Pharmacy Tech College
How to Pick the Best One Near Sun City Arizona

Now that you have made the decision to attain your pharmacy technician degree or certificate near Sun City AZ, you may be thinking about just how to select the right program to get your education and training. But just how do you undertake evaluating and comparing colleges so that you ultimately pick the right one? When checking out pharmacy technician programs, many potential students begin by zeroing in on those that are nearest to their homes with the cheapest tuition. While cost and location are important concerns when deciding on a school, they are not the sole ones. Qualifications such as reputation and accreditation need to be evaluated also. You might also decide to look into several accredited online pharmacy tech 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 comparing pharmacy technician schools. But first, let's take a look at what a pharmacy technician does, the degree and certification options available, and the advantages of online courses.

It Takes Just a Few Minutes to Start Your Pharmacy Tech Career Below

Pharmacy Technician Job Responsibilities

Pharmacy technicians have numerous job responsibilities, but their principal duty is to dispense prescription medicines. Since they are not licensed, when dispensing prescriptions they must perform under the supervision of a licensed Sun City AZ pharmacist. They must also have good customer service skills since they will be dealing directly with customers. Their attention to detail must be precise when preparing prescription drugs per the pharmacist's instructions. And they must have an extensive knowledge of pharmaceutical terminology so that they can assist customers with understanding instructions for their prescriptions as well as other pharmaceutical information and literature. On the other hand, under no circumstance should they ever provide medical advice regarding medications or anything else. Any such questions should be handled by the pharmacist. A few of the common daily functions a pharmacy tech may perform are:

• Welcome and assist customers with prescriptions and other questions
• Fill prescription drugs under pharmacist direction
• Enter prescription and customer data into pharmacy computer system
• Call customers when their medications are prepared for pick-up
• Fill out and submit customer insurance claim forms
• Re-supply shelves and monitor and manage inventory

As a consequence of their job, pharmacy technicians will spend most of their working day on their feet. And working evenings and weekends is also typical, especially for newer technicians with lower seniority. But the payoff for occasional tired and aching feet or occasionally having to work after hours is a very gratifying career assisting customers with their health and well-being.

Pharmacy Technician Diplomas and Degrees

Students desiring to enroll in a pharmacy tech school are qualified as long as they have a high school diploma or equivalent. There are essentially 2 options 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 usually can be completed in a year or less. These programs provide an overview to the different elements of pharmacology and pharmaceutical technology and usually include lab and classroom training. A number of programs also require an internship at an accepted Sun City AZ pharmacy or similar facility. The second option is the Associate Degree program which generally requires about 2 years of studies. Although not needed for most entry level positions, it does offer a more in depth education and opens doors to more advanced positions or education in the future. Either program should furnish the necessary level of training to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination should the graduate decide to become certified.

Pharmacy Tech Certification Options

It is not required to earn certification in every state, but numerous graduates of pharmacy technician schools elect to get certified in order to be more competitive when seeking employment. Also, a number of Sun City AZ employers will only employ a technician that has earned certification. There are two organizations that provide certification:

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

The NHA requirements are that the applicant be at least 18 years old, be a high school graduate, has finished a training program, and has one or more years of work experience. The PTCB only requires that the applicant has graduated high school and passes their examination. Recertification is mandated every two years by each program, which can be satisfied by performing 20 hours of continuing education.

Pharmacy Technician Online Programs

Before deciding on a pharmacist tech online training program, it's important to understand that most programs do require that a substantial part of the training be carried out in a clinical setting. This is typically satisfied in an area Sun City pharmacy or hospital through an internship program. Students often will have the benefit of working with a seasoned pharmacy technician in order to acquire some real world experience. However the non-clinical portion of the training can be accessed over the internet in your Sun City AZ home or via any available computer. This alternative is more practical for many students, notably for those who keep working while earning their degree or certificate. And online colleges are often less expensive than traditional options. Tuition and expenses for commuting and study materials can be reduced substantially. With both the online and the clinical training, a complete education is offered. But not all online schools are accredited, which is important for obtaining certification and employment (more on accreditation later). So check that any online program you are reviewing is accredited by an acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). If you are disciplined enough to study with a less formal type of education, then online training might be the best option for you.

What to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools

Once you have decided whether you would like to attain 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 alternatives. There are numerous pharmacy technician schools to select from in the Sun City AZ area and throughout the USA, so you should create a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and trade schools. As we covered in our introduction, you will probably first start looking for schools that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Sun City home. If you are willing to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech college, then location may not be important. But there are a number of other issues that you should take into consideration so that you may properly compare schools. The questions below will assist you to gather that information and help you to make your ultimate decision.

Is the Pharmacy Technician Program Accredited? The majority of pharmacy tech programs and vocational schools have acquired a regional or national accreditation. Among the most highly regarded accrediting organizations is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and certified to furnish a comprehensive quality education. Online programs may also receive accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with online or distance learning. Make sure to confirm that the degree or certificate program as well as the college you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. In addition to helping ensure that you get a quality education, it may help in getting financial aid or student loans, which are frequently not accessible for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification may mandate that the training program is accredited. And a number of Sun City AZ employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.

Does the Program Ready You for Certification? Certification is not mandated in all states, but numerous employers desire that the technicians they hire be certified. The pharmacist tech program should prep its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of job experience. This requirement can be met by taking part in a college sponsored internship program.

Does the College Sponsor Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA requires a year of job experience for certification, which can be satisfied with an internship program. Perhaps the best way to obtain hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy tech is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy technician degree or certificate programs also require clinical training prior to graduation and an internship is an excellent way to satisfy the requirement. Ask if the colleges have a working relationship with Sun City AZ area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.

Does the School Give Job Placement Help? Getting that initial job in Sun City AZ upon graduation, especially with no professional experience, can be a challenging undertaking without any help. Ask if the colleges you are researching have job placement programs. If so, find out what their job placement rates are. A high job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the profession creating appeal for its graduates. It also means that it has a substantial network of pharmacy contacts where it can place graduates.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the college they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Sun City AZ home. Those who have opted to attend online classes naturally will not have to trouble themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. One thing to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a school that is out of state or even out of your local area, you might need to pay a higher tuition. State colleges normally charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges typically charge a higher tuition to those students that don't reside within their districts.

How Large are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Smaller classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the schools you are considering what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may want to monitor 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 perspectives regarding the pharmacist technician program as well.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the pharmacy technician school you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Sun City AZ area, confirm that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, check if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would need to carry. Also, find out what the protocol is for making up any classes that you might miss because of work, illness or family obligations.

Learn More about How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Sun City

Choose the Right Sun City Pharmacy Tech School

Finding the best pharmacy tech training is a critical first step to starting your career in a rewarding profession where helping customers with their health is your mission. In the past, many pharmacist technicians were taught "on the job". Nowadays, most pharmacists can no longer operate this way and much prefer to hire formally trained technicians. Training is furnished by vocational and trade schools, technical colleges as well as community colleges. A large number of pharmacist tech colleges include both classroom and laboratory work. As we have addressed in this article, it's essential to choose a college that is accredited and will ready you for certification. This is true both for online classes and for those attended on campus. If you follow our other suggestions you will be able to compare schools so that you are sure to make the best selection. With the proper education and commitment you can reach your goal to become a pharmacy tech in Sun City Arizona.

 

Sun City Pharmacy Technician Schools | Sun City Pharmacy Technician Training