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. continued below »

Schools offering online degree programs:

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.

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.

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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