#Pharmacy technician on the job training professional#

#Pharmacy technician on the job training professional#

Certification provides professional credentialing for pharmacy technicians and is required of some pharmacy technicians depending on where they are employed. Certification processĬertification is a process by which nongovernmental agencies or associations grant recognition of competence to individuals who have met certain predetermined qualifications. Often students take the PTCE following their externship experience. There also are certificate programs that include a hands-on learning component where students spend time training in a pharmacy.Īn associate’s degree program often takes around 2 years to complete and often include internship or externship experiences. Completion of this type of program will help prepare students for the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE). There are many advantages to completing specialized training and then obtaining your certification.Ī certificate program may be available in an online format and can be completed in as little as nine months. Higher education requirementsĪll pharmacy technicians need at least a high school degree or equivalent with on-the-job training, but many choose to complete a postsecondary education program such as a certificate program or an associate’s degree. High school students interested in this career path should take science courses like chemistry, biology, and medical terminology. It's one of the few health care professions that works with patients, but does not work with procedures or direct patient care. If you enjoy helping people and love interacting with patients, but aren’t interested in clinical work, becoming a pharmacy technician may be a great option for you. Pharmacy technicians act as a link between patients and pharmacists, and play an important role in the health care team.

Depending on where they work, they may need to work nights, weekends, and holidays. They spend the majority of their work day on their feet, filling and packaging prescriptions, and working with pharmacists and other health care providers. Pharmacy technicians typically work in retail stores, hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities. Like pharmacists, pharmacy technicians can practice in a specialty industry like academia, community, or government, or in a specialty area like critical care, oncology, or pediatrics. Preparing compounded medications using sterile and non-sterile processes.Packing and labeling a prescribed medication.Dispensing medication to patients per the prescription, or provider’s orders.Preparing new prescription and refill requests for patients.They perform a wide-range of tasks within the pharmacy. Pharmacy technicians work with doctors, nurses, and pharmacists. They might also help pharmacists with administrative tasks such as processing insurance claims, tracking inventory, and filing paperwork. They locate, dispense, pack, and label a prescribed medication for a patient that is then reviewed for accuracy by a pharmacist before dispensed to the patient. A pharmacy technician works closely with a pharmacist to ensure the health and safety of their patients.