How to Earn Your Pharmacy Tech Certification

So you want to be a pharmacy technician? Well, you may think that it is a fairly straightforward career working in a drugstore, but in actuality it is far more technical and demanding than you might think.

Part of the role of a pharmacy tech is to complete important pharmacy-related functions. They routinely find themselves dispensing prescription drugs and health care products to patients. It is also the responsibility of the technician to ensure that the correct medicine is provided by working with doctors, nurses and insurance companies. While people often view pharmacy technicians as being in a similar role as a doctor or nurse, only a licensed pharmacist is qualified to offer medical advice.

There are a number of different routes that you can take in order to get qualified for this position.

In the US, education and qualification for this health care specialty vary from state to state. It is obvious that the role of pharmacy tech takes dedication, drive and intelligence but most states acknowledge that you do not need to have formal education beyond high school. On the job training is available to many who wish to pursue this career. But as this industry grows more competitive employers are beginning to favor technicians who have obtained training and certification.

If you are looking to get certified you can take an exam through one of two certifying bodies. It is generally agreed that candidates are not required to have an associate’s degree or a bachelor’s degree but they do need an official qualification through the PTCE or the ExCPT exams.

The PTCE exam is governed by the PTCB (Pharmacy Technician Certification Board) while the ExCPT exam is overseen by the ICPT (Institute for the Certification of Pharmacy Technicians).

Apprentices can receive training in hospitals, colleges and even in the military and often the courses are offered as on the job training, after which the technician can take one of the aforementioned exams.

According to the US Department of Labor, job prospects for pharmacy technicians are expected to rise 32{40f8b9e939a1f8880e4e068699181ea0c065f7fafc0e6f64c88497a3f07e42aa} between now and 2016, so this is a great time to get started in this field.