|
Getting Pharmacy Technician
Certification
There are still
many states in the US that do not require pharmacy technicians to be
certified before they are allowed to practice. However, obtaining a
pharmacy technician certification is important in the sense that it
provides a good foundational understanding of the technician's
responsibilities as well as raises one's bargaining power as far as the
pharmacy
technician salary is concerned.
Despite these clear positives for certification, it is important that
you undertake a significant amount of research before you enroll for a
certification program. For starters, there are several organizations
that provide pharmacy technician certification. It is important that
you go for organization's that have a long history and that are widely
respected within the industry.
Your research however must go beyond the certifying institution and
should take into consideration the prerequisites for the program. The
good thing is that these prerequisites are almost the same across the
different reputable certifying organizations. You will need to have a
high school diploma, GED or an equivalent non-US qualification. A
pharmacy technician's role is a vital one but that can be easily abused.
With the modern phenomenon of more and more people becoming addicted to
prescription drugs, the integrity of the any person attaining a
pharmacy technician certification must be above board. It is for this
reason that one must have a clear criminal record going back at least
five years prior to the date of application. In addition, any record of
ever having been convicted of a drug related felony will lead to the
application being rejected. You will also be considered ineligible if
you are under any form of restrictions imposed by the State Board of
Pharmacy.
Once you are certain you meet the criteria and enroll for the classes,
then you must start to brace yourself for the examination. Two of the
most renowned pharmacy technician certification exams are the Pharmacy
technician certification Exam (PTCE) and the Examination for Certified
Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT).
The PTCE for instance is a computer-based multiple choice 90 question
exam. The exam focuses on the core responsibilities of the technician
including the responsibility to both the pharmacist and the client, how
to maintain medical inventory and control systems, and their role in
overall administration. There is no limit to the amount of times the
exam can be taken. However the exam fee must be paid at each attempt.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
But sitting and passing
the certification exam is not the end of the process. Similar to many
professional organizations of today, you will be required to complete a
certain number of continuing education hours in order to maintain your
pharmacy technician certification. The minimum number of hours expected
is 10 after every two years.
Of the 10 hours, at least 1 hour
must be dedicated to the area of pharmacy law. This is not entirely
surprising given the level of debate on laws around the medical
industry in the US. Both the pharmacists and the pharmacy technicians
must therefore be at the forefront in the awareness of any changes in
the law that might affect the way they execute their functions.
As
mentioned, certification is not a prerequisite for one to be employed
as a pharmacy technician. That said, there are certain industry sectors
where the need for certification is a de facto requirement. A good
example of such a strict working environment is a hospital pharmacy.
If
you are looking at pharmacy
technician jobs and do not intend to remain
as a technician forever, and if you have
intentions of becoming a fully qualified pharmacist in
future, then obtaining a pharmacy technician certification is the way
to go. Pharmacy schools give a considerable amount of weight to
applicants that already have the technician certification.
A
pharmacy technician certification does not only mean higher pay but
also a faster track to a management position than would be available if
one were to remain a non-certified pharmacy technician.
Even
though the certification will definitely cost you, this should not
discourage you from going for it. In any case, if you are already
working as a non-certified pharmacy technician there are a number of
employers that will, based on organizational policy, reimburse you for
the cost incurred for attaining the certification.
The
pharmaceutical industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the
US while at the same time becoming increasingly competitive. If this is
your chosen career, obtaining a pharmacy technician certification will
ensure that you are well positioned to take advantage of the best
opportunities available. |
|
|
|