Pharmacy Tech Course
How to Pick the Right One Near Half Moon Bay California

Now it’s time to choose and enroll in a pharmacy tech degree or certificate program near Half Moon Bay CA in order to receive the proper training to begin a career in the rewarding profession of healthcare. Usually the first step is to locate colleges that offer the diploma or degree that you would like to earn. When checking out pharmacy technician programs, the majority of students begin by zeroing in on the ones that are nearest to their homes with the lowest tuition. While tuition and location are critical factors when choosing a school, they are not the sole ones. Qualifiers including reputation and accreditation must be considered also. And if you are interested in attending classes in your home by means of your computer instead of in a classroom, then finding an accredited online school will also be part of your vetting process. We will address these qualifications and some others that you will want to include when comparing pharmacy technician schools. But to begin with, let's take a look at what a pharmacy tech does, the certificate and degree options available, and the benefits of online courses.

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

Pharmacy Technician Job Description

Pharmacy technicians have numerous job responsibilities, but their main responsibility is to dispense prescription medicines. Since they are not licensed, when filling prescriptions they must work under the supervision of a licensed Half Moon Bay CA pharmacist. They must also have great customer service skills because they will be interacting directly with customers. Their attention to detail must be accurate when preparing prescription drugs per the pharmacist's directions. And they need to have an in-depth knowledge of pharmaceutical terms so that they may help customers with understanding directions for their medications as well as other pharmaceutical literature and information. On the other hand, under no situation should they ever offer medical advice relating to medications or anything else. All such questions would be handled by the pharmacist. Several of the typical daily functions a pharmacy tech may perform are:

• Greet and help customers with prescriptions and other questions
• Dispense prescription drugs under pharmacist direction
• Enter customer and prescription information into pharmacy computer system
• Contact customers when their medications are ready for pick-up
• Prepare and submit customer insurance claim forms
• Re-supply shelves and audit and manage inventory

Due to the nature of their job, pharmacy techs will spend most of their working day on their feet. And working weekends and evenings is also very common, particularly for newer techs with lower seniority. But the payoff for occasional tired and aching feet or at times being required to work off-hours is an extremely gratifying career helping people with their health and well-being.

Pharmacy Tech Certificates and Degrees

Students desiring to enroll in a pharmacy technician school are qualified provided that they have a high school diploma or a GED. There are essentially 2 options to training to be a tech whether you enroll in a community college or a vocational school. The first is to earn a certificate or a diploma, which usually can be completed in a year or less. These programs provide an introduction to the various facets of pharmacology and pharmaceutical technology and usually include lab and classroom training. Numerous programs also require an internship at an accepted Half Moon Bay CA 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 provide a more expansive education and opens doors to more advanced positions or education in the future. Each program should furnish the proper amount of training to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination should the graduate decide to become certified.

Pharmacy Tech Certification Options

Certification is not required in every state, but many graduates of pharmacy technician colleges choose to become certified so as to be more qualified when seeking employment. Also, many Half Moon Bay CA employers will only hire a technician that has earned certification. There are two organizations that offer 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 work experience. The PTCB only requires that the applicant has a high school diploma and passes their exam. Recertification is mandated every 2 years by each program, which may be satisfied by performing 20 hours of continuing education.

Pharmacy Technician Schools Online

Before choosing a pharmacist technician online school, it's important to understand that the majority of programs do require that a substantial part of the training be carried out in a clinical environment. This is usually fulfilled in a local Half Moon Bay pharmacy or hospital by means of an internship program. Students often will have the opportunity to work with a seasoned pharmacy tech in order to get some work place experience. However the balance or non-clinical training may be taken over the internet in your Half Moon Bay CA home or via any available computer. This alternative is more convenient for most students, especially for those who keep working while attaining their certificate or degree. And online programs are frequently less expensive than traditional options. Tuition and costs for driving and study materials can be decreased significantly. With both the online and the clinical training, a complete education is provided. But not all online schools are accredited, which is important for obtaining employment and certification (more on accreditation later). So confirm that any online school you are looking at is accredited by an acknowledged accrediting agency, such as the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). If you are disciplined enough to learn with a less structured form of education, then online classes might be the best solution for you.

What to Ask Pharmacy Technician Schools

Once you have decided whether you would like to obtain a degree or a certificate, and if you prefer to enroll in an online school or attend classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacy technician programs to choose from in the Half Moon Bay CA area and throughout the Country, so you should develop a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast colleges and vocational schools. As we addressed in our introduction, you will most likely first start looking for colleges that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Half Moon Bay residence. If you are able to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be important. But there are several other issues that you must consider in order to adequately compare programs. The questions below will help you to gather that information and help you to make your final decision.

Is the Pharmacy Technician College Accredited? Most pharmacy technician programs and vocational schools have earned a regional or national accreditation. Among the most highly regarded accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Colleges earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and verified to furnish a complete quality education. Online programs may also earn accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals exclusively with online or distance learning. Don't forget to check that the degree or certificate program together with the school you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with helping guarantee that you receive a superior education, it can help in securing financial aid or student loans, which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might require that the program of training is accredited. And many Half Moon Bay CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.

Does the Program Prep You for Certification? Certification is not required in all states, but many employers prefer that the technicians they hire are certified. The pharmacist technician college needs to ready its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB examination. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of job experience. This requirement can be satisfied by entering 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 may be fulfilled through an internship program. Perhaps the best way to acquire hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy technician degree or certificate programs also require clinical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to satisfy the requirement. Ask if the colleges have a working relationship with Half Moon Bay CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.

Does the School Offer Job Placement Help? Finding that first position in Half Moon Bay CA upon graduation, particularly with no experience, can be a challenging endeavor without any assistance. Ask if the schools you are researching have job assistance programs. If they do, find out what their job placement rates are. A higher job placement rate is an indicator that the college has a good reputation within the field generating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a large network of pharmacy relationships where it can refer graduates.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the college they select will need to be within travelling distance of their Half Moon Bay CA residence. Students who have chosen to attend classes online obviously 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 choose to enroll in a program 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 often charge a higher tuition for those students that don't reside within their districts.

What Size are the Classes ? Unless you are the type of person that prefers to sit way in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes permit more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the schools you are reviewing what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. 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 speak with several of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you need to verify that the pharmacist technician program you ultimately select can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially important if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Half Moon Bay CA area, verify that they are available. If you can only attend part-time, find out if that is an alternative and how many courses or credit hours you would have to enroll in. Also, ask 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 Tech in Half Moon Bay

Choose the Best Half Moon Bay Pharmacy Tech Program

Finding the right pharmacy tech training is a critical first step to starting your career in a fulfilling profession where assisting people with their health is your purpose. In the past, many pharmacy technicians were taught "on the job". Nowadays, the majority of pharmacists can no longer operate this way and much prefer to hire formally trained technicians. Training is furnished by trade schools, vocational and technical colleges, as well as community colleges. Many pharmacy technician colleges include both clinical and classroom training. As we have discussed in this article, it's necessary to choose a program that is accredited and will prep you for certification. This holds true both for online classes and for those attended on campus. If you follow our additional suggestions you will be able to evaluate programs so that you are sure to make the right choice. With the right training and dedication you can realize your goal to become a pharmacy tech in Half Moon Bay California.

 

Half Moon Bay Pharmacy Tech Schools Online | Half Moon Bay Pharmacy Technician Certificate