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For a
pharmacy
technician, certification is the probably the most important word in
their vocabulary. Being certified is something that pharmacy
technicians value the most. Why? Because most employers know the value
of pharmacy
technician certification. And if it's that important to
those who pay them, pharmacy technicians, naturally, would want to be
certified.
More than likely there is a pharmacy technician
school in your area. If there is none, you can enroll yourself in a
pharmacy technician school online, or you can inquire at hospitals, the
military, and vocational schools because these institutions sometimes
have their own training programs. A pharmacy technician school training
program's duration may range from 6 months to two years.
These
programs teach different topic areas, such as pharmacy laws and ethics,
medical and pharmaceutical terminology, pharmacy record keeping,
pharmaceutical calculations, and pharmaceutical techniques. A pharmacy
technician college training program must also include teaching of the
names, actions, uses, and doses of the medications that these would-be
pharmacy technicians will work with in the future.
Internship
and externship are integral parts of the training program. Through
internship and externship, students can gain hands-on experience with
the supervision of a licensed pharmacist. Internship usually lasts
longer than externship, which often lasts only a few weeks. If you're
going to enroll in a pharmacy technician school, you should be aware of
their training program, if they're offering internship or externship.
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After
completing their
training program, a prospective pharmacy technician can take the
Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (PTCE) offered by the Pharmacy
Technician Certification Board (PTCB), a nationally recognized
certifying body. Once you pass this certification exam, you will be
given the title of CPhT, or Certified Pharmacy Technician.
Most
companies,
hospitals, drugstore chains and community pharmacies prefer to hire
certified pharmacy technicians. Certification is important to them
because it proves that the pharmacy technician has passed a high
standard exam and he is knowledgeable about pharmacy tasks and duties.
Some States and State Pharmacy Boards do require a pharmacy technician
be certified first before they can apply in any pharmacy-related jobs
in their State. Certified pharmacy technicians also receive higher
pharmacy
technician salary compared to their non-certified
counterparts.
All
of these have to start with a good pharmacy technician school. To have
a better chance of passing the PTCB certification exam, on-the-job
training may not be enough. You have to enroll yourself in one of the
highly regarded pharmacy technician college or try a pharmacy
technician school online. Know the contents of their training program.
Since
the need for pharmacy
technician jobs are increasing every year, there
are no other reasons not to pursue a pharmacy technician career if you
think this is your calling. The salary is very competitive, career
advancement opportunities are huge and you have job security n the
coming years.
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