Is A Pharmacy Technician Career Your Prescription for Success?

Becoming A Pharmacy Technician

As a result of the ongoing pharmacist shortage, the need for pharmacists has never been greater, and many pharmacies are stretched thin as they try to fill customer orders, bill insurance companies and perform the day to day tasks associated with running a profitable and successful drug store.

If you enjoy working with people, have good communication and math skills, are able to pay close attention to detail, and are interested in a recession proof career as a valued member of the healthcare team in a booming industry that offers lots of opportunities for advancement, then becoming a Pharmacy Technician might be just the prescription for your success!

What Do Pharmacy Technicians Do?

Pharmacy technicians do far more than just put pills in bottles and labels on prescriptions. Indeed pharmacy technicians also work behind the scenes to make sure customer records are updated and insurance companies are billed properly. These professional staff members also submit multiple billings – to both private insurers and public agencies, in order to ensure that all responsible parties are billed properly. This helps to keep the customer’s cost low and also helps to ensure that the pharmacy is following all applicable state and federal regulations.

Pharmacy Technicians are multi-skilled practitioners who work under the supervision of a Pharmacist performing pharmaceutical calculations, packaging, and preparing medications, and other duties. Duties in a retail pharmacy include inventory control, filling prescriptions on the computer, counting and packaging. Pharmacy technicians also do third party billing. pharmacy technicians receive prescriptions from a prescriber and verify the patient’s information on the prescription for clarity and accuracy. They prepare the medication needed to fill the prescription by retrieving it, counting, pouring, weighing, measuring and sometimes mixing the medications. Before the prescription is given to the patient, a pharmacist checks it.

Pharmacy technicians in a hospital or clinic setting assist pharmacists, calculate dosage, prepare and label pills, ointments, and intravenous solutions, and document in the patient`s records. In the pharmaceutical industry, the pharmacy technician`s role is to assist research pharmacists who are working on projects to develop new drugs or improve existing ones. As cost-conscious insurancy companies begin to increasingly use pharmacies as patient-care centers, the role of pharmacy technicians will continue to expand as they assume more responsibility for some of the tasks previously performed only by Pharmacists.

General Requirements of Pharmacy Technicians

Pharmacy technicians should possess excellent people skills, communication, customer service skill, along with good abilities in reading, math, and chemistry. Students will study basic pharmacy terminology, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, dosage calculations, interpretation of prescriptions, drug classifications, inventory, billing, and customer service care. Additional Pharmacy Technology studies include

• Anatomy and Physiology
• Basic Pharmacology (Familiarization with drug classifications, interactions, herbal remedies and dietary supplements)
• Introduction to Federal and State Pharmacy laws
• Training in understanding prescriptions, processing drug orders, drug calculations, dosage, inventory etc

Pharmacy Technician Education

Certificate programs in Pharmacy Technology are generally offered by Career Colleges, and can be completed in a year or less. Associate Degrees in Pharmacy Technology take approximately two years, and Bachelor`s in Pharmacy Technology degree programs take four years. Those interested in greater career opportunities, job options, and the ability to further their education at a later time should strongly consider earning a degree in Pharmacy Technology.

Advancement Opportunities for Pharmacy Technicians

Working as a pharmacy technician is a great place to start if you are interested in having a career in the pharmaceutical industry. In addition to advancement into supervisory positions, experienced pharmacy technicians might put their knowledge to use in a variety of challenging and rewarding jobs such as pharmaceutical sales, pharmaceutical research, in poison control, mentoring and training new pharmacy technicians, and, with the right educational qualifications they can go on to teaching pharmacy technology at the community college level or beyond.

While many pharmacy technicians go on for advanced education in order to become licensed pharmacists, others might choose to advance into specialty positions such as chemo therapy technician and nuclear pharmacy technician. Starting as a pharmacy technician gives you the type of background training that would be necessary to become a pharmacist or enjoy an ever expanding choice of career opportunities elsewhere in the pharmaceutical industry.

Pharmacy Technicians can readily find work in a variety of health care settings including retail pharmacies, clinics, laboratories, hospitals, public health clinics, and pharmaceutical companies. Pharmacy Technicians enjoy rewarding salaries, pleasant work environments, and flexible Hours, in a recession proof job.

As you can see the job of the pharmacy technician is a very important one, and one that is likely to be in high demand for quite some time. In fact, career opportunities for pharmacy technicians are expected to grow by an impressive 32 percent through 2016, and with competitive hourly wages of $17.65 or more for pharmacy technician school graduates, becoming a pharmacy technician might be the prescription for career success that you`ve been looking for.

Train To Become A Pharmacy Technician

Secure Your Future with a Pharmacy Technician Career!
Explore accredited Pharmacy Technician schools and request additional information about requirements, tuition, financial aid, and start dates directly from schools offering programs that match your interests:
Search Online Pharmacy Technician Programs
Find Pharmacy Technician Programs Near You

Ultimate Medical Academy Online

Online

Boost your career with an education from Ultimate Medical Academy Online. We offer career-focused training in dental assisting, nursing assisting, medical billing and coding, basic x-ray, and more. Programs take as little as seven weeks.

Programs:

• Pharmacy Technician Diploma
• Pharmacy Technician - Associates

Heald College

Campus

Heald College offers 18-month associate degree programs that will prepare you for a career in Business, Technology, or Healthcare. Small class sizes, hands-on instruction.

Programs:

• Pharmacy Technology

Campus Locations:

Honolulu
Concord
Salinas
Hayward
Milpitas
Portland
Roseville
Rancho Cordova
San Francisco
Fresno

Institute of Business & Medical Careers

Campus

Get your career started at Institute of Business & Medical Careers. We offer certificate and degree programs in business, health care, legal, and massage. Finish your education in 19 months or less!

Programs:

• Pharmacy Technician

Campus Locations:

Longmont
Fort Collins
Cheyenne
Greeley

Health Training Center

Campus

Advance your career with Health Training Center. We offer accelerated certificate programs for careers in the medical field, including medical assisting, medical billing and coding, pharmacy technician, EKG technician, phlebotomy, and more.

Programs:

• Pharmacy Technician

Campus Locations:

Worcester
North Attleboro
Framingham
Stoughton
Cambridge
Chelmsford
Lynn

Carrington College California

Campus

Carrington College California offers the programs you need to begin a career in healthcare. Choose from Healthcare, Massage Therapy, Dental Assisting, Pharmacy Technology, or Veterinary Services.

Programs:

• AS in Pharmacy Technology

Campus Locations:

Antioch
San Leandro
Sacramento
Stockton
Citrus Heights
Pleasant Hill
Pomona
San Jose
Emeryville

Allied Schools

Campus

Considering a new career or need additional job training? Whether you want to train for a new career, advance within your current company, or simply learn new skills to stay competitive in today's job market, Allied's distance education training can help! Because the courses are offered online and through traditional distance education, the stress associated with driving to and attending a live class is eliminated. Start your new career training today, start it with Allied Schools.

Programs:

• Pharmacy Technician Program

Campus Locations:

Laguna Hills

Everest College

Campus

Develop the skills to succeed in today's highly competitive business environment. Everest College can prepare you for a rewarding career in some of today's hottest fields.

Programs:

• Diploma - Pharmacy Technician

Campus Locations:

Reseda
Earth City
Renton
Santa Ana
Kansas City
Denver
Arlington
Ontario
Tacoma
San Francisco
Portland
Torrance
Salt Lake City
Bremerton
Bedford Park
Everett
Milwaukee
Chesapeake
Los Angeles
Melrose Park
LA Puente
Alhambra
Aurora
Atlanta

Daymar Institute

Campus

We Change Lives... One Person At A Time®. We offer certificate, associate degree, and bachelor's degree programs for careers in a variety of fields, including medical, criminal justice, computer technology, and business.

Programs:

• Pharmacy Technology

Campus Locations:

Clarksville

American Career College

Campus

American Career College (ACC) offers hands-on training that will prepare students for careers in the healthcare industry at three campuses in Los Angeles, Ontario, and Orange County, California. ACC's programs combine classroom lectures and hands-on training to prepare students for a Diploma or Associate of Occupational Science degree.

Programs:

• Pharmacy Technician

Campus Locations:

Los Angeles
Anaheim
Ontario

Fortis Institute

Campus

Looking to prepare for your dream career? Fortis Institute can give you the skills and training you need to succeed in the fast-growing and high-demand healthcare field. * Programs vary by location * Please contact each individual campus for accreditation information * Fortis Institute - Indianapolis advertising code is AC-0163.

Programs:

• Pharmacy Technology - Associate
• Pharmacy Technician
• Pharmacy Technician/Assistant

Campus Locations:

Cookeville
Dothan
Winter Park
Orange Park
Mobile
Hyattsville
Montgomery
Miami
Baton Rouge
Kingston
Wayne
Erie
Smyrna
Nashville

Kaplan Career Institute

Campus

ICM School of Business & Medical Careers provides career-based degrees to students wishing to work in the fields of Business & Computers, Medical Services, Fashion, or Tourism.

Programs:

• Diploma: Pharmacy Technician

Campus Locations:

Broomall
Detroit
Cleveland

Sanford-Brown College

Campus

Get the skills you need in Tech, Business, or Healthcare in as little as 9 months from Sanford-Brown College. Choose from convenient day, evening, and weekend classes. Learn more today.

Programs:

• Pharmacy Technology
• Pharmacy Technician
• Dialysis Technology

Campus Locations:

Phoenix
Indianapolis
Columbus
Collinsville

Charter College

Campus

Prepare for a better career and a brighter future with help from Charter College. Our accelerated Bachelors Degree, Associates Degree, and Certificate programs are designed to help you complete your education as quickly as possible. We offer year-round classes and flexible scheduling - study anytime from anywhere. Our small class sizes and dedicated instructors ensure a personalized education experience. We provide students not only with the technical skills necessary for success, but also job search and placement assistance so you can find the job that's right for you after graduation.

Programs:

• Pharmacy Technician

Campus Locations:

Lancaster
Vancouver
Oxnard
Canyon Country

Kaplan College - KHE

Campus

Don't wait another day to take the next step forward in your career. Kaplan College can give you the real-world knowledge and skills you need to succeed in your chosen field.

Programs:

• Diploma: Pharmacy Technician

Campus Locations:

Dayton
Las Vegas

The Salter School

Campus

Take advantage of the Salter's School's career-focused education and get on track to a new career in the technology or medical services field.

Programs:

• Pharmacy Tech

Campus Locations:

New Bedford