How To Become a Pharmacy Technician?

Answer 1

Pharmacies are great places to work. They provide good salaries, great working conditions, and the opportunity to help people. In order to work in a pharmacy, however, you must have a certain amount of training, and a good pharmacy technician program is the place to start.

The demand for pharmacy technicians is rising faster than average in a field that is already growing exponentially. Most pharmacies want to fill as many jobs as possible with technicians who are well-prepared to handle the challenges of this job, rather than trust off-the-stree employees who may or may not have the qualifications necessary to succeed in this field.

Pharmacists must study for many years to obtain their degrees. Pharmacy technicians, working under the supervision of a pharmacist, require less training, but must still meet exacting degrees of accuracy and professionalism. An ideal candidate for a pharmacy technician degree will be organized, dependable, and pay good attention to detail.

Typical pharmacy technician training programs last from six months to two years, depending on the time devoted to study of the field. At the end of the training, the candidate will be certified according to the laws of the state and can seek a job in any pharmacy or hospital. Privately-owned pharmacies, chain drug stores, and hospitals all offer jobs to certified pharmacy technicians.

A pharmacy technician program typically covers pharmacology, or the study of drugs and their interactions, as well as patient relations, drug laws, and medical terminology. Students learn to read prescriptions, fill out insurance claim forms, and operate databases to keep inventories of drugs.

Many pharmacy technician programs offer externships, or short-term jobs in a working pharmacy, to complete the candidate’s training. During this time, the pharmacy technician student will help the pharmacist dispense drugs, keep inventory, and work with insurance paperwork. This type of program is a good entry into the field, providing the candidate with real-work experience to take to a full-time position.

If you are interested in becoming a pharmacy technician, start by looking at available programs both locally and on the internet. Many technical schools offer these programs at reasonable rates of tuition and offer financial aid to help pay for your training.