If you’re planning on obtaining a pharmacy technician salary and becoming qualified to obtain one of the many number of positions available in this field today, you will need to know the qualifications certifications required to become a top-notch candidate.
The first thing to know is that in most states, the pharmacy technician is required to be registered with the state board of pharmacy. Each state has different eligibility requirements, but most do require a high school diploma or GED and an application fee.
While most states do not require certification, voluntary certification is an option to increase your beginning pharmacy technician salary and chances of employment. The certification through exams is available through various private organizations. the Pharmacy Technician Certification Board and the Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians. It’s recommended that you become certified if you wish to obtain the higher pharmacy technician salary and to become a brighter prospect to potential employers.
The exam does have eligibility requirements including having received a high school diploma or GED, no felony convictions of any sort and no drug or pharmacy related convictions, including misdemeanors. In many cases, the employer will reimburse the actual cost of the exams.
The pharmacy technician must be re-certified every two years. This re-certification does insist on 20 hours of extra classes within that two year period. The course work can be earned from several different areas, including colleges, pharmacy associations and training programs. 10 of the hours can be earned while on the job under the supervision and instruction of an actual pharmacist.
One thing that the pharmacy technician needs to keep in mind is that advancement opportunities are somewhat limited. If you become employed in a large pharmacy or health care system, those with lots of training and experience can be promoted to supervisory positions. Additionally, some may be able to advance into specialized positions such as Chemotherapy technician or even Nuclear Pharmacy Technician. Still others segue into sales. And quite naturally, many choose to go back to school to become a certified Pharmacist.
The outlook is good in the pharmacy technician field and you can expect plenty of job opportunities with the right training, education and experience, as well as a favorable pharmacy technician salary.
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