How to Become a Certified Pharmacy Technician
Pharmacy technicians can work in the hospital or retail setting to prepare prescriptions under the supervision of the pharmacist. If you are looking to eventually apply for pharmacy school, you can just pass the pharmacy technician exam (PTCE) or the Examination for Certified Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT) and don't need need to attend vocational school. If you plan on becoming a pharmacy technician for a career, you will want to attend a pharmacy technician school to learn the necessary skills and to earn higher wages. State laws vary, but most states do not require technicians to be certified, but voluntary certification is available through several private organizations. Although some pharmacies will still hire pharmacy clerks/technicians with no technician license, most chain pharmacies and hospitals will only hire certified pharmacy technicians.
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Instructions
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Go to your state's board of pharmacy website to see the regulations and requirements for pharmacy technicians. Because state laws vary greatly, it is in your best interest to see if you will qualify for the exam and to see if it is even needed in the state in which you reside. If your plans are to enter pharmacy school to become a pharmacist, there are states that will allow you to work as a pharmacy clerk and sometimes as a technician without certification. It's still recommended that you earn certification, as this will allow you to learn the basic skills necessary to be a successful pharmacy technician and increase your chances of being hired.
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If you are planning pursuing a pharmacy technician career, you may want to look into different schools that train pharmacy technicians. In most states, attending an institution is not required to receive certification; however, attending a reputable pharmacy technician program will give you a strong skill set before embarking on your career. There are hundreds of pharmacy technician schools online, so you will need to do research so that you don't waste your time and money.
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You will need to register with the PTCB (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board) to take the PTCE or with the Exam for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians. Some states don't recognize certain certification exams, so research this first. Schedule an exam date online or by phone.
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Do research before buying study materials. Generally speaking, one book should be comprehensive enough to pass the exam. Read through all of the chapters and complete the practice problems in the book. Set a schedule for yourself so that you don't end up procrastinating.
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The PTCE is more focused on hospital pharmacy technician practice. At the very least, study the overview of the most common drugs, and also focus on techniques, laws and calculations to help you pass the exam.
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Depending on your state, you will need to submit additional information, documents, picture and fingerprints to the state board of pharmacy upon passing the test.
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Tips & Warnings
Do research on schools and books before making any final decisions. There are many resources available, and the quality varies greatly.
Memorize conversion values and know how to do the calculations.
Know pharmacy laws and regulation.
I have heard of stories of individuals paying thousands of dollars for tuition, going through pharmacy technician school, and not find any jobs. You will want to do research on the quality of education as well as career placements at these different pharmacy technician colleges.
Some states don't recognize certain certification exams. Again, do your research!
References
Resources
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