Pharmacy Tech Certificate Program
How to Pick the Best One Near Payson Arizona

Having made the decision to attain your pharmacy tech certificate or degree near Payson AZ, you may be thinking about how to select the best college to receive your education and training. Naturally the initial step is to find schools that offer the diploma or degree that you would like to earn. When looking for pharmacy technician programs, many potential students begin by targeting the ones that are closest to their homes with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are significant concerns when selecting a college, they are not the only ones. Qualifications such as accreditation and reputation need to be evaluated also. And if you prefer studying in your home by means of your computer rather than in a classroom, then finding an accredited online program will also be included in your vetting process. We will go over these qualifiers and others that you will need to include when comparing pharmacy technician schools. But first, let's take a look at what a pharmacy technician does, the certificate and degree options available, and the benefits of online courses.

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Pharmacy Technician Job Duties

Pharmacy technicians have numerous job responsibilities, but their principal duty is to dispense prescription medicines. Because they are not licensed, when filling prescriptions they must work under the management of a licensed Payson AZ pharmacist. They must also have excellent customer service skills since they will be interacting directly with customers. Their attention to detail must be precise when preparing prescription medications per the pharmacist's instructions. And they must have an extensive knowledge of pharmaceutical terms in order that they can help customers with understanding instructions for their prescriptions as well as other pharmaceutical information and literature. However, under no situation should they ever provide medical advice regarding prescriptions or anything else. Any such questions would be addressed by the pharmacist. Some of the common daily functions a pharmacy tech might perform are:

• Welcome and help customers with prescriptions and other questions
• Dispense prescription medications under pharmacist guidance
• Add customer and prescription data into pharmacy computer system
• Phone customers when their prescriptions are prepared for pick-up
• Prepare and submit customer insurance claim forms
• Re-supply shelves and monitor and manage inventory

As a consequence of their profession, pharmacy technicians will spend the majority of their working day standing. And working evenings and weekends is also typical, particularly for newer techs with lower seniority. But the payoff for occasional tired and aching feet or at times having to work after hours is a very fulfilling career assisting people with their health and wellness.

Pharmacy Tech Certificates and Degrees

Students desiring to enroll in a pharmacy tech program are qualified as long as they have a high school diploma or a GED. There are essentially 2 options to training to be a technician whether you enroll in a community college or a trade school. The first is to earn a certificate or a diploma, which usually can be accomplished in a year or less. These programs offer an introduction to the different aspects of pharmacology and pharmaceutical technology and usually include lab and classroom training. Many programs also include an internship at an approved Payson AZ pharmacy or other facility. The second alternative is the Associate Degree program which normally takes about 2 years of studies. Although not needed for most entry level positions, it does offer a more expansive education and opens doors to more advanced positions or education in the future. Each program should provide the necessary amount of training to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam should the graduate choose to get certified.

Pharmacy Tech Certification Options

It is not required to earn certification in every state, but a large number of graduates of pharmacy tech schools elect to become certified in order to be more qualified when seeking employment. Also, a number of Payson AZ pharmacies will only hire a tech that is certified. There are 2 organizations that provide certification:

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

The NHA requires that the candidate be at least 18 years old, has graduated from high school, has finished a training program, and has at least one year of professional experience. The PTCB just requires that the candidate has a high school diploma and passes their examination. Recertification is mandated every two years by both programs, which can be met by completing 20 hours of continuing education.

Pharmacy Tech Online Schools

Before choosing a pharmacist tech online program, it's necessary to understand that the majority of programs do require a portion of the training be completed in a clinical environment. This is typically satisfied in a local Payson pharmacy or hospital through an internship program. Students in most cases will have the opportunity to work with a seasoned pharmacy technician so as to get some real world experience. However the non-clinical portion of the training can be accessed online in your Payson AZ home or via any available computer. This option is more practical for most students, especially for those who keep working while attaining their certificate or degree. And online programs are frequently more affordable than classroom options. Tuition and expenses for driving and study materials may be reduced significantly. With both the clinical and the online training, a complete education is provided. But not all online programs are accredited, which is important for obtaining employment and certification (more on accreditation later). So verify that each online program you are looking at is accredited by a recognized accrediting organization, for instance the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). If you are disciplined enough to study with a less structured form of education, then online training might be the ideal choice for you.

Questions to Ask Pharmacy Technician Programs

Once you have decided whether you wish to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you want to enroll in an online college or go to classes on campus, you can start to target your school options. There are a large number of pharmacy technician schools to select from in the Payson AZ area and throughout the Country, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and technical schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will undoubtedly first start looking for schools that are within both your financial budget and driving distance from your Payson home. If you are able to relocate or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be important. But there are many other issues that you must consider in order to effectively compare programs. The following questions will help you to gather that information and help you to make your ultimate selection.

Is the Pharmacy Technician School Accredited? Most pharmacist technician programs and vocational schools have obtained a national or regional accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to furnish a complete quality education. Online schools may additionally receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with distance or online learning. Make sure to check that the certificate or degree program together with the college you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with helping guarantee that you get a superior education, it can assist in acquiring financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might mandate that the program of training is accredited. And many Payson AZ employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.

Does the College Prep You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in all states, but numerous pharmacies prefer that the techs they hire be certified. The pharmacy tech program should prep its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of professional experience. This qualification may be satisfied by entering a college sponsored internship program.

Does the School Offer Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA mandates a year of professional experience for certification, which may be met by means of an internship program. One of the best ways to obtain practical clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to train out in the field. Most pharmacy tech degree or certificate programs also require practical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to fulfill the requirement. Ask if the schools have associations with Payson AZ area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.

Does the School Provide Job Placement Help? Securing that first job in Payson AZ upon graduation, especially with no professional experience, can be a difficult endeavor without any assistance. Ask if the colleges you are looking at have job placement programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the school has an excellent reputation within the profession creating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a large network of pharmacy contacts where it can place graduating students.

Where is the College Located? For a number of students, the college they decide on will have to be within travelling distance of their Payson AZ residence. Students who have decided to attend online classes naturally will not have to worry themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of concern. Something to keep in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a college that is out of state or even out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition to those students that live outside of their districts.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the back of class or hide in the crowd, you will undoubtedly want a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are considering what the typical teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate determination. This will also give you a chance to converse with some of the instructors and students to get their perspectives regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you need to confirm that the pharmacist tech school you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially crucial if you decide to continue working while you attend school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Payson AZ area, check that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to carry. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss because of illness, work or family emergencies.

Find Out More about How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Payson

Enroll in the Right Payson Pharmacy Tech Program

Getting the right pharmacy technician training is a crucial first step to launching your career in a rewarding occupation where helping people with their health is your objective. Traditionally, most pharmacy techs were trained "on the job". Nowadays, the majority of pharmacists can no longer operate this way and place a higher importance on hiring formally trained technicians. Training is furnished by vocational and trade schools, technical colleges as well as community colleges. A large number of pharmacy tech programs include both classroom and laboratory work. As we have discussed in this article, it's necessary to enroll in a school that is accredited and will prepare you for certification. This holds true both for classes online as well as for those attended on campus. If you follow our other suggestions you will be able to evaluate colleges so that you are certain to make the right choice. With the appropriate training and commitment you can realize your goal to become a pharmacy technician in Payson Arizona.

 

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