Pharmacy Tech Program
How to Enroll In the Right One Near Phoenix Arizona

Having decided to attain your pharmacy technician certificate or degree near Phoenix AZ, you might be pondering just how to pick the ideal school to get your education and training. Of course the initial step is to locate schools that offer the certificate or degree that you are interested in. A number of future students begin by looking for schools that are within driving distance of their home, and then comparing the cost. While tuition and location are significant factors when choosing a school, they are not the only ones. Job placement and intership programs as well as accreditation are just as important if not more so as location and cost. You might also decide to research some accredited pharmacy tech online programs as an alternative to attending classes on campus. We will go over these qualifiers and others that you will want to include when reviewing pharmacy technician schools. But first, let's discuss what a pharmacy technician does, the certificate and degree options available, and the advantages of online programs.

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Pharmacy Tech Job Responsibilities

Pharmacy technicians have many job duties, but their main responsibility is to dispense prescription medicines. Since they are not licensed, when dispensing prescriptions they must work under the supervision of a licensed Phoenix AZ pharmacist. They must also have excellent customer service abilities since they will be interacting directly with customers. Their attention to detail must be absolute when filling prescription medications per the pharmacist's instructions. And they need to have an in-depth knowledge of pharmaceutical terminology so that they can help customers with understanding directions for their medications in addition to other pharmaceutical information and literature. However, under no circumstance should they ever provide medical advice regarding medications or anything else. All such questions would be directed to the pharmacist. A few of the regular daily duties a pharmacy technician may perform are:

• Welcome and help customers with prescriptions and other questions
• Dispense prescription medications under pharmacist guidance
• Input prescription and customer information into pharmacy computer system
• Contact customers when their prescriptions are ready 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 very common, especially 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 gratifying career assisting customers with their health and well-being.

Pharmacy Tech Degrees and Certificates

Individuals desiring to enroll in a pharmacy technician school are qualified provided that they have a high school diploma or equivalent. There are essentially 2 alternatives to training to be a tech regardless if you enroll in a community college or a vocational school. The first is to attain a certificate or a diploma, 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 lab and classroom training. A number of programs also require an internship at an accepted Phoenix AZ pharmacy or other facility. The second alternative is the Associate Degree program which usually involves about two years of studies. Although not required for most entry level positions, it does furnish a more in depth education and opens doors to more advanced positions or education in the future. Each program can provide the necessary amount of training to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination should the graduate decide to become certified.

Pharmacy Technician Certification Choices

Certification is not required in every state, but a large number of graduates of pharmacy tech programs opt to become certified so as to be more competitive when seeking employment. Additionally, a number of Phoenix AZ pharmacies will only employ a technician that is certified. There are two organizations that provide certification:

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

The NHA requires that the candidate be 18 years or older, has graduated from high school, has completed a training program, and has one or more years of professional experience. The PTCB just requires that the applicant has a high school diploma and passes their exam. Recertification is required every 2 years by each program, which may be met by performing 20 hours of continuing education.

Pharmacy Tech Online Colleges

Before selecting a pharmacy technician online school, it's necessary to realize that the majority of programs do require that a substantial part of the training be conducted in a clinical setting. This is usually fulfilled in an area Phoenix pharmacy or hospital by means of an internship program. Students often will have the opportunity to work with a seasoned pharmacy technician in order to receive some work place experience. Fortunately the balance or non-clinical training may be accessed over the internet in your Phoenix AZ home or via any available computer. This alternative is more practical for many students, particularly for those who continue to work while attaining their degree or certificate. And online schools are frequently less expensive than classroom options. Tuition and expenditures for driving and course materials can be reduced significantly. With both the online and the clinical training, a complete education is offered. But not all online schools are accredited, which is essential for obtaining certification and employment (more on accreditation later). So check that each online school you are looking at is accredited by an acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). If you are disciplined enough to learn with a less supervised form of education, then online classes might be the ideal solution for you.

Questions to Ask Pharmacy Tech Schools

Once you have decided whether you would like to attain a certificate or degree, and if you prefer to enroll in an online school or attend classes on campus, you can begin to target your school alternatives. There are a large number of pharmacist tech colleges to select from in the Phoenix AZ area and throughout the Country, so you need to develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast community colleges and technical schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will probably initially look for colleges that are within both your financial resources and driving distance from your Phoenix residence. If you are willing to relocate or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be important. But there are many other factors that you should take into consideration so that you may properly compare schools. The following questions will help you to gather that information and help you to make your final decision.

Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? Many pharmacist technician programs and vocational schools have acquired a regional or national accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and certified to provide a complete quality education. Online schools may additionally earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals solely with online or distance learning. Be sure to check that the certificate or degree program together with the college you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting agency. Along with helping guarantee that you obtain a quality education, it can assist in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might require that the training program is accredited. And a number of Phoenix 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 employers desire that the technicians they hire be certified. The pharmacist technician college needs to prep its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of professional experience. This qualification may be fulfilled by participating in a college sponsored internship program.

Does the School Offer Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA mandates one year of job experience for certification, which may be satisfied with an internship program. Perhaps the best way to get practical clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy technician certificate or degree programs also require practical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to meet the requirement. Check if the schools have associations with Phoenix AZ area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.

Does the School Provide Job Placement Assistance? Finding that first position in Phoenix AZ after graduation, especially with no professional experience, can be a challenging undertaking without some assistance. Find out if the schools you are researching have job placement programs. If they do, 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 field generating appeal for its graduates. It also means that it has a sizable network of pharmacy relationships where it can place graduating students.

Where is the Program Located? For a number of students, the college they choose will have to be within driving distance of their Phoenix AZ residence. Students who have opted to attend classes online obviously will not have to concern 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 choose to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you may need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges usually charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.

What are the Class Sizes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Smaller classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are looking at what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want 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 instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist tech program as well.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the pharmacist technician program you finally choose can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you decide to continue working while attending classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Phoenix AZ area, confirm that they are offered. If you can only attend part-time, verify if that is an option and how many courses or credit hours you would need to enroll in. Also, ask what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to illness, work or family obligations.

Find Out More on Becoming a Pharmacy Technician in Phoenix

Enroll in the Right Phoenix Pharmacy Tech Program

Receiving the best pharmacy technician training is a critical first step to starting your career in a fulfilling occupation where helping customers with their wellness is your objective. In the past, many pharmacy techs were taught "on the job". Nowadays, most pharmacists can no longer operate this way and much prefer to hire formally educated techs. Training is provided by technical colleges, vocational and trade schools, as well as community colleges. The majority of pharmacy tech colleges include both classroom and clinical training. As we have covered in this article, it's necessary to select a program that is accredited and will ready you for certification. This holds true both for online classes and for those attended on campus. If you follow our additional tips you will be able to compare schools so that you are certain to make the right choice. With the right education and determination you can reach your goal to become a pharmacy technician in Phoenix Arizona.

 

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