Ashworth College is financially supported by. Even if several roads lead to the same destination in this industry, the following is an example of one route that might lead to certification as a pharmacy technician: First thing you need to do is get your high school diploma or its equivalent (four years).
Those who are successful in the role of pharmacy technician often have solid backgrounds in mathematics, chemistry, biology, and physiology. In this point, some students may decide to participate in a volunteer program in the healthcare industry, either at a hospital or in another environment, in order to get experience in the profession and improve their ability to interact with others.
Second step: Complete a pharmacy technician training program that is recognized and certified (approximately one year). Pharmaceutical technicians who wish to get certified by the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) are required to have graduated from a training program that has been approved by both ASHP and the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).
Recent events led to the formation of the Pharmacy Technician Accreditation Commission, which was jointly founded by the ASHP and ACPE (PTAC). The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP) produced a model curriculum for this area of study, which included modules in client-facing skills and professional role awareness, amongst other topics.
A good example of an ASHP-accredited program is Pima Medical Institute, which has campuses located in a number of different states and provides a curriculum for pharmacy technicians. This is a 35-credit-hour curriculum that focuses on pharmacology, pharmacy math, and the principles of chemistry, and it is available both on-campus and through hybrid learning techniques.
The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) offers the National Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam (CPhT), which will be prepared for by graduates of this curriculum. Due to state permission constraints, which entail laws that prevent certain students from attending online colleges in places where they do not reside, prospective students should call the campus to check they may enroll and complete academic and professional criteria.
Multiple locations around the United States serve as the campuses.
Length of time: nine months The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists has granted accreditation (ASHP) None of the above.
There is just one recognized hospital-based pharmacy technician program in the United States, and it is located at the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland, Ohio.
The duration of this program is twenty weeks, during which time students will complete ten online course modules and gain knowledge through three hundred hours of in-person experience at the Cleveland Clinic Main Campus.
This program of Career Colleges and Schools has been given the go-ahead by the Ohio State Board. Students who are interested in applying must first submit an application, provide a copy of their high school diploma, participate in a phone interview and an in-person interview, demonstrate proficiency in mathematics and reading, and pass a background check.
Cleveland, Ohio is the location.
- Time Span: One Whole Year Affiliation with the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education and the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists Cost of tuition is $2,500
The Remington College diploma program for pharmacy technicians is offered at its campuses located throughout the southern states;
The curriculum places a strong emphasis on teaching students about the interactions between different medications, as well as medical abbreviations and patient care. First aid, career development, computer skills, and pharmacy law and ethics are among the topics included in the curriculum.
In addition to traditional classroom instruction, students put what they’ve learned into practice in “simulated” pharmacy settings. Careers at retail pharmacies, hospitals, nursing homes, and assisted living facilities are some of the common destinations for graduates of this degree.
Multiple campuses across the southern states make up the location.
Non-specific duration The American Society of Health-System Pharmacists has granted accreditation (ASHP) The annual cost of tuition is $15,601.00.
Please see our page on schools for pharmacy technicians for information on additional programs, including opportunities for receiving training online as a pharmacy technician.
- Step three: Obtain certification from recognized national and regional certifying agencies (timeline varies);
- Even though certification for pharmacy technicians isn’t required in every state, many companies still prefer having them have it;
In order to determine whether or not pharmacy technicians are required to be certified, the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy (NABP) maintains a list of contact information for each state’s board of pharmacy. The Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) and the National Healthcareer Association are the two primary organizations that administer national certifications for those working in this field (NHA).
The certification offered by the NHA is recognized on a national level, and the PTCB certification is accepted in all fifty states. A candidate for each variety of certification has to first get their high school diploma before taking and passing the relevant examination.
Some applicants decide to further expand their qualifications by obtaining certifications in areas such as certified compounded sterile preparation technician in addition to becoming a certified pharmacy technician (CPhT). This is a choice that is left up to the individual candidate (CSPT).
Step four: Ensure that your certification is still active (every two years). PTCB and NHA certifications need to be renewed every two years in order to remain valid. In addition, the PTCB requires candidates to complete 20 hours of continuing education (CE), whereas the NHA requires candidates to complete 10 units of continuing education.
If you would want further information regarding professional certification, please refer to the part that may be found below.
Do you need a high school diploma to become a pharmacist?
Licensure vs. Certification – There is a possibility of misunderstanding regarding the distinction between being certified and licensed. To become a certified pharmacy technician, all you need to do is demonstrate that you have the necessary skills and knowledge by acing a qualification test administered by either the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
- After passing the exam, you will often be required by your state to have your fingerprints taken, to submit to a background check, and to pay any costs that are related with this process;
- You will need to have a current application on file with the pharmacy board in your state in order to be eligible to take the PTCB test;
This indicates that you will be required to have previously submitted your fingerprints, completed a background check, and be up to date on any costs that may be necessary. Even if you are not need to have completed secondary school, it is quite possible that you will be required to have the knowledge and experience that may be gained via formal education.
- Your education as a pharmacy technician will be critical to your success in obtaining whatever national certification you choose to pursue;
- On the other hand, in order to be eligible to apply to take the test offered by the NHA, you need to first finish a training program for pharmacy technicians;
You will also require a high school diploma or a General Equivalency Diploma (GED). You can appear for the test even if you just have a valid certificate of completion, despite the fact that an associate’s degree in pharmacy technology along with a diploma will be of great assistance in the job market.
You are not need to submit an application for state license in order to work for the NHA. Therefore, if the profession of pharmacy technician is not regulated in your state, this can be the ideal choice for you.
That is to say, if you are successful in passing the NHA test, you will have a certificate that is acknowledged on a national level, which will enable you to compete for outstanding employment prospects. There is sometimes a preference for one agency over another in places that require licensure; nonetheless, the vast majority of these states will recognize the PTCB certification, which is the elder of the two options.
However, before you go ahead and sit for a test, you should definitely check in with your state’s pharmacy board. When deciding between several examinations, you could wish to take into consideration the likelihood that you will relocate at some point in the near or far future.
If your state gives an option, the PTCB may be preferable, since it is most likely to be accepted by other state pharmacy boards who will want to see a nationwide certification prior to licensing. You may be nationally qualified but not licensed to operate as a pharmacy technician if the state in which you live does not govern who may or cannot practice in the profession.
- If this describes your situation, you could be called in for an interview at pharmacies, but the condition of employment at those pharmacies might be that you have to have a complete license;
- If you live in a state that does not need certification or licensing, having a national certification might help you differentiate yourself from the other applicants in the state;
Even though a certain certification is not mandated by the regulatory body that oversees pharmacies, it is possible that a large number of national and regional retail chains have a company policy that demands it.