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Pharmacy Tech Course
How to Pick the Best One Near El Mirage Arizona

El Mirage Arizona female pharmacy technician assisting woman customerHaving made the decision to earn your pharmacy tech certificate or degree near El Mirage AZ, you may be pondering how to choose the ideal program to receive your education and training. Naturally the first step is to find schools that offer the degree or certificate that you would like to earn. When looking for pharmacy technician schools, many potential students begin by zeroing in on those that are closest to their homes with the cheapest tuition. While tuition and location are significant concerns when picking a college, they are not the sole ones. Qualifiers such as reputation and accreditation should be taken into account also. You may also choose to look into some accredited pharmacy tech online programs as an alternative to attending classes on campus. We will go over these qualifiers and some others that you will want to include when reviewing pharmacy technician schools. But to begin with, let's discuss what a pharmacy tech does, the degree and certification options available, and the advantages of online programs.

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Pharmacy Tech Job Duties

El Mirage Arizona female pharmacy technician stocking shelves

Pharmacy technicians have various job functions, but their principal responsibility is to dispense prescription medicines. Because they are not licensed, when dispensing prescriptions they must work under the supervision of a licensed El Mirage AZ pharmacist. They must also have great customer service abilities since they will be interacting directly with customers. Their attention to detail must be accurate when filling prescription medicines per the pharmacist's instructions. And they need to have an extensive knowledge of pharmaceutical terms in order that they can assist customers with understanding directions for their medications as well as other pharmaceutical information and literature. However, under no situation should they ever provide medical advice relating to prescriptions or anything else. Any such questions should be directed to the pharmacist. Several of the regular daily services a pharmacy technician might carry out are:

  • Greet and assist customers with medications and other questions
  • Prepare prescription medicines under pharmacist supervision
  • Input prescription and customer data into pharmacy computer system
  • Contact customers when their prescriptions are prepared for pick-up
  • Complete and submit customer insurance claim forms
  • Stock shelves and monitor and manage inventory

As a consequence of their profession, pharmacy techs will spend the majority of their working day standing. And working weekends and evenings is also typical, particularly for newer techs with low seniority. But the reward for occasional tired and aching feet or at times being required to work after hours is a very rewarding career helping customers with their health and wellness.

Pharmacy Tech Training Programs

El Mirage Arizona hospital pharmacy technician wearing white lab coatStudents wishing to enroll in a pharmacy tech program are qualified as long as they have a high school diploma or equivalent. There are basically 2 alternatives to becoming a tech whether you enroll in a community college or a vocational school. The first is to earn a diploma or a certificate, which typically can be completed in a year or less. These programs present an introduction to the different elements of pharmacology and pharmaceutical technology and normally include classroom and lab training. Many programs also include an internship at an accepted El Mirage AZ pharmacy or other facility. The second alternative is the Associate Degree program which normally takes about two years of studies. Although not required for most entry level positions, it does furnish a more in depth education and can lead to more advanced positions or education down the road. Either program should provide the necessary level of training to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination should the graduate choose to get certified.

Pharmacy Technician Certification Choices

Certification is not required in all states, but numerous graduates of pharmacy tech programs opt to become certified so as to be more competitive when seeking employment. Also, many El Mirage AZ employers will only hire a technician that is certified. There are 2 organizations that provide certification:

  • National Healthcareer Association (NHA).
  • Pharmacy Technician Certification Board (PTCB).

The NHA requires that the applicant be at least 18 years old, has graduated from high school, has completed a training program, and has one or more years of professional experience. The PTCB only requires that the candidate has a high school diploma and passes their examination. Recertification is called for every two years by each program, which can be fulfilled by performing 20 hours of continuing education.

Pharmacy Tech Schools Online

El Mirage Arizona woman attending pharmacy tech school onlinePrior to deciding on a pharmacy tech online college, it's important to understand that most programs do require a portion of the training be conducted in a clinical setting. This is usually satisfied in an area El Mirage pharmacy or hospital by means of an internship program. Students in most cases will have the opportunity to work with an experienced pharmacy tech in order to get some real world experience. Fortunately the non-clinical portion of the training can be accessed over the internet in your El Mirage AZ home or via any available computer. This option is more convenient for most students, particularly for those who keep working while acquiring their degree or certificate. And online programs are sometimes less expensive than traditional options. Tuition and expenses for commuting and study materials can be decreased significantly. With both the clinical and the online training, a complete education is offered. But not all online programs are accredited, which is essential for obtaining certification and employment (more on accreditation later). So check that any online school you are considering is accredited by an acknowledged accrediting organization, for example the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). If you are dedicated enough to learn with a less formal type of education, then online classes may be the best choice for you.

What to Ask Pharmacy Tech Colleges

After you have determined whether you wish to obtain a certificate or degree, and if you prefer to enroll in an online college or go to classes on campus, you can begin to target your school options. There are a large number of pharmacist technician colleges to choose from in the El Mirage AZ area and throughout the United States, so you should develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and trade schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will most likely first start looking for colleges that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your El Mirage home. If you are able to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be important. But there are many other variables that you need to take into consideration in order to properly compare programs. The questions below will help you in collecting that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.

Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? Most pharmacist tech colleges and vocational schools have earned a national or regional accreditation. One of the most highly regarded accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and verified to provide a comprehensive superior education. Online programs may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with distance or online learning. Make sure to verify that the degree or certificate program as well as the school you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a quality education, it might assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are often not offered for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might mandate that the program of training is accredited. And many El Mirage AZ employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.

Does the School Ready You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in every state, but numerous employers prefer that the technicians they hire be certified. The pharmacy technician school needs to prepare its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need one year of professional experience. This qualification can be fulfilled by taking part in a college sponsored internship program.

Does the School Offer Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA mandates 1 year of professional experience for certification, which can be met through an internship program. One of the best ways to get practical clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy tech certificate or degree programs also require practical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to fulfill the requirement. Find out if the schools have a working relationship with El Mirage AZ area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.

Does the College Give Job Placement Help? Securing that initial position in El Mirage AZ upon graduation, especially with no professional experience, can be a daunting endeavor without any help. Find out if the schools you are looking at have job assistance programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indication that the college has an excellent reputation within the profession creating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a large network of pharmacy contacts where it can place graduates.

Where is the School Located? For many students, the college they pick will have to be within commuting distance of their El Mirage AZ home. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of student that likes to sit far in the back of the classroom or hide in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are looking at what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final decision. This will also give you an opportunity to converse with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Can the College Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the pharmacy tech college you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule night or weekend classes in the El Mirage AZ area, make sure that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, learn what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss as a result of illness, work or family emergencies.

Learn More on Becoming a Pharmacy Tech in El Mirage

Enroll in the Right El Mirage Pharmacy Tech School

Receiving the best pharmacy technician training is a crucial first step to launching your career in a gratifying profession where assisting customers with their health is your objective. Traditionally, most pharmacist technicians were trained "on the job". These days, most employers can no longer afford to do this and place a higher importance on hiring formally trained technicians. Training is offered by technical colleges, vocational and trade schools, as well as community colleges. Most pharmacist technician schools incorporate both laboratory and classroom training. As we have addressed in this article, it's important to enroll in a program that is accredited and will ready you for certification. This is true both for classes online and for those attended on campus. If you follow our additional tips you will be able to evaluate colleges so that you are sure to make the best selection. With the proper training and commitment you can achieve your goal to become a pharmacy technician in El Mirage Arizona.




 

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