Pharmacy Tech Course
How to Find the Right One Near Santa Monica California

Now it’s time to choose and enroll in a pharmacy tech degree or certificate program near Santa Monica CA so you can receive the right training to begin a career in the rewarding profession of healthcare. But just how do you approach comparing and evaluating colleges so that you ultimately enroll in the right one? When looking for pharmacy technician schools, many potential students begin by targeting those that are nearest to their homes with the lowest tuition. While cost and location are critical factors when picking a school, they are not the sole ones. Qualifiers including reputation and accreditation should be evaluated also. You may also want to research some accredited online pharmacy tech 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 to begin with, 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 Description

Pharmacy technicians have multiple job duties, but their principal responsibility is to dispense prescription medications. Since they are not licensed, when filling prescriptions they must perform under the management of a licensed Santa Monica CA pharmacist. They must also have good customer service skills because they will be dealing directly with customers. Their attention to detail must be precise when filling prescription medications per the pharmacist's directions. And they need to have a comprehensive knowledge of pharmaceutical terminology in order that they may help customers with understanding directions for their prescriptions in addition to other pharmaceutical information and literature. However, under no situation should they ever provide medical advice relating to prescriptions or anything else. Any such questions would be addressed by the pharmacist. A few of the regular daily duties a pharmacy technician might carry out are:

• Greet and help customers with medications and other questions
• Dispense prescription medicines under pharmacist guidance
• Input customer and prescription data into pharmacy computer system
• Phone customers when their prescriptions are ready for pick-up
• Fill out and submit customer insurance claim forms
• Stock shelves and monitor and manage inventory

As a consequence of their job, pharmacy technicians will spend most of their working day standing. And working weekends and evenings is also very common, especially for newer techs with low seniority. But the payoff for occasional tired and aching feet or occasionally being required to work after hours is an extremely satisfying career helping people with their health and well-being.

Pharmacy Technician Degrees and Certificates

Students desiring to enroll in a pharmacy tech program are qualified as long as they have a high school diploma or a GED. There are basically two options to becoming a technician regardless if 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 offer an overview to the various facets of pharmacology and pharmaceutical technology and typically include classroom and lab training. Many programs also require an internship at an approved Santa Monica CA pharmacy or similar facility. The second alternative is the Associate Degree program which typically takes about 2 years of studies. Although not needed for most entry level positions, it does offer a more expansive education and can lead to more advanced positions or education in the future. Either program can provide the proper amount of training to pass the Pharmacy Technician Certification Exam should the graduate decide to get certified.

Pharmacy Tech Certifications Available

Certification is not required in all states, but many graduates of pharmacy tech colleges elect to get certified in order to be more competitive when seeking employment. Also, many Santa Monica CA pharmacies will only employ a tech that has earned certification. There are two organizations that provide 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 finished a training program, and has at least one year of professional experience. The PTCB only requires that the applicant has graduated high school and passes their examination. Recertification is called for every 2 years by each program, which can be satisfied by completing 20 hours of continuing education.

Pharmacy Technician Programs Online

Prior to selecting a pharmacy tech online college, it's important to realize that most programs do require that a substantial part of the training be completed in a clinical environment. This is typically satisfied in a local Santa Monica pharmacy or hospital through an internship program. Students in most cases will have the opportunity to work with a seasoned pharmacy technician in order to obtain some real world experience. Fortunately the non-clinical portion of the training can be accessed over the internet in your Santa Monica CA home or via any available computer. This alternative is more accommodating for many students, especially for those who keep working while earning their degree or certificate. And online colleges are sometimes more affordable than classroom options. Tuition and expenditures for commuting and course materials may be decreased substantially. With both the clinical and the online training, a comprehensive education is offered. But not all online schools are accredited, which is important for obtaining certification and employment (more on accreditation later). So confirm that any online program you are looking at is accredited by an acknowledged accrediting agency, for example the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). If you are dedicated enough to learn with a less structured form of education, then online training might be the ideal option for you.

What to Ask Pharmacy Tech Programs

After you have determined whether you want to attain a certificate or degree, and if you want to enroll in an online school or go to classes on campus, you can begin to narrow your school alternatives. There are numerous pharmacist tech programs to select from in the Santa Monica CA area and throughout the Country, so you need to create a list of qualifying questions so that you can compare community colleges and vocational schools. As we discussed in our introduction, you will probably initially look for programs that are within both your financial budget and commuting distance from your Santa Monica residence. If you are able to move or are going to enroll in an online pharmacy tech program, then location may not be critical. But there are many other issues that you should consider in order to adequately compare programs. The questions below will assist you in collecting that information and help you to make your ultimate selection.

Is the Pharmacy Technician College Accredited? The majority of pharmacy tech programs and vocational schools have acquired a national or regional accreditation. Among the most respected accrediting agencies is the American Society of Health-System Pharmacists (ASHP). Schools earning accreditation from the ASHP have been screened and certified to offer 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. Be sure to check that the degree or certificate program as well as the college you pick are accredited by a U.S. Department of Education sanctioned accrediting agency. Besides helping guarantee that you receive a superior education, it might help in securing financial assistance or student loans, which are often not accessible for non-accredited schools. Also, certification may require that the training program is accredited. And many Santa Monica CA employers will only hire entry level employees that have earned a degree from an accredited school.

Does the Program Prep You for Certification? Certification is not required in every state, but numerous pharmacies desire that the techs they hire are certified. The pharmacy technician program needs to prep its students to pass the NHA or the PTCB exam. Students interested in obtaining NHA certification will additionally need one year of work experience. This qualification can be satisfied by taking part in a college sponsored internship program.

Does the College Provide Internship Programs? As we just covered, the NHA mandates one year of job experience for certification, which can be satisfied with an internship program. Perhaps the best way to acquire practical 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 fulfill the requirement. Find out if the schools have associations with Santa Monica CA area pharmacies, clinics, or hospitals for internship programs.

Does the College Offer Job Placement Assistance? Finding that first position in Santa Monica CA upon graduation, especially with no professional experience, can be a difficult undertaking without any help. Ask if the schools you are looking at have job placement programs. If they do, 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 appeal for its graduates. It also means that it has a substantial network of employer relationships where it can refer graduating students.

Where is the College Located? For many students, the college they decide on will need to be within travelling distance of their Santa Monica CA home. Individuals who have chosen 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. One thing to bear in mind is that if you decide 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 commonly charge higher tuitions for out of state residents. And community colleges normally charge a higher tuition for those students that don't reside within their districts.

How Big are the Classes ? Unless you are the sort of person that likes to sit far in the back of class or get lost in the crowd, you will probably want a small class size. Small classes enable more individual participation and personalized instruction. Ask the colleges you are researching what the typical 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 decision. This will also give you a chance to talk with several of the instructors and students to get their opinions regarding the pharmacy technician program also.

Can the Program Accommodate your Schedule? And finally you must verify that the pharmacy technician college you finally choose can offer the class schedule you need. This is particularly crucial if you opt to continue working while you attend school. If you need to schedule evening or weekend classes in the Santa Monica CA area, make sure that they are offered. If you can only enroll on a part-time basis, find out if that is an alternative and how many credit hours or courses you would need to enroll in. Also, find out what the procedure is for making up any classes that you may miss due to illness, work or family emergencies.

Learn More on How to Become a Pharmacy Tech in Santa Monica

Enroll in the Right Santa Monica Pharmacy Tech School

Receiving the best pharmacy technician training is a critical first step to beginning your career in a gratifying profession where helping people with their wellness is your purpose. Traditionally, many pharmacist techs were taught "on the job". Nowadays, most pharmacies can no longer operate this way and place a higher importance on hiring formally educated technicians. Training is provided by trade schools, vocational and technical colleges, as well as community colleges. Most pharmacist technician programs incorporate both classroom and clinical work. As we have discussed in this article, it's essential to select a school that is accredited and will ready you for certification. This applies both for online classes and for those attended on campus. If you make use of our other tips you will be able to evaluate programs so that you are sure to make the right selection. With the proper training and dedication you can accomplish your goal to become a pharmacy technician in Santa Monica California.

 

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