Pharmacy Tech School
How to Select the Best One Near Pasadena California

Having made the decision to attain your pharmacy technician degree or certificate near Pasadena CA, you might be wondering just how to select the right college to receive your education and training. Usually the first step is to find schools that offer the certificate or degree that you would like to earn. When checking out pharmacy technician programs, the majority of students start by zeroing in on the ones that are nearest to their homes with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are important concerns when picking a college, they are not the only ones. Qualifiers including accreditation and reputation should be taken into account also. You may also decide to take a look at some accredited pharmacy tech online programs as an alternative to attending classes on campus. We will go over these qualifiers and some others that you will need to include when reviewing pharmacy technician schools. But to begin with, let's take a look at what a pharmacy tech does, the diploma and degree options available, and the advantages of online courses.

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

Pharmacy Tech Job Description

Pharmacy techs 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 management of a licensed Pasadena CA pharmacist. They must also have good customer service abilities because they will be working directly with customers. Their attention to detail must be absolute when filling prescription medicines per the pharmacist's instructions. And they need to have a comprehensive knowledge of pharmaceutical terminology so that they can assist customers with understanding directions for their medications as well as other pharmaceutical literature and information. However, under no situation should they ever give medical advice pertaining to medications or anything else. All such questions should be handled by the pharmacist. A few of the typical daily functions a pharmacy technician may perform are:

• Receive and help customers with prescriptions and other questions
• Fill prescription medicines under pharmacist supervision
• Enter prescription and customer information into pharmacy computer system
• Phone customers when their medications are prepared for pick-up
• Fill out 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 the majority of their working day on their feet. And working evenings and weekends is also very common, especially for newer techs with lower seniority. But the reward for occasional tired and aching feet or at times having to work off-hours is an extremely gratifying career helping people with their health and wellness.

Pharmacy Technician Diplomas and Degrees

Individuals desiring to enroll in a pharmacy tech school are qualified provided that they have a high school diploma or equivalent. There are essentially 2 options to becoming 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 normally can be finished in a year or less. These programs provide an overview to the various elements of pharmacology and pharmaceutical technology and typically include classroom and lab training. A number of programs also require an internship at an approved Pasadena CA pharmacy or other facility. The second option is the Associate Degree program which generally involves about two years of studies. Although not required for most entry level positions, it does provide a more in depth education and opens doors to more advanced positions or education down the road. Each program should furnish the proper amount of training to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam should the graduate choose to become certified.

Pharmacy Tech Certification Options

Certification is not required in all states, but numerous graduates of pharmacy tech colleges choose to get certified so as to be more competitive when seeking employment. Also, a number of Pasadena CA pharmacies will only employ a technician that has earned certification. There are 2 organizations that provide certification:

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

The NHA requires that the applicant be 18 years or older, be a high school graduate, 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 examination. Recertification is mandated every two years by each program, which can be met by completing 20 hours of continuing education.

Pharmacy Tech Online Colleges

Prior to deciding on a pharmacist tech online college, it's necessary to realize that most schools do require that a substantial part of the training be conducted in a clinical environment. This is commonly fulfilled in a local Pasadena pharmacy or hospital by means of an internship program. Students often will have the benefit of working under a seasoned pharmacy technician so as to receive some work place experience. However the balance or non-clinical training may be accessed online in your Pasadena CA home or via any available computer. This alternative is more practical for many students, notably for those who keep working while attaining their certificate or degree. And online programs are often less expensive than classroom options. Tuition and expenditures for commuting and course materials can be reduced significantly. With both the clinical and the online training, a comprehensive education is offered. But not all online colleges are accredited, which is important for securing employment and certification (more on accreditation later). So check that each online college you are reviewing is accredited by an acknowledged accrediting organization, for instance the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). If you are disciplined enough to learn with a less structured form of education, then online training may be the best choice for you.

What to Ask Pharmacy Tech Colleges

Once you have determined whether you wish to earn a certificate or degree, and if you prefer to enroll in an online school or go to classes on campus, you can begin to target your school options. There are numerous pharmacy tech schools to select from in the Pasadena CA area and throughout the United States, so you must create 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 schools that are within both your financial resources and commuting distance from your Pasadena residence. If you are able to relocate or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech school, then location may not be critical. But there are a number of other factors that you need to consider so that you may adequately compare colleges. The questions below will help you in gathering that information and help you to make your final selection.

Is the Pharmacy Tech School Accredited? Most pharmacy technician programs and vocational schools have acquired a regional or national accreditation. One of the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been evaluated and certified to offer a complete quality education. Online schools may also obtain accreditation from the Distance Education and Training Council, which deals only with online or distance education. Make sure to check that the certificate or degree program together with the college you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education recognized accrediting organization. Along with helping ensure that you get a quality education, it can assist in getting financial assistance or student loans, which are frequently not offered for non-accredited schools. Also, certification might require that the program of training is accredited. And many Pasadena CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have graduated from an accredited program.

Does the Program Prepare You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but numerous employers prefer that the techs they hire be certified. The pharmacy technician college needs to prep its students to pass the PTCB or the NHA exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need 1 year of work experience. This condition may be fulfilled by taking part in a school sponsored internship program.

Does the College Provide Internship Programs? As we previously covered, the NHA mandates one year of professional experience for certification, which may be satisfied through an internship program. One of the best ways to acquire hands on clinical experience as a pharmacy technician is to train 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 satisfy the requirement. Find out if the schools have associations with Pasadena CA area pharmacies, hospitals, or clinics for internship programs.

Does the College Provide Job Placement Help? Securing that initial position in Pasadena CA after graduation, particularly with no prior experience, can be a challenging undertaking without some support. Find out if the schools you are considering 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 college has a good reputation within the profession creating appeal for its graduates. It also indicates that it has a large network of pharmacy relationships where it can place graduating students.

Where is the College Located? For a lot of students, the college they decide on will need to be within commuting distance of their Pasadena CA home. Individuals who have decided 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 concern. Something to consider is that if you decide to enroll in a program that is out of state or perhaps out of your local area, you might have to pay a higher tuition. State colleges commonly 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.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the kind of person that likes to sit way in the rear of class or get lost in the crowd, you will likely want a small class size. Small classes allow for more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are reviewing what the average teacher to student ratio is for their classrooms. If practical you may prefer to sit in on one or more classes before making your final determination. This will also give you an opportunity to speak with some of the students and instructors to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy tech program as well.

Can the School Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must confirm that the pharmacist technician school you finally pick can provide the class schedule you need. This is especially essential if you choose to continue working while you attend classes. If you must schedule night or weekend classes in the Pasadena CA 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 have 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.

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

Choose the Right Pasadena Pharmacy Tech School

Receiving the ideal pharmacy technician training is a crucial first step to starting your career in a gratifying occupation where assisting people with their wellness is your mission. Traditionally, most pharmacist techs were trained "on the job". These days, the majority of pharmacies can no longer operate this way and much prefer to hire formally educated technicians. Training is offered by technical colleges, vocational and trade schools, as well as community colleges. Many pharmacist tech schools incorporate both classroom and clinical work. As we have addressed in this article, it's essential to select a program that is accredited and will ready you for certification. This is true both for classes online and for those attended on campus. If you follow our additional tips you will be able to evaluate programs so that you are certain to make the right selection. With the right education and dedication you can realize your goal to become a pharmacy technician in Pasadena California.

 

Pasadena Pharmacy Technician Training | Pasadena Pharmacy Technician Courses