Join the Pharmacy Side of Health Care: Get Your Pharmacy Technician Certification
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Whether you want to study online from the comfort of your own home, or
prefer the experience of the traditional classroom environment, you can
use our convenient online directory to locate training schools and start
earning your degree as a pharmacy technician. A pharmacy technician performs
many pharmacist functions including pharmacy administration, drug distribution
and management, and patient service. The difference between the pharmacist
and the technician is that the pharmacy technician works under the supervision
of the pharmacist and the education does not take as long to get.
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| Schools
offering online degree programs: |
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| The University
of Phoenix Online offers an Associate
of Arts Degree in Health Care Administration with a concentration
in Pharmacy Practice. The program is designed to prepare students
for careers in the basic operations of community and institutional
pharmacies. Coursework includes medical terminology, medical claims
processing, disease diagnosis and treatment, basic pharmacy processes
and equipment, and pharmaceutical calculations. |
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| |
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Kaplan
University offers a Pharmacy
Technician certification program. This program prepares students
for careers at retail, hospital, and mail-order pharmacies. The
program provides students with a broad understanding of medical
and pharmaceutical terminology, effects of medications on the human
body, and a whole lot more. The program is endorsed by the National
Pharmacy Technician Association (NPTA), the largest professional
society for pharmacy technicians.
|
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It
usual takes a 6 year degree, plus an internship, to become a pharmacist
in 21st century America. However, even with the degree, the demands on
the pharmacist are demanding and time consuming. Doctors rely on the pharmacist
to cross reference medications; the government has controls in place which
require the pharmacist to make sure he is not filling a prescription that
has already been filled at another drug store, and insurance requirements
and regulations make the filing process a complex nightmare. That says
nothing about the need for interaction with customers who rely on the
pharmacist to explain their medications and ensure that they are getting
the proper dose of the correct substance. One person cannot handle all
the tasks required of a busy pharmacy, so most drug stores will more than
one licensed pharmacist. Even then, tasks remain that are completed by
pharmacy technicians.
Pharmacy Technicians
Increase Efficiency of Pharmacy Business
The pharmacy tech works under the supervision of the pharmacist. Duties
include interacting with customers, taking their prescriptions and making
note of their concerns, evaluating prescriptions to make sure the doctor
gave all the necessary information, entering data into the computer, billing
the insurance companies, maintaining in-store records and monitoring the
stock for outdated merchandise.
Certified Pharmacy Tech:
Good Pay in Less Time
Getting your certificate requires only about 3 to 6 months in an Online
program, or it can be done at a community or technical college in three
or four semester. The biggest difference is often that the associate's
degree—or even a certificate—earned in the traditional classroom may involve
"core" courses that seem unrelated to the pharmacy courses. The online
certificate may be more focused, but, again, it depends on the school
and on the specific program. Regardless of the number of courses you take,
you will still have to take the Pharmacy Technician Certified Board exam
before getting your certificate.
Getting Started Even Without A College Degree
You do not need prior college degrees or experience to enroll in a program
to become a pharmacy technician, but you do need either a high school
diploma or GED and a passing grade on a math test. Tuition varies; the
Online programs will usually be less costly, but the traditional programs
may have laboratory opportunities unavailable from home.
Modest Salary, but Opportunities for Advancement.
The median salary for a pharmacy technician is about $26,000 per year.
However that can be dramatically affected by factors such as the size
of the business, the geographic area, your level of experience, and your
credentials and recommendations. Additionally, once you have obtained
a position, your company may have options to assist you in becoming a
licensed pharmacist yourself, should you decide to continue your education.
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