcare providers should communicate about the medication clearly so that everything is understood properly.
- Organization: Handling inventory, patient records and prescriptions will be impossible without organizational skills.
- Technological skills: As regular pharmacy settings move toward a more technologically advanced level, there is an increasing need to become familiar with the software and technology in pharmacies today.
- Soft skills like sensitivity, kindness, and a genuine concern for patient care are also critical to the success of pharmacy technicians.
Salary and Career Outlook
There will be an increase in demand for pharmacy technicians over the next several years. The U.S. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts job growth for pharmacy technicians to continue throughout the decade with an expected increase in employment by 4% from 2022-2032 An aging population and more focus on preventative care contribute to this growth.
Additionally, a pharmacy technician can become certified over time. With further training and education, they can work as pharmacy managers and medication therapy management technicians.
Pharmacy technician positions typically require a mix of education, training, and certification – in some cases, state licensure- with learning on the job. Whether you need a pharmacy tech license. is a key one, calling out the necessity to comprehend state-by-state rules. While education and skills are required, a career as a pharmacy technician helping patients should be considered to secure employment that plays an important role in the field of healthcare.
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Whether she is researching the latest trends in home decor, life-changing destination getaways, or the best way to maintain your finances, Dewey takes pride in leaving no stone unturned. She is passionate about distilling and delivering high-quality information that you can use to upgrade your life.
