Do You Need School to be a Pharmacy Technician?
What is a Pharmacy Technician?
A pharmacy technician is a health care professional who helps care for patients by filling prescriptions, recording dosages, managing inventory levels, performing necessary administration and communication tasks, and otherwise assisting the pharmacist as needed. Given the increase in the number of people needing medication and the aging population, the demand for qualified pharmacy technicians is rising. If you have been debating a career as a pharmacy technician, your next step may be to determine how to get employment. You might even wonder: do you need school to be a pharmacy technician?
Do You Need Qualifications to Become a Pharmacy Technician?
With specialized education and the accompanying certification, you will dramatically increase the possibility of finding employment as a pharmacy technician. Specifically, your education, such as one offered by Southern Careers Institute, will teach you the fundamentals of human anatomy, diseases and conditions, drug compounding, as well as business communication. To complement your classroom training, colleges like Southern Careers Institute offer internships so that you can practice your skills and ask questions from actual pharmacy technicians. In general, you can obtain your education to be a pharmacy technician from as quickly as six months or an associate’s degree in two years.
Online Education
If you want to change careers, are returning to the workforce after time away, or do not live in a place where pharmacy technician training is available, you have options. Southern Careers Institute and some other colleges offer pharmacy technician training online, providing you with the flexibility of learning on your schedule and pace. You will still have access to your materials online as well as support from your course coordinators and instructors.
Pharmacy Technician Certification
Students receive their pharmacy trainee license which allows them employment in the field up to 2 years. If a student does not get their trainee license, they cannot complete their externship because they legally cannot be placed in a pharmacy. In order to retain employment in the state of Texas, pharmacy technicians must take their pharmacy exam for full licensure and maintain their credentials. The pharmacy trainee license is also mandatory to obtain before externship otherwise one cannot work in the pharmacy. Southern Careers Institute assists students in obtaining this trainee license. If the student’s trainee or licensure expires, they cannot work in the field for the state of Texas.
Determining Your Next Step
Do you need school to be a pharmacy technician? If you prefer to increase the likelihood of working in this exciting career, consider an accredited college such as Southern Careers Institute. So ask yourself again: do you need school to be a pharmacy technician? With qualified instructors, on-the-job experience, placement counselors, and online education options, you can begin your training whenever you want and start your fantastic new career sooner than you think.
