Main Page
Becoming A Pharmacy Tech
Skill Sets
Job Duties
Choosing A Course
Choosing A School
Study Online
Financial Aid
Scholarships
Increased Qualifications
Pharmacy Test
Taking The Exam
Getting Registered
Salary Information





How to become a Pharmacy Technician
The process for becoming a certified pharmacy technician is a fairly long one, but you will find that if you follow the advice below and do everything that is mentioned in this article, you will be a certified pharmacy technician in no time.

Determine your eligibility

Before you can even consider enrolling in a certified pharmacy technician course you will have to determine whether or not you are even eligible to apply. There are a number of steps you can go through in order to determine your eligibility. There are a number of requirements that you will have to meet in order to be eligible to study for a certified pharmacy technician program. You will need, for example, to have a high school diploma, or an equivalent thereof in the form of a GED. If you do not have either of these it is suggested that you work for your high school equivalent before applying to enrol in a certified pharmacy technician program.

Another requirement is that you have a crystal clear criminal record. If you have any felonies to your name when you apply for a certified pharmacy technician then you will find that you will not be allowed to enrol. This is a fact of life, so if you have a criminal record you should possibly consider another line of work unless you can justify the record adequately to the school you would like to do your certified pharmacy technician program at. In some cases your felonies will not be taken into account, depending on what they are. However if you have drug-related felonies on your record you will most likely be turned down. This is because a certified pharmacy technician has to work with drugs every day and therefore has to prove that they can be trustworthy with those drugs. The best way to find out what particular requirements there are in your state is to go to your state’s board of pharmacy website and see what the requirements are. There can be huge differences between states, so make sure you know what t do for your particular state.

Research the best certified pharmacy technician programs for pharmacy-technician
The next thing that you may want to do is to find a certified pharmacy assistant program. This program, as has already been mentioned, absolutely must be accredited by either the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB) or the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians (ICPT). When you look for a pharmacy technician school you will be able to choose between online classes and face-to-face classes at an institute. There are a number of advantages to each type of program. An online national pharmacy technician certification program is a lot more convenient and allows you to easily study at your own pace and in your own time. If you require to work while you study then this type of certification will make it possible for you to both work and study at the same time. However not everyone is able to handle the stress and self-motivation required for working on your own. Many need the classroom structure. Also an online certified pharmacy technician will not prepare you for the practical side of your career as a pharmacy technician. On the other hand you will receive a lot of hands-on experience in a classroom situation, as well as plenty of guidance and help and the ability to interact easily with other students as well as with your lecturers. Many people need this kind of structure if they are to do well in their certified pharmacy technician qualification. However these pharmacy technician programs are far less flexible and may not allow you to continue your career while you study.

Note: In most states you are not in fact required to attend an actual institute before writing the examination and qualifying as a certified pharmacy technician. However it is suggested that you do this as it will help you a lot in finding a job and leading a successful career.