The role of a pharmacy technician is pretty demanding. You have to wear many hats and will take on many different roles. These include customer service and dispensing prescription medications.
Pharm techs are also the primary assistant to a pharmacist. But that is not all in career opportunities. They can transition into full-time pharmacists by taking on the relevant training. You could also go into other medical fields such as dentistry or ophthalmology.
There is high demand for pharmacy technicians. By the end of 2028, there will be a 7% increase in demand for research experts. If you want to grab onto the opportunities, it helps to know what the career path entails. Read on to find out more.
1. Get the Relevant Training
To get into pharmacy school, you should have a diploma or GED. You may also need on-the-job or formal training.
There are two options available to pharmacy technician students.
● Diploma Program or Certification
A diploma or certification is a quick way to get into the field. It will take a year or two semesters. Do note, you may need to pass a certification exam after completing the program. You also need to find out what the requirements in your state are.
The colleges will need to see your high school diploma or GED. Other requirements are transcripts, background checks, and placement test scores.
● Pharm Tech Associate Degree Program
Degree programs are more in-depth. Students learn pharmaceutical sciences, customer services, and management.
The pharmacy technician degree program takes two years to complete. There isn’t much difference with a diploma or certificate training for document prerequisites.
Studying for the pharmacy technician’s exams can be challenging. But there are resources available to help with the process.
One of the best is the pharmacy technician practice test. The multiple-choice format covers everything you would expect to see in the actual exam. These include medications, federal requirements, and order processing.
Others are order entry, quality assurance, and patient safety. Once you finish the test, submit and wait for the results. It provides a fantastic opportunity to work on areas of weakness.
2. Licensing Requirements for Pharm Techs
Licensing requirements for pharm techs will vary from state to state. Some will need you to have one, and others will not. For the former, you must prove competence and an ability to handle the many roles that come with the job.
Do note, certification comes from a government or third-party agencies. In the United States, the latter comes from two bodies. These are the Pharmacy Technician Board (PTCB) and the National Healthcareer Association (NHA). You must, of course, sit for the relevant certification examination.
3. Ongoing Education
Continuing or ongoing education is a must for certified pharmacy technicians. It would be best if you kept up with the latest developments within the industry. Techs also need the hours for recertification.
The PTCB certificate only lasts two years. For renewal, you need at least 20 hours of continuing education. These cover areas like patient safety and Pharmacy law. The same applies to the NHA certification renewal.
Like in most cases, the continuing education requirements are state-specific. Find out what applies in your location from the pharmacy state boards.
4. Career Opportunities for Pharmacy Technicians
As we stated already, pharmacy technicians have many career opportunities.
● Retail or Chain Pharmacy
Retail pharmacy puts you in direct contact with customers. It requires excellent people skills and the ability to work under pressure. You are the information source and will have to respond to hundreds of questions.
To succeed, you must also be somebody who does not need too much supervision to work. Other duties include labeling and filling medication, inventory management, and processing prescriptions. You may also deal with other service providers like insurance companies.
● Closed-Door Pharmacy Tech Jobs
Closed-door pharmacy tech jobs are the opposite of retail pharmacy. You will not be in too much communication with customers. Rather, your job focuses a lot on the preparation of medications. You could also work at locations like hospice care facilities, prisons, and cooperates.
Some technicians will also go into nuclear pharmacy. They have a skill set that allows them to handle radioactive medication. The nuclear techs perform compounding, mathematical calculations, and inventory management tasks. They must also ensure the safe handling and transportation of radioactive pharmaceuticals.
● Hospital Pharmacy
Pharmacy technicians work in hospitals, emergency departments, trauma centers, and operating rooms. Indeed, they are in almost all areas of the hospital.
About 17% of Pharmacy technicians start their careers in a hospital setting. Some patients need round-the-clock care and different medications.
The pharm tech helps in preparation and delivery as needed. Other roles include reconciliation, medication refill, pharmacy calculations, and interpreting prescriptions.
● Managed Care
Third-party service providers may have pharmacy technicians in-house. Such include benefit managers or insurance underwriters.
The technicians manage claims adjudication and authorization request reviews. They also provide training and education to the staff.
The same applies to government agencies like the Armed Forces or prisons. They often depend on the skill set of pharmacy technicians. They take on tasks like inventory management, compounding, dispensation, and reviewing prescriptions.
Final Words on Career Path of a Pharmacy Technician
There is a lot of job satisfaction in being a pharmacy technician. You play an essential role in dispensing medication, which can save lives. Depending on your career choice, you may have an active role in medicine development.
All you need to do to start your pharm tech career is a GED or high school diploma. The next step is to decide whether to go into a one-year certification or two-year degree program. Take advantage of resources like Pharmacy technician practice tests when preparing for exams.
You must also keep up with ongoing education for two reasons. The first is the job requires you to stay up-to-date with the latest industry developments.
As a go-to source for information, you cannot afford to be in the dark at any moment. The second reason is that ongoing education is necessary for pharm tech relicensing. Good luck with your career as a pharmacy technician.
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