Pharmacy Tech Certificate Program
How to Find the Right One Near Lemoore California

Now it’s time to choose and enroll in a pharmacy technician certificate or degree program near Lemoore CA in order to receive the right training to begin a career in the rewarding profession of medicine. Naturally the initial step is to find colleges that offer the degree or diploma that you are interested in. When checking out pharmacy technician schools, many potential students begin by zeroing in on those that are nearest to their homes with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are critical factors when choosing a school, they are not the only ones. Qualifiers including reputation and accreditation need to be taken into account as well. You may also want to research a few accredited online pharmacy tech programs as an option to attending classes on campus. We will go over these qualifiers and others that you will want to include when comparing pharmacy technician schools. But to begin with, let's discuss what a pharmacy tech does, the degree and certification options available, and the benefits of online courses.

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

Pharmacy Tech Job Responsibilities

Pharmacy techs have various job responsibilities, but their primary responsibility is to dispense prescription medications. Because they are not licensed, when filling prescriptions they must perform under the supervision of a licensed Lemoore CA pharmacist. They must also have good customer service skills because they will be working directly with customers. Their attention to detail must be accurate when preparing prescription drugs per the pharmacist's instructions. And they need to have a comprehensive knowledge of pharmaceutical terminology in order that they can help customers with understanding directions for their medications in addition to other pharmaceutical information and literature. However, under no situation should they ever provide medical advice pertaining to medications or anything else. Any such questions should be directed to the pharmacist. Some of the common daily services a pharmacy tech might carry out are:

• Receive and assist customers with prescriptions and other questions
• Fill prescription medicines under pharmacist direction
• Enter customer and prescription data into pharmacy computer system
• Contact customers when their prescriptions are prepared for pick-up
• Complete and submit customer insurance claim forms
• Re-supply shelves and monitor and control inventory

Due to the nature of their job, pharmacy techs will spend most of their working day standing. And working evenings and weekends is also very common, especially for newer techs with low seniority. But the payoff for occasional tired and aching feet or sometimes having to work off-hours is an extremely gratifying career assisting people with their health and well-being.

Pharmacy Tech Degree Programs

Students wishing to enroll in a pharmacy technician school are qualified as long as they have a high school diploma or a GED. There are generally 2 alternatives to becoming a technician regardless if you enroll in a community college or a trade school. The first is to attain a certificate or a diploma, which usually can be accomplished in a year or less. These programs present an overview to the various facets of pharmacology and pharmaceutical technology and normally include classroom and lab training. A number of programs also require an internship at an approved Lemoore CA pharmacy or other 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 extensive education and can lead to more advanced positions or education in the future. Either program should furnish the necessary amount of training to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Examination should the graduate choose to become certified.

Pharmacy Tech Certification Options

Certification is not required in all states, but numerous graduates of pharmacy technician programs opt to get certified so as to be more qualified in the job market. Also, many Lemoore CA employers will only hire a tech that is certified. There are two organizations that offer certification:

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

The NHA requires that the candidate be 18 years or older, be a high school graduate, has completed a training program, and has at least one year of work experience. The PTCB just requires that the applicant has a high school diploma and passes their examination. Recertification is called for every 2 years by both programs, which can be met by completing 20 hours of continuing education.

Pharmacy Technician Online Colleges

Before choosing a pharmacy tech online college, it's important to realize that most programs do require that a substantial part of the training be conducted in a clinical setting. This is usually satisfied in a local Lemoore pharmacy or hospital by means of an internship program. Students in most cases will have the opportunity to work under an experienced pharmacy technician in order to acquire some real world experience. Fortunately the non-clinical portion of the training may be accessed over the internet in your Lemoore CA home or via any available computer. This option is more practical for most students, notably for those who continue to work while attaining their degree or certificate. And online programs are sometimes less expensive than traditional options. Tuition and costs for driving and study materials can be decreased significantly. With both the clinical and the online training, a complete education is provided. But not all online schools are accredited, which is important for securing certification and employment (more on accreditation later). So verify that each online program you are reviewing is accredited by a recognized accrediting agency, for example 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 ideal option for you.

Points to Ask Pharmacy Tech Programs

After you have decided whether you would like to attain a certificate or degree, and if you prefer 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 pick from in the Lemoore CA area and throughout the Country, so you need to create a list of qualifying questions so that you can contrast 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 Lemoore residence. If you are willing to move or are have decided to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be important. But there are several other factors that you need to consider in order to properly compare programs. The following questions will help you to gather that information and help you to make your final decision.

Is the Pharmacy Tech Program Accredited? Many pharmacist technician colleges and trade schools have acquired a regional or national accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Programs earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to provide a complete quality education. Online colleges may additionally obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with distance or online learning. Don't forget to confirm that the degree or certificate program as well as the school you choose are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education acknowledged accrediting organization. Besides helping ensure that you obtain a quality education, it might assist in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not available for non-accredited colleges. Also, certification might mandate that the program of training is accredited. And a number of Lemoore CA pharmacies will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.

Does the School Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but many pharmacies desire that the technicians they employ are certified. The pharmacist tech college needs to ready its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students planning on obtaining NHA certification will also need 1 year of professional experience. This requirement can be satisfied by entering a college sponsored internship program.

Does the College Sponsor Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA mandates one year of job experience for certification, which can be fulfilled by means of an internship program. One of the best ways to get hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to work out in the field. Most pharmacy tech certificate or degree programs also require clinical training in order to graduate and an internship is a great way to meet the requirement. Find out if the programs have a working relationship with Lemoore CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.

Does the College Offer Job Placement Help? Securing that first position in Lemoore CA upon graduation, particularly with no professional experience, can be a daunting task without some support. Ask if the schools 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 school has an excellent reputation within the profession generating demand for its graduates. It also means that it has a sizable network of employer relationships where it can place graduating students.

Where is the Program Located? For a lot of students, the college they choose will have to be within travelling distance of their Lemoore CA residence. Those who have chosen to attend classes online naturally will not have to concern themselves with the location of the campus. However, the availability of local internships will be of importance. Something to bear in mind is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might be required to pay a higher tuition. State colleges usually charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges commonly charge a higher tuition for those students that live outside of their districts.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of student that prefers to sit far in the rear of the classroom or get lost in the crowd, you will undoubtedly prefer a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and one-on-one instruction. Ask the colleges you are researching what the typical student to teacher ratio is for their classes. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your ultimate decision. This will also give you an opportunity to talk with a few of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacist technician program also.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And last you must confirm that the pharmacist technician program you finally select can provide the class schedule you need. This is particularly essential if you opt to continue working while attending school. If you must schedule evening or weekend classes in the Lemoore CA area, verify 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 enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you might miss due to work, illness or family emergencies.

Learn More about How to Become a Pharmacy Technician in Lemoore

Enroll in the Best Lemoore Pharmacy Tech Program

Receiving the right pharmacy tech training is a critical first step to launching your career in a gratifying profession where helping people with their health is your mission. Traditionally, many pharmacy technicians were trained "on the job". Nowadays, the majority of pharmacists can no longer afford to do this and place a higher importance on hiring formally trained techs. Training is offered by vocational and trade schools, technical colleges as well as community colleges. A large number of pharmacy technician schools include both classroom and clinical work. As we have addressed in this article, it's important 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 other suggestions you will be able to compare schools so that you are sure to make the ideal choice. With the right education and dedication you can achieve your goal to become a pharmacy tech in Lemoore California.

 

Lemoore Pharmacy Technician Courses | Lemoore Pharmacy Tech Schools Online